Week #23: Feb. 20th - 23rd
Dear Families,
I would also like to acknowledge all the families who were able to attend despite your busy schedules and work commitments.
Below are a few more pictures that were shared with me. It brings me immense joy reflecting upon this experience even as I type this! Thank you Mr. Roth for taking these photos for my students and their parents to enjoy!
What a meaningful week we've had yet again! Lots of important and key learning about equity, inclusion, and diversity! All topics near and dear to my heart :)
My students are taking such a heartfelt interest in the issues surrounding Anti-Bullying and Black History. We are learning to apply compassion, understanding and ACCEPTANCE towards one another each and every day.
In our classroom, it is our goal to continue ensuring that everyone we meet and greet feels SAFE, INCLUDED, VALUED, and ACCEPTED regardless of differences.
You will have noticed by now that from time to time that your child comes home to share that he/she has either written or received a 'bucket filling' note for/from a peer.
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| Thank you Cara for your note of appreciation today :) |
It is important to me to provide the children with daily opportunities to express their appreciation and gratitude towards each other.
These messages of gratitude are designed for students to acknowledge and express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions for peers, teachers, friends, and family members.
Thank you boys and girls for taking the time and HEART to express your gratefulness. It is said when we are in a state of gratitude, our lives will be filled with JOY and it's true :-)
I believe one of life's greatest gifts is to give and receive unconditional love! "To love and be loved" is the key to the world's problems.
Have a blessed weekend with your loved ones and I look forward to resuming our meaningful learning next week!
BLACK HISTORY CAFE:
It is with immense gratitude that I now share about my students presentation to honour Black History month. It was a heart-felt performance and I am so very proud of each of my students! Many audience members including me had tears of JOY!
Everyone participated with such love and compassion. I can say for certainty that those who were able to attend would agree with me. Thank you boys and girls!
Your message about spreading equal and fair treatment to everyone was heard and felt!
It meant the world to all of us, and your presence helped us be the BEST WE CAN BE!! Your (parents) continued commitment and support in all my teaching endeavours is cherished beyond measure!
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| Embracing my family, Mrs. Roth, you are the LIGHT behind all of this!! |
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| Sophie with her Dad, Grace with her Mom |
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| Molly with her loving grandmother & Dad |
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| James with his grandmother & great grandmother (she's 91 years, amazing) |
MARCIA HUBBS AKA QUEEN M:
As I begin to write this part of the blog, it now brings tears to my eyes because the manner in which Marcia Hubbs genuinely and authentically shared her mother's story with our staff, students, and families was so deeply moving for all in attendance.
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| Queen M, you make our hearts soar with joy! |
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| Sharing her mother's story |
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| Passionate. Fierce. Activist |
I have posted her CBC interview (a dream come true for her) so you may listen to it to learn more about her Mom's journey to fight for equality!
I have received countless comments from colleagues, students, and parents about the impact she left.
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| Check out the twins shirts! |
Marcia was in tears from beginning to end because she was so moved by my students' performance and the content of their thoughts, words, and actions! How amazing :-)
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| Libby is pure joy with Queen M :) |
Below, I have posted her tribute song for her Mom entitled "The Colour of Her Skin." We as a class family listened attentively to Marcia perform this live acapella style and we also joined in for the chorus! The library was vibrating and buzzing with sheer enlightenment!! It's a moment that we won't soon forget.
Can't wait to have this brilliant, bright, and beautiful activist join our school community again next year!! Marcia is changing one young mind at a time :-) And we're beyond blessed to have had her in our school. #wehonouryouMarcia #QueenMrocks
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| Music Saves! |
When Marcia headed home, she shared the following post (see photo below) with me and I just wanted to extend it to here because I want you all to know, here at Nottawa we are surrounded with the MOST AMAZING STAFF & STUDENTS who will take care of each other and "not judge others by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
#equalityforall #loveisthekeytotheworldsproblems
A final thought that has deeply resonated with me and I promise I will continue to make this my mission for the rest of my days as an educator :)
We will continue honouring the importance of EQUITY, DIVERSITY, and INCLUSION for the remainder of the school year :)
HAZEL & HARLOW'S FAMILY:
Thank you to the Colquhoun family for extending their gratitude for our efforts in the Black History Cafe yesterday, and sharing such a generous and heartfelt card & fruit basket for our class to enjoy!
I had the pleasure of receiving the basket & card from the girls grandmother at the end of the assembly and it was wonderful to be able to express my thanks in person and with a hug.
