Personal Awareness and Responsibility

Context 

The Teacher’s Voice

Our class was part of a WE Wellbeing Pilot Program focused on service learning. The program encourages students to set goals (what you want to accomplish) and have intentions (how you want to be/feel while working towards your goal). When we discussed what our project might be, students felt strongly about doing something for the environment to address climate change. They worked collaboratively to set the goals and intentions of their project, then organized themselves into four groups to execute their plans:

• Gardening group

• Recycling group

• Energy management group
• Swap cart group.

I provided minimal teacher support was minimal because students had a strong sense of purpose and agency. Afterwards, students self-assessed their core competencies and reflected on their work.

Illustration 

Student Work Samples: Goals and intentions

Garden Group

• Goals: To help the environment by planning vegetables and fruits; To raise awareness
• Intention: Have fun!

Recycle Group

• Goal: To increase awareness about plastic

• Intention: To share knowledge

Energy Management Group

• Goal: To reduce energy use
• Intention: To share knowledge

Student Reflection

Goals of our class project

• Increase awareness

Intention of our class project

• Gratitude

Goals of your group’s project

• To collect 20 pens, get the ink sponge out, and recycle them.
• To raise awareness about the plastic usage in our environment.

My personal intention (how I would like to approach this activity)

• I would like to approach this in a responsible way and a mature way.

Self-Assessment

My strength is giving and adding onto other people’s ideas. One example is one day my group was trying to find a way to find out how we were going to recycle and I said, One day we get pens and markers, then other days we take the ink out of them, and repeat. I can get better at keeping my group on task. To do this I need to stay more focussed. 

Context

Students attended a presentation by Alvin Law. Alvin was born without arms, due to a (now banned) prescription medication that his birth mother was given while pregnant. Alvin uses his story to challenge audiences to rewrite the negative stories they tell themselves—about themselves. For more information About Alvin, visit:  https://alvinlaw.com/about/

After the assembly, students responded to what they had heard, prompted by questions including:

One of Alvin’s many strengths is the way he gets us to think about how we view ourselves.  Comment on why it is so important to rethink and reevaluate the stories we tell ourselves. 

Comment on Alvin’s assertion that: “We all have obstacles in life. It is ultimately our attitude that determines whether they block our path to success or strengthen us on our journey.”

Define Privilege.  Describe, as many ways as you can think of and remember, the ways in which Alvin was, or could have been, disadvantaged by society.

Describe the ways that Alvin has shown perseverance and resilience throughout his life, despite his lack of privileges.

Alvin states that first impressions are important, but it’s the final impression that matters the most.  Did your impression of him change as the assembly progressed?

Was there anything else that surprised you about today’s presentation?

What are you still wondering about or thinking about, after today’s assembly?

The teacher then prompted students to write about their own stories:

Describe a “negative” story that you either currently tell yourself or have told yourself in your past.  For example, negative self-talk or negative stories sometimes sound like: “I can’t do this” or “I’ll never be that…”

After you describe this negative narrative, explain how can you reword that narrative so that you speak about yourself in a much more positive way?  You might want to think about what IS possible.

Finally, conclude your response with a connection to an “I can” statement that best fits, and explain why this “I can statement” can be connected and reflected on here. 

Illustration 

Student Work Sample

Student Three Response

Prompt: One of Alvin’s many strengths is the way he gets us to think about how we view ourselves.  Comment on why it is so important to re-think and re-evaluate the stories we tell ourselves. 

Student Response: It is important to re-think and re-evaluate the stories we tell ourselves since the few stories we may have may restrict us from the bigger picture of any lesson in life. For example, as Alvin described his situation, he commented that people had certain beliefs about him being able to function as a proper working individual in society. As a survivor of the thalidomide drug that pregnant women used, he explained his personal experiences and how he was restricted to accomplish certain tasks due to his disability. However, he was able to overcome his shortcomings and he proved that the single stories we know about the disabled are not trustworthy. Therefore, it should be required that we should re-think about those stories and should see situations and people for who they truly are.

Prompt: Comment on Alvin’s assertion that: “We all have obstacles in life. It is ultimately our attitude that determines whether they block our path to success or strengthen us on our journey.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement?  Why?

Student Response: I believe that it is our attitude that determines our future since without the willpower to succeed, we can only accomplish so much. In the world, there were several geniuses that helped us become a developed society with new inventions and social economies that shape our current society. However, even if they were significantly talented and had bright innovations, these plans were only created because they took the initiative to try to make the world a better place. They all had to overcome several obstacles in life such as poverty, the pressures of society, and their society’s burdening views. Even so, these geniuses such as Albert Einstein held on to their values and are one of the most famous people to contribute to society’s greater future. Therefore, we, as the new generations should persevere on since our ideas may affect the future positively and we can never know for sure until we try and test our theories out.

