Amelia Bieling (Masters in Chemistry)
Planning
On the first day of my final semester in the PB teaching program I met with my Professional Learning Pod (PLP) for the first time. Some members I knew well and others I had never spoken to due to being in different cohorts with different time tables during previous semesters. The seven of us sat down together and were tasked with developing a Community Action Project (CAP) which would be of benefit to the Nanaimo area. As individuals stated ideas for the CAP, others began to reinforce their ideas and build upon them to enrich the potential of the projects. We decided quickly that we wanted to do something for a local school in a lower socio-economic area. Bianca is doing her final practicum at Fairview Community School and it was the perfect fit. We then discussed one of the main focusses of this semesters learning and professional development which was Aboriginal Education. We are extremely pleased with the new BC curriculum and the efforts to bring Aboriginal Ways of Knowing into all classes and at all ages. This lead us to develop the Heritage Garden project which would provide an area at Fairview for students to learn and celebrate Aboriginal culture.
Process
As a group we discussed the tasks and materials we would require to implement the garden. The work was broken down in our PLP, enabling us to take on roles which suit our strengths and work collaboratively to create something much greater than we each could independently. Over the following 4 weeks we would work as a group and independently, checking in regularly with updates or for support.
One of my roles was to create Aboriginal themed stepping stones to place in the garden. I really enjoy crafts and I am fascinated by First Nations art, especially that of the Coast Salish people. I began by researching different art texts to learn about the symbolism of different animals as well as to learn more about the intricate patterns and their meaning. I decided I wanted to make tile mosaics because I wanted to have an apparent First Nations theme to the stepping stones but I did not want to mimic art which is not from my ancestry. I choose the following animals:
On the Tuesday before the garden was to be put in place I went around with Katie and Emma to collect all the remaining plants and soil components which we still required. It was so much fun going to local nurseries and selecting plants which are indigenous to the local area. I was pleasantly surprised with the kindness of staff at various companies and how generous many were with donations. On Wednesday we assembled at the school, tools in hand, and began creating the Heritage garden as a team. It was hard work shovelling dirt and moving rocks but the hands on aspect of it made it engaging and enjoyable. I was amazed at how quickly all the pieces came together with our collaborative efforts! I especially loved how excited the students of Fairview were! During their recess many of them assembled around our work area at the safe distance mark we set out and they asked question and watched intently. Seeing the joy and anticipation on their faces was a great experience and it made me feel so fortunate to be entering the teaching profession where I can work to create similar moments of joy and learning throughout my career.
Community Engagement
During the process we were able to make contact with Aboriginal elders from the VIU education faculty, from the VIU Friendship Centre, and from the Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre. We used their advice on what plants would have been traditionally used by First Nations in this area for food or medicinal purposes as well as just other plants which were indigenous to here and were enjoyed. It was a great opportunity to build relationships with these members of our community and to learn more about Aboriginal culture and history. We were also able to connect with staff at various companies throughout Nanaimo in our efforts to get donations. This was beneficial because it gave us the opportunity to share with the community the exciting things VIU education students are involved in. It also allowed us to encourage the community to be involved in supporting Nanaimo students and community involvement is an essential component of a positive and productive school.
Final Product
I was overwhelmed with joy and pride as we made the final touches on the Heritage Garden. It consists of one large rectangular bed with various plants and shrubs, one small circular bed of salal and blueberry, two small trees, and a gorgeous cedar Friendship bench. It is at a great location right by the playgroup where the younger kids play at recess, so they can enjoy it daily. The Friendship bench sits between the garden and the playgroup, providing a positive way to reinforce kindness and relationship building with the students. The stepping stones lay amongst the plants and bring a strong sense of heritage to the garden and represent the beauty and rich culture of Aboriginal peoples.
We were able to do a school wide grand opening of the Heritage Garden. It was wonderful hearing the excitement of the children about the new garden and how beautiful they thought it was. It was additionally motivating to hear the positive feedback from staff at the school who plan to use the space during their lessons.
New Learnings
Working with my PLP was a wonderful opportunity and we accomplished more than anticipated in the 4 short weeks we had from developing our idea to actually planting the garden. It reinforced in my mind the power of collaboration and team work. This is an essential component of being an effective teacher and I am eager to take on other collaborative efforts during my career to benefit students and the community as a whole. My PLP group consisted of a diverse group of individuals from a variety or education and work backgrounds. Working with them enabled me to view topics and challenges from different perspectives and to learn new skills and resources. I feel very privileged to have had work with this group and will continue to seek their support as I enter the teaching profession.
One of the main outcomes of this project was my increased knowledge about indigenous plants and their traditional uses as well as other components of Aboriginal culture. I will take my learnings into my future teaching to further enrich my lessons with Aboriginal content.
“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” – Mother Teresa
Please click here to look at my e-portfolio.
