Kategoriak: All - inclusion - literature - diversity - stereotypes

arabera Ioannou William 7 years ago

1153

Equity and Inclusive Education

Emphasizing the importance of equity and inclusive education, diverse literature plays a crucial role in reflecting varied learning communities. A significant issue arises when only a single narrative is presented, leading to the misconception that people from different cultures do not belong in literature.

Equity and Inclusive Education

Equity and Inclusive Education

Shared and committed leadership

At the school level we have a number of committees that discuss equity and fairness in education
Social Committee: Help to organize Spirit Days for Students, Staff and Parents, as well as organize and collect funds from teachers regarding gifts for births, funerals, departures and other celebrations or recognitions
Parent Council: Parents, Admin and Teachers work together to bring fairness, equality and inclusion to the learning community by organizing special events to help bring the community together
Climate Committee: Works together to create opportunities or experiences for staff, students and parents to get to know each other - Card nights, Open Houses, Sport Thursdays, Grandparents Day and Tea, Writer's Workshops, Literacy/ Numeracy Nights, etc. It's all about "being there" for for one another and "making someone's day"
TL, Music, Phys-Ed, ISSP and ESL teachers are encouraged to participate in student placements for the following school year
School Succes Team: Meet to discuss teacher/ student allocations

School–community relationships

Values Through Literacy and Music: One Grade 5 Class works with Greg Lawless, a musician to create a song about one of the "isms" and presents it at The Living Arts Centre in Mississauga - only 7 schools are selected to create a song about: - ableism - heterosexism - ageism - racism - sexism - faith as an ism - classism
"Every Voice Counts" Survey: This is done by Parents, Students and Teachers
Established School Council

Board policies, programs, guidelines, and practices

We ensure that assemblies, clubs and other events are not taking place on these occasions to ensure all students, teachers parents or family members can attend
As a staff, we always consult a faith calendar that indicates when cultural and religious holidays are celebrated or recognized

Professional learning

A small group of Grade 5 students are selected to participate in the Spotlight on Black Heritage during Black History Month and the Spotlight on Asian Heritage during Asian Heritage Month at the Peel District School Board Central Office
Teachers and students then collaborate to create an assembly that challenges the parents, students and teachers to think about opening our minds and hearts to multiple stories so that we get the whole story and can dissolve the stereotypes that have been created over time
Through Co-planning and Co-teaching opportunities TLs can expose students and teachers to a variety of media that can spark discussion and critical thinking about Social Justice and real-world issues
Also, forming a Me to We Club has been effective in teaching students how they can make a difference in solving social justice issues by being informed and taking action
Having students reflect and connect to issues that concern us presently nurtures their ability to be a critical problem solver that can analyze information, empathize for others and be active in taking action

Inclusive curriculum and assessment practices

TLs meet with individual and Grade Levels during common planning times, recess, before and after school hours to plan curriculum and assessment strategies
Collaboration- teacher to teacher Co-planning, Co-assessing, Co-teaching taking place Collaboration - Teacher to Student Co-constructing criteria peer and teacher feedback using Google platform to collaborate before, during, and after school hours Making sure that all students have access to technology as a tool during school hours (Recess Breaks, Class Time) as well as before and after school
TLs role to build the LLC with diverse literature that reflects our diverse learning community

Diverse Literature that REFLECTS our diverse learning communities

An unintended consequence of only listening or reading to "one story" is that we begin to think that people of different cultures don't belong in literature
By sharing a variety of literature, we offer learners a whole story, which humanizes the characters, which also empowers our students - they can see themselves in the diversity of the characters we expose them to
A single story "robs people of their identity" and creates stereotypes by telling only part of the story, and not giving the reader the entire story
Chimamanda Ngozi states that we, especially children, are "impressionable" and "vulnerable" to the power of a story
It is the teaching of multiple literacies that give students the opportunity to make connections and find similarities within their lives, other texts, world events and what they see in the media
Here is a video I used at a staff meeting about the current refugee crisis
the opportunities to connect to characters that they can culturally identify with and at the same time introduce new cultures to other students
"My Two Blankets", "Four Feet Two Sandals", "Playing War", "Stepping Stones", "Adrift at Sea" All great texts! They deal with challenges of losing one's identity, home, friends and family
We need to share more texts that share "positive" cultural experiences as well as the negative to form what Chinua Achebe calls a "balanced" story