The generosity and outpouring of love from this family since their arrival in January has been immense and we truly, deeply appreciate it :) I will cherish the thoughtful card and kind gesture forever!!
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| Yummy, yummy fruits in our tummy! |
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| Thank you Gramma Fry for the fruit basket :) |
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| Lucy devouring her pear, delish! |
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| Going bananas for potassium |
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| Thank you Mrs. Fry for your beautiful thoughts, words, and actions! |
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| I'm tearing up as I write this caption. I am grateful for you! |
CANADIAN ACTIVIST BIOGRAPHY:
The children are hard at work on their Black History Biography for a chosen Canadian Activist.
All information is posted on Google Classroom, so please have your child show you the criteria and expectations for this assignment. It is due March 7th.
The video below shares the perspective of a young boy named Cameron Davis, 15, who talks about what being Black in Canada means to him as a teen growing up in a town near Toronto.
He also talks about being proud of the country’s multiculturalism, while also having to work “twice as hard” as others to succeed.Cameron is an activist and is courageously using his voice and actions to stand up for equality! Thank you to Mielle for sharing this video with us :)
PINK SHIRT DAY:
The 2024 Pink Shirt Day design was inspired by moments of kindness, empathy and understanding that can mean so much to children impacted by bullying.
For bullied kids, it can be hard to know where to turn, but a helping and supportive hand can make a world of difference!
Remember that whether it's sending a check-in text, calling out bullying behaviour when you see it, or simply offering your support, there are so many ways we can all help and connect with people being bullied.
On Wed. Feb. 28th wear PINK! Let's Lift Each Other Up this Pink Shirt Day, and all year round!
CHARACTER RECOGNITION ASSEMBLY:
Today, we had a school-wide Character Recognition assembly celebrating January & February's character attributes and for our class, the focus was on the traits Inclusiveness, Love, Honesty, and Trustworthiness.
I selected four students for this award, but could have easily picked numerous others as the children in my classroom have been working hard at being inclusive, loving, honest, and trusting.
Congratulations to Anna, August, Mielle, and Jonas for being recognized for good character in your thoughts, words, and actions! Well done you two! I know your families are so proud of you too just as much as I am :)
I selected four students for this award, but could have easily picked numerous others as the children in my classroom have been working hard at being inclusive, loving, honest, and trusting.
Congratulations to Anna, August, Mielle, and Jonas for being recognized for good character in your thoughts, words, and actions! Well done you two! I know your families are so proud of you too just as much as I am :)
CARA & MIELLE:
Did you know yesterday was World Thinking Day?! Yes it was, and it's celebrated on February 22nd annually!
World Thinking Day helps in strengthening friendship and sisterhood of young girls and empowering them.
Mielle and Cara are part of Guides and they shared all about this as well as some interesting facts & information about Girl Guides :)
After our presentation for Black History, the girls also changed into their uniform with pride, amazing!!
The philosophy of the organization is expressed in the Promise: "I promise to do my best, To be true to myself, my beliefs and Canada; I will take action for a better world."
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| So proud of you both! Amazing organization to be part of to build your self-esteem & character! |
Thank you Mielle & Cara for thoughtfully sharing with our class family, we learned lots and will now remember to strengthen our friendships through our care and compassion.
MINDFULNESS:
Check out the quote and image below, I love it!
"It's nice to be important, but it's MORE IMPORTANT TO BE NICE!"
This image took my breath away and makes my heart soar with joy! It is located outside the The Tubman Museum and Educational Center which is part of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, a self-guided, scenic driving tour with more than 30 sites related to freedom seekers in the 1800s.
This world owes Ms. Tubman a debt of gratitude.
Not only for the many lives she saved and the profound ripple effect of those spared lives. Not only for the uncommon bravery and courage. Not only for the role she plated in ending slavery, one painful step at a time. Not only for the women who benefitted from her tireless work as a suffragist. But for the example she set by just being her.
Ms. Tubman set the bar astronomically high with her selfless devotion to doing the right thing no matter the costs.
I believe Harriet Tubman's moral compass is something we should all strive towards!
GROWTH MINDSET:
Thank you Libby for sharing this week's mindset message! It connects beautifully to PINK SHIRT DAY & Anti-Bullying Awareness.
"Plant KINDNESS and grow LOVE." - Libby
From my heart to yours - CHE MEEGWICH,
Ms. P. Gill
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