On the first day of my final semester in the PB teaching program I met with my Professional Learning Pod (PLP) for the first time. Some members I knew well and others I had never spoken to due to being in different cohorts with different time tables during previous semesters. The seven of us sat down together and were tasked with developing a Community Action Project (CAP) which would be of benefit to the Nanaimo area. As individuals stated ideas for the CAP, others began to reinforce their ideas and build upon them to enrich the potential of the projects. We decided quickly that we wanted to do something for a local school in a lower socio-economic area. Bianca is doing her final practicum at Fairview Community School and it was the perfect fit. We then discussed one of the main focusses of this semesters learning and professional development which was Aboriginal Education. We are extremely pleased with the new BC curriculum and the efforts to bring Aboriginal Ways of Knowing into all classes and at all ages. This lead us to develop the Heritage Garden project which would provide an area at Fairview for students to learn and celebrate Aboriginal culture.
Process
As a group we discussed the tasks and materials we would require to implement the garden. The work was broken down in our PLP, enabling us to take on roles which suit our strengths and work collaboratively to create something much greater than we each could independently. Over the following 4 weeks we would work as a group and independently, checking in regularly with updates or for support.
One of my roles was to create Aboriginal themed stepping stones to place in the garden. I really enjoy crafts and I am fascinated by First Nations art, especially that of the Coast Salish people. I began by researching different art texts to learn about the symbolism of different animals as well as to learn more about the intricate patterns and their meaning. I decided I wanted to make tile mosaics because I wanted to have an apparent First Nations theme to the stepping stones but I did not want to mimic art which is not from my ancestry. I choose the following animals:
- The Orca - Known to help people in need whether we are helpless or wounded. The orca symbolizes kindness, intelligence and compassion.
- The Raven - a key part of many North West Coast legends and stories. In many stories the raven teaches us about life and right from wrong. The raven is often misbehaving but never boring. He symbolizes change in life, creativity, and humor.
- The Wolf - Known for his intelligence, leadership and strong sense of family values as well as being a great team player. He is also known to have strength in relationships. The wolf symbolizes perseverance, intuition and success.
On the Tuesday before the garden was to be put in place I went around with Katie and Emma to collect all the remaining plants and soil components which we still required. It was so much fun going to local nurseries and selecting plants which are indigenous to the local area. I was pleasantly surprised with the kindness of staff at various companies and how generous many were with donations. On Wednesday we assembled at the school, tools in hand, and began creating the Heritage garden as a team. It was hard work shovelling dirt and moving rocks but the hands on aspect of it made it engaging and enjoyable. I was amazed at how quickly all the pieces came together with our collaborative efforts! I especially loved how excited the students of Fairview were! During their recess many of them assembled around our work area at the safe distance mark we set out and they asked question and watched intently. Seeing the joy and anticipation on their faces was a great experience and it made me feel so fortunate to be entering the teaching profession where I can work to create similar moments of joy and learning throughout my career.
Community Engagement
During the process we were able to make contact with Aboriginal elders from the VIU education faculty, from the VIU Friendship Centre, and from the Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre. We used their advice on what plants would have been traditionally used by First Nations in this area for food or medicinal purposes as well as just other plants which were indigenous to here and were enjoyed. It was a great opportunity to build relationships with these members of our community and to learn more about Aboriginal culture and history. We were also able to connect with staff at various companies throughout Nanaimo in our efforts to get donations. This was beneficial because it gave us the opportunity to share with the community the exciting things VIU education students are involved in. It also allowed us to encourage the community to be involved in supporting Nanaimo students and community involvement is an essential component of a positive and productive school.
Final Product
I was overwhelmed with joy and pride as we made the final touches on the Heritage Garden. It consists of one large rectangular bed with various plants and shrubs, one small circular bed of salal and blueberry, two small trees, and a gorgeous cedar Friendship bench. It is at a great location right by the playgroup where the younger kids play at recess, so they can enjoy it daily. The Friendship bench sits between the garden and the playgroup, providing a positive way to reinforce kindness and relationship building with the students. The stepping stones lay amongst the plants and bring a strong sense of heritage to the garden and represent the beauty and rich culture of Aboriginal peoples.
We were able to do a school wide grand opening of the Heritage Garden. It was wonderful hearing the excitement of the children about the new garden and how beautiful they thought it was. It was additionally motivating to hear the positive feedback from staff at the school who plan to use the space during their lessons.
New Learnings
Working with my PLP was a wonderful opportunity and we accomplished more than anticipated in the 4 short weeks we had from developing our idea to actually planting the garden. It reinforced in my mind the power of collaboration and team work. This is an essential component of being an effective teacher and I am eager to take on other collaborative efforts during my career to benefit students and the community as a whole. My PLP group consisted of a diverse group of individuals from a variety or education and work backgrounds. Working with them enabled me to view topics and challenges from different perspectives and to learn new skills and resources. I feel very privileged to have had work with this group and will continue to seek their support as I enter the teaching profession.
One of the main outcomes of this project was my increased knowledge about indigenous plants and their traditional uses as well as other components of Aboriginal culture. I will take my learnings into my future teaching to further enrich my lessons with Aboriginal content.
“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” – Mother Teresa
Please click here to look at my e-portfolio.