Prompt: Define Privilege.  Describe, in as many ways as you can think of and remember, the ways in which Alvin was, or could have been, disadvantaged by society.

Student Response: In this world, there are several privileges people are born with. Those privileges could be monetary values, materialistic things or even human qualities that are nurtured through an abundance of human contact. However, there are also those who are born without privileges and must fight for them. The definition of a privilege is, “a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group”. Personally, as an individual in society, I was born with several privileges such as a warm family, comfortable funds, and a thriving life as a middle-class citizen. However, Alvin had mentioned he had struggled when he was younger and immature with his lack of love from his biological family, the loss of his limbs since birth and the freedom to act out his opinions out of fear of being judged by society. Unfortunately, these moments were very hard for Alvin as he was growing up, but he soon realized he could fight for these privileges. Therefore, Alvin fought for his privileges and finally achieved them through his hard work and sacrifices he had made. Since Alvin had to fight for some the privileges we view as the norm of society, it became clearer for me as an individual to be thankful for what we have.

Prompt: Describe the ways that Alvin has shown perseverance and resilience throughout his life, despite his lack of privilege.

Student Response: Continuing how Alvin persevered on with his hardships through his life despite his lack of privileges, he fought for his privileges and for his acceptance in society. Born as a child with no arms because of the drug called thalidomide, Alvin had lost some of his privileges that most of us would take for granted. He lost his family and the greater things he could have accomplished with his hands. However, with his lost privileges, this became his fuel to succeed and to grasp his privileges through his hard work. Alvin showed his perseverance when he talked about how hard he had tried to fit in with society by trying to become more independent. He had struggled with some of the daily activities the norm of society completes. However, by practicing and giving it his all, he was able to accomplish some of the harder tasks for him such as wiping himself properly after going to the bathroom. Although this task may seem very easy to some, to Alvin it was one of his greatest achievements on his first task to becoming more independent. Of course, there are still some things that requires assistance from others, but Alvin accomplished several of the ordinary day to day activities to be able to function in society.

Prompt: Alvin states that first impressions are important, but it’s the final impression that matters the most.  Did your impression of Alvin change as the assembly progressed?  Explain.

Student Response: I believe my first impressions of him changed after I began to hear him talking about his life and his experiences. Although I am ashamed to say, I was expecting a more typical story such as the single stories we hear about people with disabilities. Even though I was expecting a story full of solemn emotions and negativity, I was glad to hear Alvin’s story that had memorable moments. They way he explained his hardships and how he overcame them were very motivating for me as an audience member. Every time I would hear him speak, I could feel his emotions and could feel and imagine what kind of experiences he had gone through. Although Alvin did explain about his hardships in life, he explained he did not want people to pity or sympathize him. That was not his purpose of speaking and he stressed the fact that he lived a quite normal life after being able to fully accept who he was. Therefore, through his strong messages and emotions his message was to seek the true answers to different stories different people have and to be open to them.

Reflecting on the story I tell myself

There have been several moments that I had thought to myself that I had no worth. Being raised in a very competitive environment, I was often faced with the overwhelming pressures from both my family and my friends. With their high expectations, whenever I was unable to fulfil their requirements, I was often ashamed of who I was and could not find any good qualities about myself. I was and am not exceptionally great at any skill or academic course making it seem more helpless for me to picture out my career in the future. I had always wanted to have a special skill or an academic course that could be the solution to all my problems that involved my future. However, the truth was there was nothing that I found was remotely suitable for me, so I accepted that and persevered on with my studies as a whole.

Since there were no special skills that I specialized in, my parents had chosen the life that I would live, constantly reminding me that studying was my only way of life. Although they admitted studying did not always help you, they also told me they only encouraged me to study since being smart could help me land several successful careers. Also, my parents being raised in a similar environment, was taught that it was the only way they knew of living out a successful life. Wanting me to be happy, content with my life and not being able to worry about my financial background, they knew studying was my only option. However, as I was studying, I noticed that there were several other students that were talented at studying which made it seem like it more impossible for me to be able to fulfil my parents dreams.

Not only was I struggling to keep up with those that were more intellectual than me, I was struggling to keep a fine balance between my academic life and my social life. Entering high school, I had met several new friends whom I had gotten very close to in a couple of months. Wanting to cherish my time and youth with them, I spent a lot of time with them. Although everything seemed nice with my studies other than the one subject, I always had difficulty with, I started to realize that my social life was crumbling apart. This time period is where individuals are the most sensitive and very emotional. I had started to fight with this one close friend in which caused my whole friend group to crumble. Although both parties were held as being guilty, the other party never accepted the fact and continued to blame me. As this went on, I felt even more disgusted at myself and thought I was better off being alone.

