GAY GEISER-SANDOVAL -- Educationally Speaking

The good news for Newport-Mesa students and teachers is that there is

no school for the next five days, beginning on Wednesday. The

modification to this year’s calendar has extended the Thanksgiving break

one extra day.

Because both elementary and secondary students just got their first

set of grades, Thanksgiving break might be a good time for some students

to catch up. At one local high school, parents receive grades by

physically going to the school and picking up a report card, then

standing in line to visit with teachers.

The quarter ended a couple of weeks ago, so the students already know

what grades they received by asking the teacher. However, many students

have decided not to share this information with their parents.

Apparently, it is better to hold off as long as possible, so that the

grounding will start at a later date. Because many students will be

visiting with relatives over Thanksgiving, it is unlikely they would go

out with their friends anyway. By the time the weekend rolls around six

days later, maybe their parents will have forgotten. The tragedy, of

course, is that bad grades hurt the student, not the parent.

The Thanksgiving holiday is a great way for recent immigrants to learn

about the social and cultural aspects of American society. The original

idea was for the Pilgrims -- who were then immigrants -- to come together

with the Native American Indians who were in this country previously and

thank them for their help and the earth for its bounty. Recent

interpretations say a lot about families and the melding of American

traditions with ethnic and cultural norms.

The first thing kids talk about on the playground when discussing

Thanksgiving is whose house they will be at. Some kids may be flying by

themselves across the United States to have the holiday with a parent

they don’t often see. Others will be celebrating their first Thanksgiving

with their immediate family, after leaving all of their relatives behind

to come to a new land.

Negotiation and compromise skills get used during the holiday. First,

there is the issue of where the family will go. Then, the conflict of

what food should be served and how it will be made comes into play. Many

family squabbles begin over who gets to bring the rolls and who has to

make the mashed potatoes.

Parents of college freshman are probably most thankful for a chance to

see their kids again. It seems like forever, in some ways, since we left

my daughter at the college steps. In another sense, it doesn’t seem

possible that over two months have passed since we saw her. It feels like

she is coming here for a visit, given the short stint of her stay, as

opposed to thinking of her coming home. Many freshmen have already

e-mailed a request for the food they have been craving that they just

can’t get in the dining commons.

Our family tradition is to have two Thanksgiving dinners, one on

Thanksgiving and one during the weekend. That way, everybody is happy.

So, whatever happens this Thanksgiving, be thankful. Even if it is a

disaster, be thankful that you have an interesting story to tell at

school or the office.

GAY GEISER-SANDOVAL is a Costa Mesa resident. Her column runs

Tuesdays. She can be reached by e-mail at GGSesq@aol.com.