Job Discussion Forums

[pancakes]

Just out of interest - does anyone have difficulties with their school admin when attempting to educated their students about the concept of Christmas? They claim it's promoting Christianity or somesuch?

I don't, but just wondered if anyone does?

[vikdk]

and what is the concept of christmas - i'd also love to learn that one

[Babala]

As they asked a couple of us to help out with the nativity scene, I'd say they have no problem

[kev7161]

Except I teach about Santa Claus and Rudolph and fluffy bunnies (wait, that's Easter) . . . so no problems here.

[vikdk]

what is the concept??????????? - sold out hotels and reindeers?

[pancakes]

I thought it was clear from the context what I meant by the concept of Christmas, but since you asked, vikdk, Christmas FOR ME: Is celebrated on the 25th of December, involves paying special attention to the people around you, and is steeped in tradition.

It's that last thing that might have some people up in arms, since the traditions of Christmas come largely from Western religions, though I am aware of its origins and its modern commercialisation.

Of course people will have other definitions of exactly what constitutes the "concept of Christmas" but I think that's a pretty broad definition which will incorporate many people's views. Enough, vik?

[vikdk]

why wait to the 25th to pay attention to others - I'd rather give more effort to worthier days such as world AIDS day - but then as kindy teacher I have stick to reindeers, but leave out the overbooked hotels. Around this time I start to sing a song about winter going away and spring coming back - kind of symbolic of the winter solstice - which I'm sure is thereal meaning of chrisy, but sadly ignored by most.

[KarenB]

Our school (government vocational college) has it written into the contract that we have to assist the students in putting on a Christmas program for the entire student body.

Several of the schools in Haikou (Hainan) were told last year by the government that they could not put on a Christmas program, and one school was even interrupted by govt officials in the middle of the program and told they had to stop.

I asked my school leaders about this, and whether we should continue with the tradition of the Christmas program, and if the way we were designing it was ok. We were told by all means to go ahead, and that as long as it isn't "too religious", we're fine.

Just for the record, our Christmas program is about 1 1/2 hours long, and we use the graduating English majors to sing, dance, and act (and the FTs direct and also participate in some way). We usually have about 2/3 of it pretty much secular -- like one year we did the Nutcracker and this year we're doing Dicken's (editing note: ha! ha! the censors don't like Charles D's last name) "Christmas Carol", and then at the very end we'll have about a 15 to 20 minute dramatic musical program with Mary, baby Jesus, the angels and all that. Most of the FTs here (and the Chinese teachers) agree that if we're going to have a Christmas program, that the students ought to understand what it's all about.

I don't currently teach about Christmas in class time, because I teach writing to the graduating Englihs majors, so we're doing the program anyway. But my husband teaches the lower grades, and he uses the whole month of December to teach Christmas songs, the Christmas story, Christmas customs, and shows Christmas movies (this year he's doing "Christmas with the Cranks" which they've really been enjoying), and plays word games, etc. with a Christmas theme. I did the same when I taught Spoken English. We've been doing this in China for 6 years with no complaint. Most administrators (and students)want to learn Western customs, and Christmas is becoming more and more popular, so everyone's curious about it. Although we do cover the religious aspects of Christmas, we don't make a huge focus on it, and it seems to keep everyone happy.

[7969]

i only gave christmas cursory attention in my classes this year. the school would like me to teach the students a bit more about it (they understand it s a christian holiday) but i just cant get into the christmas mood here. christmas is a great concept for the classroom, maybe next year i'll be more prepared for it, some decorations, nativity scene and so on.....

[tw]

The only thing I've been telling my students about Christmas is that like Spring Festival, it is the time of year when people like to get together with their family and that it is now too commercialized. I don't bother getting into its historical/religious background. If someone really wants to know about it, they can ask me. I don't want people mistaking my telling the students about the origin of Christmas as preaching. I think most Chinese who know what Christmas is have some knowledge about Jesus Christ etc.

[mondrian]

[vikdk]

no mondrian is delicous - your art, now that is where concept really lies

[Don McChesney]

I talk about Christmas as being the syncretic fusion of three beliefs.
The pagan winter solstice when the gap in time allows the demons to enter, and candles and fires are lit to stop the darkness. It is the Nordic time of Pere Noel as Father Christmas, reindeer, sledge etc, and of course the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus.
Just out of interest, I ask when was JC born? Attributed to 25 Dec is OK, but ask what year, how long ago? None of my classes realised it was 2005 years ago. None had made the link between the event and the date!!