I had been talking about my shortcomings and my personal beliefs on how I had done very badly. However, through these negative emotions, I realized that I could become someone I wanted to be if I had the willpower. When I had hated myself and questioned myself for behaving a certain way, I realized that it was not my fault and it was not the other party’s fault as well. It was simply the fact that we did not complement each other very well and were not meant to stay in a close relationship. Through the nights, I had cried alone contemplating on what to do with my life. However, one of the best supporters I had during that time was my mom. My mom, although a fairly strict person, was gentle, and she listened to all my troubles and gave me the harsh truths. At first, she was disappointed that I believed these thoughts about myself about my studies and my social life. However, she kept reassuring me that I did matter, and it was simply a hardship I had to overcome becoming a successful adult. Therefore, I realized that there was no need for me to focus on the past. I could only move on, trying to become a better person. I will and can become a successful person that will make not my parents but my own self, proud of who I am. 

Reflecting on Personal Awareness and Responsibility

Referring back to the “I can” statement I had previously stated that I could become a better person for myself and not for others. The “I can” statement that I mentioned was a bit different, but it was based on the statement, “I can imagine and work toward change in myself and in the world.”  Overall, I had just mentioned being able to point out my flaws and taking the initiative to change for the better. However, from this “I can” statement, I had learned that I did not have to please others and to live a happy life, and that I only needed to please myself. Of course, I had to be mindful of others and their situations and adapt to them. However, overall, this life that I was living was not there’s and they had no right to criticize me for who I was.

The “I can” statement that I had made for myself could and should be relatable since it is a common problem youths experience. Youth are often scared of other’s opinions and try to please those around them and they convince themselves that they are happy when others are content. However, that is merely the pressures society gives us to act out a certain way and should not be followed. Therefore, I believe if I can become a better person for myself, others can become better for themselves as well.

Context

Students attended a presentation by Alvin Law. Alvin was born without arms, due to a (now banned) prescription medication that his birth mother was given while pregnant. Alvin uses his story to challenge audiences to rewrite the negative stories they tell themselves—about themselves. For more information About Alvin, visit:  https://alvinlaw.com/about/

After the assembly, students responded to what they had heard, prompted by questions including:

One of Alvin’s many strengths is the way he gets us to think about how we view ourselves.  Comment on why it is so important to rethink and reevaluate the stories we tell ourselves. 

Comment on Alvin’s assertion that: “We all have obstacles in life. It is ultimately our attitude that determines whether they block our path to success or strengthen us on our journey.”

Define Privilege.  Describe, as many ways as you can think of and remember, the ways in which Alvin was, or could have been, disadvantaged by society.

Describe the ways that Alvin has shown perseverance and resilience throughout his life, despite his lack of privileges.

Alvin states that first impressions are important, but it’s the final impression that matters the most.  Did your impression of him change as the assembly progressed?

Was there anything else that surprised you about today’s presentation?

What are you still wondering about or thinking about, after today’s assembly?

The teacher then prompted students to write about their own stories:

Describe a “negative” story that you either currently tell yourself or have told yourself in your past.  For example, negative self-talk or negative stories sometimes sound like: “I can’t do this” or “I’ll never be that…”

After you describe this negative narrative, explain how can you reword that narrative so that you speak about yourself in a much more positive way?  You might want to think about what IS possible.

Finally, conclude your response with a connection to an “I can” statement that best fits, and explain why this “I can statement” can be connected and reflected on here. 

Illustration

Student Work Sample

Student Two Response

Prompt: One of Alvin’s many strengths is the way he gets us to think about how we view ourselves.  Comment on why it is so important to re-think and re-evaluate the stories we tell ourselves.  

Student Response: The stories that we tell ourselves are often complex and filled with layers and layers of different perspectives. When we re-think these stories, we are able to discover things that we might not have paid attention to the first time. By reflecting on our own past and stories, we gain knowledge on how to improve our own selves, instead of focusing on others. In other words, instead of judging other people, we can look within us for a better attitude.    

Prompt: Comment on Alvin’s assertion that: ​ “We all have obstacles in life. It is ultimately our attitude that determines whether they block our path to success or strengthen us on our journey.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?

Student Response: I agree with this statement, because many things in life are all a result of perspective. Someone’s attitude towards something could drastically change their success at it, because it determines how they will treat the problem. A positive attitude creates confidence and clears the path for more opportunities, as opposed to a negative mindset. This creates a mental block that can very well limit yourself without even knowing it. Everyone has the internal choice to have a good attitude, and to choose how they wish to face their problems.    

Prompt: Define Privilege.  Describe, in as many ways as you can think of and remember, the ways in which Alvin was, or could have been, ​disadvantaged​ by society. 

Student Response: Privilege is a right that is granted to and is only available to specific people or groups. This is apparent sometimes depending on race, gender, or ethnicity. In Alvin’s case, he was born without arms. Rarely is being born with all your limbs seen as a privilege, but it is one in the grand scheme of things. Alvin was disadvantaged by society because he was born into circumstances that he could not control. Without arms and growing up around a time where not many people were accepting of ‘special needs’ children, he struggled with his own self-image and path in life. His birth parents rejected him, and he would have led a very different life if not for his adopted parents.    

