Shamrock School DEI Learning - June 2024 Submitted By: Brittney Casavant This year, as a staff and as a community, Shamrock School has done great deal of learning in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. What began in November with reports of racist comments and negative behaviour blossomed into a powerful year of conversations, reflection, teaching, learning, and celebrating. In November staff members met with 2 students from each class in grade 5-8. These 40 students were asked to share their experiences of Shamrock School. Many of them spoke about incidents of racism, sexism, homophobia, and general negative behaviour between students. What students disclosed was heartbreaking and much more widespread than we had anticipated. When asked what we as a school should tackle first, they agreed racism was where we should begin. Students wanted us to work and learn together with a place to share and celebrate the many cultures at Shamrock. What followed next was 7 months of intense staff and student learning, work, and school wide celebration. As a staff we examined the feedback shared by students. As we began our staff learning a student voice group was also formed. Our hope was that the students would have a place to continue to share their experiences and guide us in our work. June was a month of cultural celebration at Shamrock! In addition to all our Pride celebrations and learning we planned a huge number of culturally focussed school wide activities in June. Guided by a group of staff volunteers including teachers and educational assistants, we planned and ran a day of cultural workshops for the entire school. On June 6th, every student in grades 1-6 participated in 3 cultural activities and the grade 7/8’s took part in 2 longer workshops. The workshops were led by teachers, educational assistants, and community members. Each workshop consisted of an activity and some learning about the culture or country where it was from. Supported by the LRSD board office, our parent advisory council and the Manitoba Association of Multi Age Educators, the workshops presented were: • Sushi making • Indigenous drumming and story telling • Bocce ball • Cricket • Halo Halo • Indigenous beading • Pinatas and Latin dance • Nigerian story telling and music • Hungarian games, art, and dance • Perogy making • African drumming • Metis finger weaving • Indigenous rock painting, feather wrapping and teachings • Tae Kwon Do • Henna art The entire day was a huge success! The energy and enthusiasm throughout the building was amazing. Students and staff were so engaged and excited. Everyone was proud to share their stories and culture and loved learning about the cultures and traditions of others. We already have plans for an even bigger day next year! Other activities in June include classroom activities such as games, art, language learning, potluck lunches, songs, and dances from around the world. As a school, we will get the chance to hear from special guest Gurdeep Pandher the Indian motivational speaker from the Yukon. We are also planning a school wide fashion show where students and staff will have the opportunity to show case their traditional cultural attire as they walk our red carpet. We have had a powerful few months of learning and reflecting at Shamrock. What started out as conversation and ideas grew into impactful school-wide experiences and education. We recognize that our work is not complete and in fact is only beginning. We have so much more to learn, experience, share and celebrate. As a staff our next steps include using our DEI lens in subject areas and classroom activities. We want to continue our learning in this area as well as expand to other marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ community. We are committed and looking forward to continued growth and development as we continue our exciting journey of diversity, equity and inclusion at Shamrock School!

Submitted by: Laurie Brewster Lavalle School In spring of 2024, the Lavallee School Student Services team utilized the MAME Special Projects Grant to purchase an iPad, iPad case, and Proloquo2Go App. We will be using these tools to train ourselves, our teachers, and our EA’s on using the AAC devices. Lavallee School has many students using AAC and fully supporting them requires total immersion and constant modelling. In the past, the only way to learn ourselves and to model for students, meant taking their AAC device away. Now we can practice on this new iPad and model back and forth communication without taking the students’ devices away! Thanks to MAME for this opportunity. We are already planning more AAC PD for the fall!

Submitted By: Kristie LaPorte Shamrock School Thanks to MAME and their supportive special projects grant, Ms. LaPorte’s grade 1/2 class participated in an enriching living things unit this term. We used the funds to purchase supplies that would enhance hands on learning and exploration of plants and animals. We purchased grow lights and planting materials in order to observe the growth of bean plants from seed to flower in our classroom. We also performed an experiment to determine the effects of plants not getting what they need to survive and thrive. We purchased classroom read aloud books to further our learning about growing plants, characteristics of animals and composting. We even got to make our own little mini compost snack cups. We learned about pollinators and how important they are to the environment then created wildflower seed balls to give to our grade 5/6 learning buddies. We will be completing our unit with a trip to Morning Sound Farm in June. Here is a list of some of the books we purchased with the grant money: Wanted! Criminals of the Animal Kingdom- Heather Tekavec One Bean- Anne Rockwell How a Seed grows- Helene J. Jordan Compost Stew- Mary McKenna Siddals Different? Same!- Heather Tekaev Do Hippos Brush their Teeth?- Etta Kaner

