Kristen's Learning Blog

I recognize there has been a movement of learning and integrating First Nations, Metis, Inuit (FNMI) studies into our classroom. This is not a new movement and has been an area of focus for Canada for sometime. I remember when I was completing my undergraduate degree in History, there were many required Canadian History courses needed to obtain my degree and two of them related to Canadian Aboriginal  Studies. I remember thinking, why do I need to take these courses, and it wasn't until I stepped into the classroom that I truly realized the roots of our beautiful country start with the FNMI. I was grateful to be a part of these courses because there was so much that was not referenced in High School. I'm glad to see that it has become embedded into our curriculum and I recognize that I need to be a part of incorporating FNMI into my own teaching practice, because as of right now, I have not been making FNMI a part of my teaching.  As a read some of the resources I ident...

After reading a few articles on cultural pedagogy, I have a few thoughts to share. I read the Ontario Ministry's information on Cultural Pedagogy ,   Learning Disabilities and Diversity: A Culturally Responsive Approach,   and watched a video on mindfulness and how it supports students. I am a SERT and teach Special Education so naturally that articles on learning disabilities (LDs) interested me.  I enjoyed the article for a number of reasons, the first being that when I was reading it, I felt like they were talking about a group of people themselves. It's interesting to be talking about background and different influences which shape students' knowledge of the world. I recognize and have encountered different perceptions on what an LD is, resistance to being  identified, and hearing both parents and students' say- I don't want to be labeled as different. What  I liked about  this article though, is it reminds me of an inclusive community. Where student...