Prompt: Describe the ways that Alvin has shown perseverance and resilience throughout his life, despite his lack of privilege. 

Student Response: Alvin has overcome many of the struggles he faced in school, from not knowing what to do in life to hating his own appearance and limitations. However, he did not let this stop him; by carrying a positive attitude with him in life he learned to be a whole new person. He learned to play piano with his feet, despite the piano teacher saying his toes were too short. He learned to play drums and didn’t let his struggles in sports stop him. He kept his mind open to any possibility of a way to change his life. He was patient and trusted in himself.      

Prompt: Alvin states that first impressions are important, but it’s the final impression that matters the most.  Did your impression of Alvin change as the assembly progressed?  Explain. 

Student Response: My impression of Alvin changed quite a bit as the assembly went on. In the beginning, when I saw that he had no arms, I figured he was a motivational speaker who would lecture us on the importance of never giving up or a similar moral. His incredibly cheerful and easy-going attitude led me to believe that he had a simple and a relatively ‘easy’ childhood. However, I did not anticipate the richness of the stories he told us, and definitely not the tragedy. I was honestly surprised at how well he has coped with disadvantages in his life and was feeling more educated by the end of the assembly.    

Reflecting on the story I tell myself and Personal Awareness and Responsibility

When I struggle with school, with balancing my extracurriculars and time management, I sometimes develop a negative mindset. I think, ‘I can’t finish all this work’, or ‘I’m going to fail this test’. I get overly anxious and try to avoid the problem by looking at something else, oftentimes unrelated to my schoolwork. Procrastination is one of the struggles I am trying to overcome. I can word this sentiment in a more positive way by assuring myself that I will get my work done. For example, ‘I will study productively, and I will know all the material on the test’, instead of only thinking about getting a good grade. I can also try to visualize success, which sometimes works for me as it calms me down. The ‘I can’ statement I connect with most is: ​ “I am aware of my personal journey and reflect on my experiences as a way of enhancing my well-being and dealing with challenges.” ​I connect with this statement because I often reflect on what I can do to improve my study habits. When I deal with challenges, I am ‘aware of my personal journey’. I remind myself of the work needed to be done, and act accordingly.

I can look within myself, identify places that need improvement and develop those areas.  I take responsibility for my own decisions for my learning and ask for help if I need it.   I can develop social skills by relating to peers and respectfully interacting with them.  I develop my own ideas to be shared with the world, inspired by examples around me. 

Context

Students attended a presentation by Alvin Law. Alvin was born without arms, due to a (now banned) prescription medication that his birth mother was given while pregnant. Alvin uses his story to challenge audiences to rewrite the negative stories they tell themselves—about themselves. For more information About Alvin, visit:  https://alvinlaw.com/about/

After the assembly, students responded to what they had heard, prompted by questions including:

One of Alvin’s many strengths is the way he gets us to think about how we view ourselves.  Comment on why it is so important to rethink and reevaluate the stories we tell ourselves. 

Comment on Alvin’s assertion that: “We all have obstacles in life. It is ultimately our attitude that determines whether they block our path to success or strengthen us on our journey.”

Define Privilege.  Describe, as many ways as you can think of and remember, the ways in which Alvin was, or could have been, disadvantaged by society.

Describe the ways that Alvin has shown perseverance and resilience throughout his life, despite his lack of privileges.

Alvin states that first impressions are important, but it’s the final impression that matters the most.  Did your impression of him change as the assembly progressed?

Was there anything else that surprised you about today’s presentation?

What are you still wondering about or thinking about, after today’s assembly?

The teacher then prompted students to write about their own stories:

Describe a “negative” story that you either currently tell yourself or have told yourself in your past.  For example, negative self-talk or negative stories sometimes sound like: “I can’t do this” or “I’ll never be that…”

After you describe this negative narrative, explain how can you reword that narrative so that you speak about yourself in a much more positive way?  You might want to think about what IS possible.

Finally, conclude your response with a connection to an “I can” statement that best fits, and explain why this “I can statement” can be connected and reflected on here. 

Illustration

Student Work Sample

Student One Response

Prompt: One of Alvin’s many strengths is the way he gets us to think about how we view ourselves. Comment on why it is so important to re-think and re-evaluate the stories we tell ourselves.

Student Response: Often, we tell ourselves things that simply aren’t true, which can be based on how we are feeling during the moment, on what we think of the subject, and perhaps even our history with the subject. While these are just a few factors that can influence a bad story that needs to be re-evaluated, they are certainly significant factors and do cloud our judgement. If we allow these things to make us think only one way, it can be dangerous for us. Sometimes, all we need to do is take a deep breath and re-think our situation. We can be feeling very sad at one point, but if we get out of that, we will be happier, but most importantly stronger as a human being.

