DANCE PL3Y
In September 2023, myself and my classmates took part in an Indigenous Dance Pl3y certification seminar. Dance Pl3y is a fun and engaging activity. I enjoyed that it took pressure off the participants by following along with the instructor how they want to. The easy and fun movements are accessible, and they are also easily adapted for people who struggle with certain movements. I felt like the whole idea of Dance Pl3y is for students to move, have fun, and get out of their head. As I mentioned, this Dance Pl3y was specifically indigenous where moves were modelled after important animals for the Secwepemc, and used the Secwepemc names for the animals. I appreciated the indigenization and I would like to do Dance Pl3y with my students.
Project: EDI
This project on inclusivity brought to my attention how school can be both a safe and unsafe space for students, including different areas of the school could be safe or unsafe. One takeaway I got from the presentation is that quiet, happy, independent spaces were labelled as safe more consistently than loud, competitive spaces where students can feel judged or like they are studied under a microscope. These presentations are important for teachers to understand that they can help create areas in the school that feel safe for their students.
Imogene Lim: From the Trenches
Imogene Lim’s presentation From the Trenches broadcasted the disparities that faced Chinese Canadians in Vancouver. She discussed the importance of advocacy and shared some despairing news, including that white supremacy is on the rise and that it has a significant history here in our province. As teachers, its imperative we teach children young empathy and equality. Every person regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or physical disability deserves dignity, respect, and kindness. Through our lessons, we can help our students learn this. As teachers are educating the next generation, we cannot let certain ideals into the classroom where they can fester.