In a season so often dominated by sameness—snowflake cutouts, red-and-green décor, familiar songs—the Montessori classroom invites us to pause and ask a deeper question: who and what is being seen? Inclusion, in its truest sense, means making the season visible, equitable, and belonging-oriented for every child and family. When we honor diverse traditions, languages, and ways of celebrating (or not celebrating), we expand the child’s understanding of community and justice. The choices we make about what to celebrate, how to involve families, and how to center every identity can reinforce—or undermine—a culture of belonging.
Why this matters now
In inclusive leadership literature, rituals and celebrations are not superficial extras but structural cues of whose story belongs and whose does not. When leaders intentionally shape recognition and ceremonies, they sustain a positive culture. The anti-bias framework reminds us that “invisibility erases identity and experience; visibility affirms reality.”
Ideas for practical moves
- Host a listening circle early December: Invite staff, students, or families (or all three) to reflect on how winter rituals currently feel, what they notice about belonging or exclusion, and what they might imagine instead. Draw on coaching/reflection protocols from Montessori leadership practice. For instance, the study by Damore and Rieckhoff shows how leaders modelling reflective practices empower their teams to engage in continuous improvement.
- Launch a “Belonging Campaign” in the school: Design a messaging stream (hallway boards, weekly email, morning announcements) themed around belonging, e.g., “We shine brighter together,” “Here you are seen,” “This season, our light comes from everyone.” Use inclusive imagery and invite contributions from diverse families, including their winter traditions, favourite foods, and meaningful stories.
- Re-imagine the holiday event: Instead of a generic holiday party, host a “Season of Light” gathering that invites many traditions (Winter Solstice, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Year), as well as non-holiday moments (gratitude walls, peer-shout-out stations, welcome-back-to-school in January). Use the anti-bias framing: you don’t have to celebrate every holiday, but you do have to ground what you do in inclusive decision-making.
- Use staff meetings to uncover hidden narratives in traditions: Ask, “Whose voices are missing from our décor, assemblies, and email messages this month?” Encourage staff reflection and redesign.
By making the season visible as an inclusive, belonging-oriented space, you shift from checklist to culture.