Prompt: Comment on Alvin’s assertion that: “We all have obstacles in life. It is ultimately our attitude that determines whether they block our path to success or strengthen us on our journey.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement?  Why?

Student Response: I agree with this brief yet powerful statement. We often believe that the problem with a situation is our own strength and the difficulty of the situation. While sometimes we might be underhanded, it is our attitude that can guide us through the situation and conquer it. If we don’t believe that we can do something, it will be very hard for us to do it. If the situation is indeed impossible, it is usually only impossible at the time. Training and building up our skills to beat the situation will greatly help us do so. If we allow ourselves to have an attitude wanting to improve and carry out our plan, we can usually get through our everyday obstacles. While attitude won’t be the key to everything, it is definitely a great help.

Prompt: Define Privilege. Describe, in as many ways as you can think of and remember, the ways in which Alvin was, or could have been, disadvantaged by society.

Student Response: Privilege can be defined as a special right that is given to certain people. For example, having clean water, food, shelter, and even a loving family are all privileges. However, having privileged people will lead to having unprivileged people, people who are not taken seriously or treated fairly by society. Alvin, born without arms, is one of those people. In his presentation, he talked about being called a “freak” by other people and not being accepted. While name-calling and acceptance might not seem like the most important things to some people, nothing could be further from the truth. To tear down a person’s self-confidence is perhaps one of the most destructive things in life. When you make a person feel bad about being who they are, you revoke their privilege of being allowed to be what you choose to be. Through destroying his self-image, Alvin was disadvantaged by society.

Prompt: Describe the ways that Alvin has shown perseverance and resilience throughout his life, despite his lack of privilege.

Student Response: Many people, if put into Alvin’s unfortunate situation, would easily break under the obstacles of everyday life that come with having no arms. If they did not show the same perseverance and resilience as Alvin, they would certainly be unable to make it as far as he has. Not only has Alvin faced sever challenges with his own life, he must face being called “weird” by other people and being disadvantaged by society. He has so many difficulties in his life, yet he somehow makes it through to the other side and with a positive attitude. He was born to challenges of doing everyday tasks, but he is just another human being like the rest of us. It is Alvin’s perseverance that has gotten him through his hard times and into a future that has a good outlook for him.

Prompt: Alvin states that first impressions are important, but it’s the final impression that matters the most. Did your impression of Alvin change as the assembly progressed? Explain.

Student Response: Alvin pointed out at the beginning that we were almost like an “oil painting,” still and trying to not be disrespectful. This is clearly something that he has been dealing with for his entire life, if not being labelled as “weird.” I am almost embarrassed to say that almost everyone in the gym had the same first impression of him, but we did not want to point it out due to respect: he was abnormal because his arms never grew. Arms for the rest of us have seemed like a perfectly normal part of life, always accessible to us and making things easier. For us, it must seem impossible to live a life without such a useful tool. However, as Alvin lightened up the audience with jokes and stories, we began to see the other side of him. We began to see that he was a talented speaker and that he motivated us. He was not just a “weird” person who was so different from everyone else. He was a human being, just like the rest of us, who wanted to go on with his life. It was wrong to judge him based on a first impression. However, as he said, the final impression is what counts. I am sure that everyone had an extremely positive final impression of the speaker, as he brought up the energy and humour levels of the crowd.

Reflecting on the story I tell myself

Presentations and talking to new people have usually been a challenge for me. If I happen to know about it in advance, I will spend lots of time stressing about when the moment comes. I have told myself “I can’t present” or “I can’t talk to them and connect with them” multiple times in the past. I have believed that I will make myself look like a fool when I try to do something new. This negative mindset has existed for many parts of my life.

Even if I think that a task like I described is impossible, I am always able to do it in the end. I can dread it all the way until I do it, being afraid of showing a bad side of myself to other people. But every time I think this way, I only delay the inevitable. Rather than prepare more for what I am going to say, I hope that I do not have to say anything. When I do, however, relief washes over me every time. I don’t make myself look stupid, and if I do, I just go along with the crowd. I stress over such simple tasks, but I always must do it in the end.

Sometimes I just don’t think my ideas are important. This is part of not wanting to present or connect with new people. Perhaps I believe that my ideas will be laughed at, or already be known, or just seem incomprehensible to my audience. One “I can” statement that speaks from a positive and growth mindset is “I have valuable ideas to share.” This is something that I don’t often realize until I share them. As I grow with more and more experiences in life, I will hopefully also grow out of this shell that I trap myself in.

