The Festive Season
My eldest daughter spent most of her education in an international school, but she started it in a local English primary. At the end of the first term, she performed in a nativity and sang traditional Christmas carols. Every child took part equally and every family welcomed. In that sense it was very inclusive. It didn’t matter your heritage, every child was expected to integrate and become ‘British’.
International schools are different. We are outside of national systems. We are not teaching children to become Scottish or English or Nigerian or American. We understand that our students have come from different national systems and other international schools. Sometimes several. They have all kinds of heritage so there isn’t a norm or single tradition to aspire to.
International schools have to start with the child, who they are and how they currently understand the world. We expect every child to become a global citizen and to develop the aptitudes that make that possible. But citizenship is a way of relating to each other and the community; it isn’t a statement of who you are. International schools provide an environment in which students discover that for themselves, where their families’ unique heritage is recognised and encouraged.
At ISA we recognise that Christmas is important for a majority of our staff and students. But not for all. So for us, we call it the ‘festive season’ and ‘winter holidays’ not as a politically correct attack on western traditions, but as a recognition that Christmas doesn’t have the same meaning for all our students.
In the next few weeks ISA will host all kinds of recognitions of Christmas, from the giving tree appeal, to Christmas jumper day to decorations put on by parents. But through the year we will host displays from other cultures with equal joy and pride. I hope that more students and families can feel that ISA is a space where they can express their identity, and those around them can be enriched by it.
ISA won’t be putting on a nativity. We will, however, enter the festive spirit. Make sure you don’t miss any of the upcoming festive events
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