~Educators value the involvement and support of parents, guardians, families and communities in schools~
During practicum 490, I had the pleasure of pairing up with fellow teacher candidate, Daniel Mulhall, to bring community into our classrooms. We facilitated “pen pals” between our two classes. Daniel had a group of Grade 2 students and I had a group of Grade 8 students. Not only did this allow us to connect our students and foster relationships in a time where people are feeling disconnected, but it allowed us to use our community to support and enhance student learning. This showed students that there is always opportunity to learn and get involved with community, and that it is a crucial part of our education journey. The Grade 2s were extremely excited to ask questions about high school to a group of older students who they look up to. Their questions were very insightful and showed their understanding of community even at a young age. The Grade 8 students were also very excited to practice setting good, positive examples for the younger students as well as stepping up to be role models and mentors. Their replies were extremely mature, kind, and informative. Both sets of students were able to practice “considering audience” while writing which is part of the BC curriculum. Overall, the value that community brought to both classrooms included enjoyment of, interest in, and commitment to learning from both teachers and classes of students.
(Letters from the Grade 2s: “What is high school like? Is high school fun? Do you have any friends?”)