Reflecting on Personal Awareness and Responsibility

There are many “I can” statements to be recognized in terms of personal growth, especially after being inspired by a guest speaker today, such as Alvin. If Alvin were looking at our Core Competencies in the areas of Personal Awareness and Responsibility, he might be able to say:

• I can recognize my value and advocate for my rights
• I take responsibility for my choices, my actions, and my achievements
• I can set priorities; implement, monitor, and adjust a plan; and assess the results
• I take responsibility for my learning, seeking help as I need it
• I use strategies for working toward a healthy and balanced lifestyle, for dealing with emotional challenges, and for finding peace in stressful times
• I know how to find the social support I need
• I have valuable ideas to share
• I can imagine and work toward change in myself and in the world
• I can identify my strengths and limits, find internal motivation, and act on opportunities for self-growth
• I am aware of my personal journey and reflect on my experiences as a way of enhancing my well-being and dealing with challenges
• I can advocate for myself in stressful situations

Context

This school has a STEM program designed to break down the traditional silos between learning areas by having students engage in hands-on, project-based learning using real-world problems to activate curricular and core competencies.

For many years, the teacher has given a final exam that involves a series of problem-solving challenges that span the topics covered. While this exam provided the teacher with information about student understanding, he felt it did not fully capture his students’ complex and highly personalized learning experiences. He was considering another approach for his final exam when he was inspired by a webinar, “Who Gets In? The Truths and Myths of how Canadian Universities Make Admission Decision”.

In the webinar, Andrew Arida, Deputy Registrar of Enrollment of UBC, discusses how post-secondary admission has changed. Arida explains that it is no longer enough for students to just excel on content heavy exams. It is now vital for them to be able to speak effectively about their personal learning experiences. The teacher decided that his new final exam would provide students with the opportunity to communicate their learning with voice and substance.

Students were asked to watch a video clip where Arida presented an example of a student reflecting honestly on their learning experiences and predicting what might lie ahead for them. Rather than focusing solely on content knowledge, the student in the video explores the questions: Where am I? Where am I going? How will I get there?

Students were then asked to think about their experiences over the year with Physics and Mathematics in the STEM program. The teacher gave them guiding questions such as:

• What is physics/mathematics?
• After completing seven projects, do you see any common threads that help you understand how physics/mathematics works?
• What is unique about this type of study?
• What was your favourite physics/mathematics moment? How might it be useful in your future?

Students were asked to compile their thoughts into a 4-5 minute video reflection on their learning in the program.

Illustration

Student Work Sample

Context

Students in this class frequently practice strategies to support social-emotional well-being and they spend a lot of time building their class community. The teacher encourages increasing independence and interdependence; children have frequent opportunities to  solve their own problems, with support as needed. They have also learned about zones of regulation. The following observation notes focus on one of the children.

Illustration

Student Interview 1

(A teacher observes S talking to another student and a teacher and decides to ask S about the conversation.)

• Teacher: I saw you talking with the teacher. I see X over here, too. Can you tell me what you said?
• Student: I told her that X was in the “blue zone.”
• Teacher: So, you were playing, and you saw X. How did you know he was in the “blue zone?
• Student: ’Cause he had his arms around his legs and his head facing to his knees.
• Teacher: Yeah, that does sound like the “blue zone.” Did you say anything to X?
• Student: I tried to say, “X what’s the matter?” and he didn’t answer me.
• Teacher: So, then you knew that was a problem?
• Student: mhmm
• Teacher: And you went and found the teacher?
• Student: mhmm
• Teacher: Well there’s a thoughtful friend right there! [high five] Are you playing with X or did you just notice it while you were playing?
• Student: I just noticed while I was playing.
• Teacher: Thanks S!
• Student: Y’welcome

Student Interview 2

(Conversation between teacher and the same student, after the teacher noticed S intervening when two other children had a conflict.)

• Teacher:  You were there when C was having a hard time listening to D. I saw that you went over to talk to him. What did you say?
• Student: I said if D says "no" you have to listen and you can ask maybe the whole class if they want to play the game. If they don’t want to maybe he could put it away and play something else. Like the game family.
• Teacher: Lots of great ideas! Why did you decide to do that?
• Student: So, then there wouldn’t be that much problems with C and D.
• Teacher: Why did you think that was important to do?
• Student: So, then you can do your work and C can concentrate on listening.

Context

Students frequently interact with books and materials during class. One day, a child is inspired to use material to create a new book that will be suitable for “babies.”

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Learning Story

A enjoys reading and listening to books. One day, she asked for the story, Where is Tippy Toes?  After she listened to the story, she went off to play. 

Approximately ten minutes later, A was reading Where is Tippy Toes? to her friend. When finished, she asked the teacher for some white ribbon. She then started to work independently at the art table. After 30 minutes, the teacher walked over and asked her what she was making. 

A said: “I am making my own book. The other book has too many words for the babies. My book has less words.”

Activity Photos

Context

Students engaged in a unit around power and privilege. They watched movie clips and investigated selections of children’s literature. They engaged in a “privilege walk” and watched PBS clips showcasing children and youth growing up in complex environments, followed by poster walks and presentations.

