Volunteering with Science Experiments on Reactions
During my second placement in a Kindergarten class in London, Ontario, I did some basic science experiments about chemical reactions. The students found this very exciting. During the COVID-19 lockdown that came after December 2020, I volunteered in this class to present some experiments for the students virtually. Using my cellphone as a document camera, I had the students participate in the experiments in real time. Since the lockdown has ended, I have continued to volunteer in this class in person.
On January 29, 2021, I attended the third annual Vulnerability and Marginalization conference held virtually through the University of Windsor. I attended workshops focusing on Indigenous perspectives and how important it is to include Indigenous studies in our daily curriculum in the classroom. It was emphasized how important it is to include First Nations curriculum at all levels and as much as one can, and should not be something that is only focused on during specific “awareness” months. I also participated in a workshop focusing on supporting LGBTQ+ students in the classroom in order to create an inclusive environment where all students feel safe and free to be themselves.
I have completed the training course, “Commit to Kids”, that is provided by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. This course increased my awareness of child sexual abuse and provided strategies for educators to help protect children in their classrooms. This training course detailed ways to report misconduct and concerns to look for when working with students who might be victims of sexual assault.
On February 2020 I attended a conference that discussed vulnerability and marginalization. This highlighted the need to have a deeper understanding of students that may be marginalized due to their background. In March I was also involved in a conference on supporting newcomers to the classroom. I found this to be very beneficial because in my first practicum my class was roughly 45% new Canadians.