Anne Silva
March, the saying goes, comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. From where I’m sitting, it can feel like a real bear sometimes, and other times my students just get downright squirrelly. We’re all over the map, you might say. Perhaps I should just post a map of the local zoo instead of my March calendar.
The one constant holding us all together at this point in the year is the promise of spring.
Spring!
Is there a better reason to celebrate, after umpteen snow days cooped up, inches shoveled, miles white-knuckled, colds suffered, or sweaters shrunken? I think not! As my dear friend Sam put it, “I’ve never been so happy to see a patch of brown mud in my life!” In March, it seems totally reasonable to celebrate mud, and rain (hello, California!), and crocuses, and basketball, and Spring Break, and shorts weather (er… maybe even “light jacket weather”), and track meets, and juicy strawberries in season.
March also just happens to be a time when cultures around the world, many of which are our beloved Hispanic cultures, are also celebrating. Carnaval in Latin America, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Holi in India, Calle Ocho in Miami, Las Fallas in Spain… March has some of the world’s most COLORFUL celebrations!
So in honor of March and all its colors, celebrated around the world, let’s celebrate good times, come on! (HA! Now you have that song stuck in your head, don’t you!?)
Celebrate all the good in our schools, our homes, and our lives. Turn our back on the grays and the things that suck out the sparkle.
So get out that fabulous Carnaval headdress you have stuffed in the back of your closet and wear it to class…. I dare you!
Are you ready to celebrate with us? Even just in spirit if not in practice? What is your favorite festival of this season? Do you teach your students about any of these festivals in class? What is their favorite? Share your joy with us!