The unit culminated by focusing on the understanding that we all need to do more to change the structures of power and privilege that have been constructed in our world. Students learned that a small step to help is understanding that none of us is a single story, and we all need to be aware of “The Danger of a Single Story” in perpetuating power and privilege.

After listening to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie share her story in a TED Talk , students wrote a response and a reflection. They considered questions such as:

• What was one thing the speaker said, which really resonated with you? What did it make you think or realize?
• Describe a “single story” that you feel is wrongly impacting others.
• The speaker says that we must reject the single story, and that stories matter because they have the power to break or create dignity. Explain what this comment makes you think of.

In their reflection, they made connections to their own ideas and to the Core Competencies.

The Ted Talk is available at:

https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story#t-771896

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Student Work Sample

This TED Talk was about stereotypes which the speaker described as “single stories” – a single perspective about a group of people, based on very little information. The speaker, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, spoke of several stories about being a Nigerian person in America, and meeting a lot of people who only had a single story about Africa. Some people thought that Africa was a country, or that Africa is supposedly filled with poor people and starving children. These assumptions are very incorrect in nature. The speaker talks about how a single story about a different culture or situation can really narrow a person’s thinking and alter their perceptions. That is why it is important to understand that to truly know something, a person needs to collect a lot of stories, and reflect upon the “single story” and hopefully deny the wrong ones. After all, the only way to know something well is to look past the stereotypes and accept the fact that every person is a unique individual and should not be generalized by any stereotypes.

I am not a single story in many ways. First, I do not fit into the single story of a Chinese or Canadian person. I don’t consider myself as being very smart or perfect at everything. I am also not very quiet for overly apologetic, nor do I live in an igloo in a place that snows all the time. I do not fit into most of the single stories about Canadian or Chinese person because I grew up between the two cultures, making me a unique mix between the two. I am shaped by many Chinese traditions, but I also speak up quite often and question traditions a lot. Sometimes, people who judge me based on the single story of a smart kid. They would expect me to know the answers to everything, or at least to have the capabilities to doing any assignment perfectly. This makes for a very uncomfortable feeling. I am different from that single story because I also make mistakes in my assignments, I am just like everyone else. I am also not really a bookworm; I only read books that I am interested in. I may be smarter than others, but that all comes from my own hard work, and a single story does not define my intelligence.

There are a lot of events that shaped me into who I am today. One of the biggest deciding factors of my personalities is how I always ask questions and ponder about almost everything I come across. I often contemplate peoples’ reasons for doing certain things, and I always disagree with opinions that are thought to be right by the majority. I also tend to analyze things very closely and tend to think more logically instead of using emotions. Sometimes those factors get me into conflicts, which causes me to reevaluate my beliefs once more. Since I was little, I was always told to be a reserved person, so as my life progresses, I learn how to speak up at the right times and make comments when appropriate. I used to get into a lot of trouble because I was blunt, which is why my personality changed to being more reserved and polite. Basically, most of the events that make me who I am today are mistakes and conflicts. I develop from them and change my personality, so I can avoid committing the same mistakes again.

Student Reflection

There a few “I” statements” that I believe connect very well here. The first one that I would like to speak to is the statement: “I understand that my identity is influenced by many aspects of my life” as well as “I am aware that my values shape my choices, and contribute to making me a unique individual.” It is true that identity is formed by many “stories”. These stories are the different events and experiences in one’s life. A person’s identity is not made of just a single story; it is made of many things that happen in life, as well as the many choices that are made. Choices influence identity in that some people might purposefully deviate from their culture and traditions; some people make choices that develop a different and unique identity.    

Another “I statement” to reflect on here is: “I can identify how my life experiences have contributed to who I am” and “I recognize the continuous and evolving nature of my identity”. It is very true that the events that happen in a person’s life can shape their identity. Even if a person is born into one culture and has that culture’s “single story” attached to them, different events in their life, such as moving to another country and adapting to the new culture, can impact their identity forever. Peoples’ identities are always changing, and that is why it is wrong to assume stereotype among them. People who choose to label others are not being fair. They do not know about their life, nor what events have occurred to make them that way. Therefore, it is very important to recognize that all life experiences create a person’s identity.

Context

The Teacher’s Voice

After initially asking my students to conduct an in-person interview of an elder from the community, I realized I needed to make some adjustments to ensure that every student was successful. I decided to expand the project to include “older adults from the community” as it was difficult to connect an elder with all 28 of my students.

Several students also asked me if they could interview their grandparents or great-grandparents (often overseas) via a telephone call or video chat, and I instantly realized that I could never say no. We need to meet our students where they are, especially in ways they are enthusiastic for. If they were in a space or place in their lives where they are seeking to build stronger connections with elders in their own families, I wanted to encourage that. 

