Holiday Wonder
By: Vanessa MacDonna
Teaching during the holiday season is hands down, my favorite. I would get a chance to learn about traditions from the countries my students represented, while teaching them American customs and traditions, and the cultural significance of this time of year.
It still amazes me that after 20 years in education, there are specific memories, small moments of time that will stay with me forever. Every year, there was always at least one student who had yet to see or touch snow in person.
It never occurred to me to ask them ways in which they may have seen snow before, if not in person. I just knew that once I saw the awe blanket their young faces, I knew it was the first time.
The school buildings in this area were about 50 years old or more. This one in particular was built in 1951 in South Brooklyn,and named after a famous Netherland landowner. An incredible work of art and architecture. The large windows span almost the entire side of the room and their reach was from roughly 3 feet from the floor almost to the ceiling. The building was so large, that at one point during my tenure there the student body reached 2000 students. During passing, I found it difficult to walk the halls to the next class.
My student body was made up of students from Pakistan, Dominican Republic, Yemen, Haiti, Russia, Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, France, China and various Franco-phone countries in Africa. I loved teaching during the holidays, because I loved teaching and the holidays enhanced that joy.
When the snow would fall, there were always a few students who would run excitedly to the windows, and just stare. Especially those who came from the Caribbean.There is one student in particular who comes to mind. He entered the school in 7th grade, he had just arrived from Haiti with his family. He was tall for his age. A very quiet, well-behaved young man. It was early afternoon around lunch time, and I was about to dismiss the class to go to the cafeteria. The snow flakes began to fall softly, and then in minutes it began to fall quickly. This particular year, the snowflakes fell like white flecks of powder. Luckily, it was not a snowstorm with harsh and whistling winds, but a calm first snow that fell gently, and kissed the concrete sidewalk.The walls of the classroom were painted a pale blue, with white trim so the snow falling was framed by the windows themselves, as if in a painting. At that moment, time slowed down in our classroom. Some students ran to the window with excitement, others simply walked in awe and wonderment. This one boy, the boy from Haiti, he was the latter. He walked quietly, softly to the window, as all the others ran back to get their coats to go to the cafeteria. My desk was in the front of the room situated in front of the blackboard. The classroom doors, one at each end, were to my left and these huge windows were on my right. He just stood there in front of the window, in his black winter coat, and dark jeans, motionless. It was obvious, it had taken his breath away. I didn’t want to interrupt. I knew eventually he would find his way back.
For me watching him watching the snow, brought me back to when I was nine years old. The first time I really appreciated the beauty of the holidays growing up in New York City. Anticipating a snow day. Waiting to be given the permission by the people on T.V. to steal a day from school and play in the snow with friends and family in the park, enjoying my childhood. That's what we wished for every winter. These are priceless and wonderful memories.
As I waited for him to wake from his snowy trance, I wondered, what other new experiences in your new home will leave you in awe and wonder?
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