Focus Question 1: Teachers, Knowledge, Building Relationships: Invitation and Hospitality
Core Questions: Using your own educational experiences to date, how did you see teachers honouring different ways of knowing and doing in the classroom? In what ways did teachers build a sense of community in the classroom? In what ways can teachers build hospitable and invitational educational environments and relationships with all students?
Throughout my school years, I saw my teachers honour different ways of knowing and doing in the classroom, typically using the iceberg model that Professor Pirbhai-Illich spoke about. In elementary school, I was only ever taught about the visible part of culture and I have learnt that this is not enough. Although it was an attempt to introduce these ideas and ways of knowing, there is so much more to culture than what we can see.
Teachers in my life have always had their own ways of building a sense of community. I’ve had teachers create table groups that competed against other groups in the classroom in hopes that we could push each other and all grow together. I have also seen teachers strive to build a safe environment for all students. I felt a sense of community when my teachers would recognize that each student had their own background and story but acknowledged how important it was for all of us to come together as one. We cannot treat everyone the same, because we are not. We must recognize and accept differences in order to make all students feel seen and valued.
A visually appealing classroom has always been an immediate way for me to see that teachers want to have a hospitable and invitational educational environment. I have always admired the way that my mom has adapted her classroom over the years. She always has a theme in her classroom and it is always set up in an appealing way for her students. I also love the way that she has tried to adapt the learning environment to fit the needs of her students. She has added alternative seating, learning spaces, invested in fidgets and noise reducing devices to help all of her students feel like they can do their best work while they are in her classroom. This makes the students feel like she has their best interest at heart and builds on the student-teacher relationship.
Focus Question 3: Indigenization
Core Questions: Describe what you learned in your K-12 education about Indigenous history in Canada. Based on your learning in the course, what new understandings have you gained and what would you do for the call to action?
In my K-12 education, I saw many different approaches to teaching Indigenous history in Canada. Truthfully, in elementary school I always found the stories that were told to be boring. Simply because we were only taught the same few things year after year, it was so repetitive. I remember being taught the same story of Turtle Island from grade 1-8 and read the same novel Fatty Legs, in grade 6 and 7. We participated in things such as Orange Shirt Day but I do not remember Indigenous content being a part of our day to day learning.
This changed when I started high school. Winston Knoll Collegiate had an incredible amount of representation in all aspects of the school. We had an Indiegnous Advocate who often set up displays in the hallways that were both appealing and informative, we also had a cultural room that held activities such as smudging. I was shocked at all of the things that I learned in my Humanities 30 course, there was all this history and these stories that I was hearing for the first time. It really saddens me to know that there were so many engaging ways that these things could have been taught to us. These stories and their history is dark and heartbreaking but I enjoyed learning about it. The way it was taught was so engaging and I felt completely changed, it was one of the most valuable classes that I took in high school.
In this ECS 101, I have learned just how much responsibility the classroom teacher holds in making sure that Indigenous history is not only taught, but understood by all students. Professor Pirbhai-Illich said, “If we want to contribute to systemic change, we need to understand the concepts of decolonization, indigenization and reconciliation”. We as teachers must know what we need to do in order to move forward with reconciliation in Canada. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada states, Call to Action 63: advocates building capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect; learning together to understand our shared histories with Aboriginal peoples. For this call to action in my future as a teacher, I will make sure that there is Indigenous history content and knowledge incorporated into all aspects of my teaching. Marie Battiste said in “Nourishing The Learning Spirit” – “Two eyed seeing is to normalize Indigenous knowledge in the curriculum so that both Indiegnous and conventional perspectives and knowledges will be available – not just for Aboriginal peoples, who would be enriched by that effort, but for all peoples.” This comment really resonated with me and my “I Believe…” statements.
Focus Question 4: Equal Representation: You will focus on issues around equality, equity, difference & inclusiveness.
Core Questions: Based on your own experiences, what you are learning in the course, and what you have found out about the independent school that you are researching, how does the school, their classrooms and teachers honour inclusive practices? How is your school community honouring equal representation, equity, and human rights for all students (including sexual and gender diversity) within their schools and communities?
I believe that over the years schools have attempted to become safer and more inclusive environments for all students. In my Independent Schools Project, Mother Teresa Middle School honoured inclusive teaching practices by ensuring that their school could be affordable by all students who wished to attend. They also provided their students with clothing, meals, transportation, technology and health care. This ensures that all students feel as though they belong and can be treated equally as everyone is provided with equal opportunities. The only thing that disappointed me about MTMS was that they do not accept students with special needs or disability. This is definitely not an inclusive practice.
In my own school community I have felt a very strong sense of honouring equal representation, equity and human rights for all students. In high school I participated in “Shrek The Musical”. This show was full of diversity and acceptance. A female played Gingy (gingerbreadman), a straight football player played the cross-dressing wolf and a transgender male played Pinocchio the “real boy”. Each student was represented during the show, it was beautiful when it all came together. The Best Buddies program was an amazing way for students to build relationships with other students in our FIAP or Developmental Classrooms. I always loved eating lunch together, playing games or reading stories. It was so apparent how much joy it brought to these students. There was a WKC Pride group at our school that always put on different events and advertised many supports for students who may need them. Our Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program became a large part of our school and even the little things like having interpreters at all of our assemblies was so great to see.
I recognize that I myself am not part of a minority group so this could be interpreted differently through others perspectives. But I believe that efforts are being made each and every day to include, support and respect all students in their communities.