Resources for Educators

Teaching Tip

From the Teacher’s Aide Newsletter

2004 Autumn

Seasonal Cheer Tips

  • Hold an appreciation circle where each learner tells someone what they appreciate about that person. Start with a volunteer. Then the person chosen picks someone of their choice and shares. Continue the process as long as it is fun. End with a group hug.
  • Organize a holiday bake exchange. Everyone (including the instructor) bakes three batches of their favorite goody and brings it in to class. Divide each person’s goodies into the number of people attending. This way everyone gets an assortment of goodies to take home (and of course, nibble on a little bit during the class celebration). Make sure everyone brings tins, plastic bags or baskets to carry home their shared baked goods.
  • Learners choose a “holiday spirit” good deed and complete them before the class breaks for the holiday. In an informal setting, possibly with background music and hot cider, the class shares their good deeds and how they felt these acts changed their views, made them feel or added to someone’s joy.
  • Gift exchange: Each learner brings in a wrapped gift that costs no more than $10. The gifts should be non-gender based and must relate in some way to their future profession. Pass around a basket that has numbered slips of paper (with as many people as are in the class). The person with #1 gets to pick any present and unwraps it. The person with #2 has the choice of taking the present from #1 or getting an unopened one. If #2 takes the gift from #1 then #1 gets to choose another present. Then #3 gets to pick either a new present or any of the opened presents. This continues untill everyone receives a present.
  • Class concert: Everyone brings in a percussion or small musical instrument such as a hand drum, bongo, flute, rain stick, tambourine, maraca, kazoo or triangle. (Note: the instructor should bring extra instruments in case some people forget.) Lay the instruments on a table. Each person takes an instrument and the group plays for two minutes. Then switch instruments and play for another two minutes. Continue these rounds several times. Audiotape it for later laughs.