Today, I get to dress up so that I can spend the day having fun with the kiddos at school for Halloween. Before I go into what I'm dressed up as, I just have to say I'm so happy that the school I'm in still allows this. Of course, like most schools, we are not having "Halloween" parties today, we are having "Fall" parties. To celebrate, the teachers and students get to wear costumes.
For the teachers to be able to dress up, each grade member had to come up with a theme. The theme had to be something that is related to literacy. Some groups are dressing up as Dr. Seuss characters, for example. My grade decided to do Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Well, then we decided to do Snow White and the Seven Dorks - a spoof of the Saved By the Bell episode of long ago. Then, we kind of realized that we loved watching Saved By the Bell as kids - but our students would have NO idea what the heck we were doing. Once again, we went back to the drawing board and came up with Snow White and the Seven Superstars. "Superstars" being the nickname of the second grade teachers.
So, think for a second. What comes to mind when you think of "Superstars"? Glamour, glitz...fancy gowns or rocker type outfits? Hmmm, that's kind of what I thought. Then again, what fun would that be? I'm lucky enough to be working with a bunch of people that are bursting at the seams with creativity. They want fun, quirky - something that will make the kids laugh. I'm 100% behind them. So what do I look like today? Well, I will have pics tomorrow - because my ensemble isn't complete yet. Right now, I'm wearing purple and black striped thigh-highs under rolled up jeans topped with a black t-shirt. How's that mental image for ya? Once I get to school, I will receive my pink boa that has a large blingy star attached to it that says "Dopey"...yep, lucky me - that was the dwarf name that I picked out of the hat. On my head, I will be wearing a visor - worn to the side, of course - that has "Superstar" written across the front of it. Mental image a little better, now?
We've got some dwarf, dork, and superstar rolled into one - now that is genius!! Now, I know I will spend all day saying "I'm a superstar" after the kids are wondering what the heck I'm dressed up as, but I know that they will ask with a smile - maybe a chuckle. That is the hope with all of this. As long as the kids get a good laugh from it - I will enjoy it.
As a child, who wanted to grow up to be a teacher, I couldn't wait to get to do fun stuff like dressing up and being silly. If there's a need for a teacher to dress up, dance, sing, or just be goofy for a day - I'd be the first in line to volunteer. Then things became different as I got older. It was no longer OK to celebrate Halloween in schools. Christmas parties started to get the axe. Valentine's Day? - Nope, not appropriate for young kids. I was really upset when I started to see the things I was so excited about being a part of dwindle before my eyes. Then someone got the magnificent idea of celebrating the seasons. Hey, let's have a "Fall" party - and dress up in costume. Let's have a "Winter party" and give gifts to celebrate. When we have a "Spring" party - let's give little cards and candy. That person, whoever it was, deserves a medal. I still get to do the things I wanted to do, the kids still get to have a great time, and no one is getting offended.
I know that there are still some schools that won't allow the parties. That makes me sad. I can only hope that when I finish school and start my job hunt, that I'm lucky enough to get a job in a school that celebrates the seasons. Do you think it's appropriate to ask that during interviews?
PNOTD:
"Purple and black striped socks: $3.50. Pink Boa: $3.00. Having the chance to dress up, be silly, and make the kids laugh: Priceless."
Till next time. ;)
Joanna, I think it's fabulous that your school celebrates the seasons. When all the celebrations are focused on so-called Christian holidays, I think we have a real problem. One problem is that not everyone in school is Christian. But the bigger problem to me (and my family) is that we take very seriously the Scriptures that warn Christians against practicing pagan rituals. Instead, we celebrate God's Feasts, like the Feast of Tabernacles, and we honor other days as directed by Scripture, such as the Days of Unleavened Bread and Atonement Day. In other words, we recognize Holy Days, not holidays.
ReplyDeleteAnd for me another whole issue is the commercialism that has become such a huge part of these holidays.