The First Peoples Principles of Learning were intuitively embedded in this lesson. For example:

• Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
• Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities.
• Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.

Student feedback on this assignment was very positive, and they noted that the interviews were very special and valuable to them. There was a strong sense of personal awareness, and their post-interview reflections proved to be an invaluable and integral part of the process.

Note: Interview questions work best when collaboratively created by students, alongside teacher guidance. An additional source of interview questions:

https://legacyproject.org/guides/lifeintquestions.pdf

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Student Reflection

When this project was first introduced, I did not immediately have someone in mind to interview. I felt insecure about not having any blood relatives here in Canada. I use the word blood relative because in creating this video, my understanding of the word family was more so crystallized.

For eleven years, my family lived in the house next door to Sandra. Growing up, my interactions with Sandra and her late husband, James, felt familiar and an ordinary part of everyday life. Walking home from school, James would be mowing both our front lawns and Sandra would be out front calling out for their cat. She would always be so kind and inquisitive about where I was in life and how I was doing in school.

When I asked to interview her for this project, she was more than eager in inviting me to her home and indulging me in her life’s journey. Interviewing Sandra turned into this amazing conversation where I learned so much about someone experiencing a completely different stage of her life, as well as someone who had grown up in a time unrecognizable to me, both socially and culturally. And yet, as Sandra told me about her thoughts from when she was a youth, I recognized similar thoughts in myself. I began to understand that there can exist common worries between people of different generations.

Sandra expresses in the video, that she is still unaware of her purpose in life; a feeling that I myself am familiar with. In interviewing Sandra and finding understanding and compassion within myself, I recognized the values of social responsibility and diverse relationships. I distinctly remember one afternoon arriving home from school, I was alarmed at the sound of my mom crying. I walked to the door to find Sandra crying in her arms. I remember always feeling so angry about James’ passing; how such a terrible thing could happen to two beautiful people. Hearing Sandra express her outlook on the intensity of losing a loved one, allowed me to appreciate a different perspective of life. 

One of the questions that I asked was what advice Sandra would give her young self. I resonated greatly with her response, that she would reassure herself that she is stronger and better than she feels. I felt this echo within me, as if Sandra’s growth and experience was a familiarity in my own struggles with identity. I realized from this project, that all those years of casual interaction and everyday conversation with Sandra was what built this familial comfort that I feel today. I feel a sense of warmth when I think about how people of different generations and different cultures can discover a sense of family and home from each other. 

There are a number of core competencies that I feel like I grew within, as a result of this assignment. For example, personal awareness and responsibility, as well as the impact of social responsibility (building relationships and valuing diversity). Another competency I found familiarity with through this project is building and sustaining relationships with diverse people, including people from different generations.

Activity Video

Context

Students read and discussed famous poems about perseverance, resilience, and emancipation. For example, they were introduced to Walt Whitman’s poem, "Oh Me! Oh Life!" and W.E. Henley’s poem, "Invictus".

Students were then asked to create their own original composition in free verse form reflecting on their own struggles and perseverance. As a challenge, they were encouraged to include Henley’s words: “I am the master of my Fate” and “I am the captain of my soul” in a way that credited the original source. Once their poems were finished, each student reflected on their journey of struggle and perseverance.

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Student Work Sample

Lost in Thought

Perhaps it is the ending of yet another day
That causes one to realize
To lie awake thinking
Of how fast time flies

Of what will come to be
How people come and go
About what will happen to me
And the events of which I have yet to know

The feeling of being lost
Wishing the clock to slow
So that I have time to catch my breath
Before I need to grow

And
Stumble into the unknown
On a path chosen by another
Decided upon long ago

When I lose myself in thought
I’ll remind myself that I am in control
For William Ernest Henley once said
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul
 

Student Reflection

Lost in Thought: A Reflection

My poem relates to the core competency of Personal Awareness and Responsibility because it speaks to questioning one’s purpose and the idea of destiny; sometimes I feel as if I am lost in my responsibilities as a student as well as many other roles. It is in times such as these that I feel somewhat insignificant compared to how well other people seem to be faring; I tend to pan out or momentarily give up in these situations. Being aware that my choices are the most important in my life will help me feel more in control of myself. Not only do I feel lost in my responsibilities, but I also feel as if time may be going so fast that I can’t keep up with it. I worry too much about what the future holds and about how frighteningly close university and post-secondary life seems to be. To combat this, I can find ways to channel stress out of my mind so that I don’t worry too much; I think that by taking initiative and more responsibility will make me feel more secure and in control in what I will become as a person.
 

Teacher Reflection

Many students identified this learning experience as one of their favourites. Students saw this exploration into identity as valuable and important. From a personal awareness perspective, their responses were thoughtful and genuine. The reflections were an invaluable and integral part of this process. Students delved deeply into their own experiences and journeys to construct their own meaningful and original compositions.