Submitted by: Amanda Lake (She/Her) Grade 2 Teacher École Sage Creek School Working on my masters in Critical Studies from the University of New Brunswick has been eye opening. This program focuses on ways marginalized groups are represented and impacted in education and discusses topics such as systematic racism, colonialism, Indigenous perspectives, feminism, disability, and more. Although the content is heavy, it's important work to do and I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn and better myself as an educator and as a human. I've had very meaningful online discussions with classmates and learned from educators across Canada who have given me many ideas and practices to implement. I find I am more regularly reflecting on the content I am teaching, the lens with which I present it, and the resources I use in my class to ensure a more equitable approach. I have taken many opportunities to dive into outdoor education and land-based learning perspectives when given optional assignments or topics to research as these two topics interest me and are part of my weekly practice in the classroom. It has reaffirmed the importance and value of the outdoors and the land. I am excited to continue with the second half of the program and continue to question, criticize, and grow.

Submitted by: Emma Easton In recent years, educators have been increasingly drawn to the concept of flexible seating as a way to enhance the learning environment and cater to the diverse needs of students. Flexible seating refers to a classroom setup that allows students to choose where they sit, whether it be at a traditional desk, on a beanbag chair, or even on the floor. This approach aims to promote student engagement, collaboration, and overall well-being by providing a more comfortable and dynamic space for learning. In my classroom I see various benefits of flex seating, especially with such a diverse group of learners. Every one of my students learn differently, and traditional seating arrangements do not always cater to the learning styles within my classroom. Flexible seating provides options for my students to choose a setup that works best for them, whether they prefer a quiet corner for independent work or a communal table for group discussions. Another aspect of flex seating that is beneficial is how it promotes collaboration between students. By allowing students to work in different seating configurations, such as small groups or pairs, students can interact with their peers easily, share ideas, and work together on projects. Not only does flex seating allow for student collaboration, but it also enhances student engagement. When students have the freedom to choose where they sit, they are more likely to feel comfortable and motivated, leading to improved focus and participation in class activities. There are many examples of flexible seating in schools. Floor pillows create a comfortable and informal seating option that can be beneficial during reading or group activities. Thus, encouraging a sense of relaxation and creativity. Adjustable or movable tables allow for easy reconfiguration of the classroom layout to accommodate different activities, such as group work, independent study, or presentations. Standing desks provide an alternative to sitting and allow students to work while standing, promoting better posture and increased blood flow, which can improve focus and concentration. Bean bag chairs or loungers offer a cozy and relaxed seating option that can be particularly appealing to students who prefer a more laid-back environment for learning or reading. Flexible seating has emerged as a valuable tool for creating a more student-centered and engaging classroom environment. By offering a variety of seating options that cater to students' preferences and needs, educators can foster a positive learning experience that promotes collaboration, creativity, and overall well-being among students. Thank you to MAME for supporting my flexible classroom setting and providing a grant which will allow for me to reconfigure the way my students learn.

Submitted by: Bailey Englot Getting an iPad to use as a model of adaptive communication has been a gift to our classroom. I have two students who communicate at least partially with the help of the application Proloquo2Go on iPads. It has been incredible watching them navigate this way of conversing and witnessing how quickly they adapt to new vocabulary and new situations with the use of their devices. After attending a presentation with Lindsey Sharpe, our Speech and Language Pathologist from the Clinical Services team, I learned there was more that could be done to support their growth in communication than simply giving extra wait time while they respond in conversation. Lindsey’s suggestion was to find a way to access an iPad specifically for staff to use so that, just as we are always modelling verbal language for students, we can also model how to compose thoughts and questions with adaptive technology.

Learning About Various Animals and Their Habitats

“This Book is Anti-Racist” by Tiffany Jewel Recently, my school finished a year long book study on “This Book is Anti-Racist” by Tiffany Jewel. At the start of the school year, our staff asked to have more training and education in diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a team, we decided to unpack this book to learn more. I would highly recommend this book because wherever you are in your diversity, equity and inclusion journey, it’s a starting point. Whether you take away some new definitions, ways you can acknowledge privilege and power you hold, start a journey of self love, or introduce this book to someone else, this book has important meaning. I would highly recommend adding this book to your summer “to be read” list!

A great learning opportunity for students