School Rituals, Traditions, and Ceremonies
A life devoid of ritual and ceremony would be one without richness and zest. The small daily rituals of
our lives provide time for reflection, connection, and meaningful experience (Peterson and Deal, 2009).
There are set of rituals, traditions, and ceremonies in every school. These make a school unique from
other schools and make the school active and alive. Joining rituals, celebrating traditions, and
conducting ceremonies are great opportunities to convene as one while integrating the vision, mission,
values, and goals of the school (Confeld, 2016).
Peterson and Deal (2009) defined school rituals as procedures or routines that are infused with deeper
significance. Every school has hundreds of routines that later on become rituals such as greeting the
teacher as students encounter them along the corridor, conducting flag ceremonies every morning, and
observing the honoring gesture or "pagmamano" gesture. Indeed, rituals help to transform common
experience into uncommon events. Moreover, school traditions are significant events that have a special
history and meaning and occur year in and year out. Unlike ceremonies, they need not be large
communal events (Peterson & Deal, 2009). Some examples of school traditions are conducting freshman
orientation, holding recollection activities to the graduating batch, and arranging school camping.
Finally, school ceremonies are elaborated as culturally sanctioned events that provide a welcome
spiritual boost. Most schools have formal ceremonies that mark transitions in the school year. These
periodic communal events bind people to each other and shape unwritten cultural values (Peterson &
Deal, 2009). Some examples of school ceremonies are holding the annual graduation rites, joining some
local cultural activities and celebrating Christmas through Christmas Parties.
➤ Activity 5: Do you join extracurricular activities? Complete the table below by determining five school
rituals, traditions, and ceremonies and explain their purposes.
School Rituals
Purpose
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.