“Spreading Happiness” Through Music
In March 2020, Covid-19 spread throughout the world and everyone was required to socially distance from each other. The music theatre class I teach at Darcy’s School of Dance was unable to meet but I believed that my students needed a creative outlet, especially during this difficult time. So, I contacted each of my students and asked them to participate in spreading happiness throughout the community through the power of music. I taught them the song and put together this video, challenging myself to learn new skills with technology. I was so proud of my students and how the video turned out. Even though we weren’t in the same room, we were still connected and able to engage our passions in hopes of brightening someone’s day!
Exploring Cultural Backgrounds & Traditions
‘The Huron Carol & Create Your Own Holiday Carol Activity’ was completed on December 17, right before the students went on their holiday break. This artifact is 2 parts of a lesson I created in order to encourage exploration of Canadian culture as well as the cultural backgrounds within the classroom.
Students begin by listening to ‘The Huron Carol’, originally written in approximately 1642 by St. Jean de Brebeuf. The students will get a chance to read the lyrics written in the native language of the Huron/Wendat people, as well as the English translation.
They are invited to reflect on the piece in a discussion before being introduced to their TASK: to create a holiday carol based on THEIR holiday experiences. They are encouraged to include their family’s traditions, events, ideas and feelings about their own holiday celebrations.
I was blown away by how open the students were about their holidays. I was able to learn and connect with so many students in ways that I wouldn’t have if not for this assignment. This lesson confirmed that being creative can help students express things they wouldn’t normally say and there is such a special bond that can be created through tasks like these. When planning future lessons, I will try to keep tasks like these in mind; tasks that allow students to be reflective, creative and to share their stories in a simple, yet meaningful way.
Farewell Slideshow from Students
During my final placement, I had the opportunity to set up my own class at Cardinal Carter Catholic Secondary School in Leamington. My fantastic associate teacher allowed me to take the reins and treat our new class as my own.
After 2 weeks, my placement came to an end. It was an absolutely wonderful placement and I enjoyed every moment interacting with the students, even in a fully virtual classroom setting. As a farewell gift, each student wrote a beautiful message for me on a google slideshow.
I am so grateful and humbled to see that they took the time to write such detailed notes to me and I will carry this with me wherever I go! This is a reminder for me to understand how important and special the teaching profession is. As an educator, I play a huge part in a child’s life so it is essential that I build relationships with each of them and make a positive impact on their lives.