Our nation is rich in cultural and religious traditions, and celebrations focusing on specific groups have grown in the past 20 years. Some of the most prominent are Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Special months now are set aside to pay tribute to African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American heritage. And along with these, we observe St. Patrick's Day, Ramadan, Cinco de Mayo and many others.

With the winter holidays fast upon us, many teachers are looking for ways to feature them. Choosing which holidays to highlight may depend on guidelines from your school district, the ethnic or religious makeup of your class or community, the studies at hand or your students' preferences. Here are some thoughtful ways to present Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa:

Explore the historical tradition behind each holiday and incorporate it into your existing lesson plans. For example, the word "Kwanzaa" comes from a Swahili phrase. You can create a lesson plan around identifying where that language is spoken in Africa, then explore the geography and history in each of those countries. Likewise, "Hanukkah" originates from Hebrew and has a rich biblical history. You can do a lesson on the Hebrew alphabet, tie that into other types of alphabets used around the world, and discuss the struggles and victories of the Jewish people.

Ask students and their families if they would like to share how they celebrate. Not everyone has the same traditions, even if they celebrate the same holiday. Christmas extends to Jan. 6 in Puerto Rico, for instance. You also can reach out to houses of worship and seek out willing presenters. Give them guidelines on presenting (see "Respect the law," at right).

Set up a pen pal program between children of different backgrounds or faiths by linking with a teacher at another school (which could be in another city, state or country). Children can begin their correspondence by asking questions about each other's traditions. Most foreign embassies are willing to help.

Organize a potluck party and gift exchange based on various holidays. This kind of festivity should follow careful instruction. Be sure to offer clear guidelines for any voluntary gift exchange, and see to it that parents receive information well ahead of time.

Although we are more explicit today about our ethnic differences, we've always been a diverse nation. In the beginning, our continent was home to Native Americans representing hundreds of languages and different backgrounds. At the turn of the 20th century, our country experienced one of its major waves of immigrants.

Now turn the clock forward 100 years. Our public schools are again meeting the challenges that come with a rapidly growing population from places like Mexico, Puerto Rico, India, Vietnam, So-malia, Croatia and Jordan.

But it's not enough to say we're a "melting pot" and hold an ethnic feast. Teachers, like students, behave in ways that reflect their culture, which can be described through obvious differences such as foods, heroes, holidays, arts and clothing-much like the tip of an iceberg, clearly visible above the water. Less visible are the different ways in which our cultures influence our understanding of the world and how we interact with others. These differences might include how we define concepts like family, responsibility, education and success. They can cause subtle misunderstandings and barriers to achievement.

The first step in culturally responsive instruction is recognizing how our own cultural conditioning is reflected in our teaching: how we set up our classrooms, relate to students, even how we de-sign and deliver lessons. When we acknowledge that our classrooms are natural extensions of our own culture, we begin to make room for the cultures of others. This can be as simple as adding classroom visuals reflecting the diversity of your students and incorporating books with multicultural themes and different perspectives into classroom readings.

For ideas, consult www.childrensbookpress.org, www.colorincolorado.org, www.putumayo.com and www.readingrockets.org.

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