Something that has been occupying my mind frequently after visiting schools and interacting with students are the factors that contribute to the physical, mental and spiritual health of students. I believe part of the foundation for cultivating a balance of these elements is nutrition awareness and healthy eating habits. However, to address issues of health properly teachers must raise awareness and push for the funding required to eliminate poverty in schools. I have spoken with many students that are hungry in class and have not brought lunch to school, often without a breakfast or solid dinner the night before. I believe that free breakfast and lunch should be provided for all students to create better learning environments. Some students come from poverty, some are forgetful and some have body image issues; but making this a consistent available option for all students feels like a step in the right direction. Although there are some programs for students to access food free of charge, this requires work to access which some students and parents may feel uncomfortable navigating. Providing healthy nutrition for students will lead to increased engagement, focus and academic success for students.[1] It is essential to take care of this issue because learning is drastically compromised by lack of healthy diets, if this issue is addressed properly it will result in better learning outcomes for students.

            The BCTF website does address the impact of poverty on education, with the latest statistics on the website saying that 1 in 5 youth lives in poverty. The website sometimes focuses on “poverty reduction” plans which is a good first step. However, I believe this must be reframed to poverty elimination in schools instead of reduction as no youth should be at school hungry and malnourished. The BCTF has acknowledged on their website that breakfast and lunch programs are not adequate at schools. Forty percent of teachers surveyed also personally bring food for students. Teachers have spoken to the barriers for students to access programs or food, with a main one being that students and parents are not comfortable asking. Teachers found that attendance is drastically impacted by poverty and not having a stable living or housing situation. Teachers also found that students living in poverty are most likely to miss class or not complete assignments because they have to take care of younger siblings or have to work to help support their family.[2]

            I feel that that poverty elimination and providing food for students must become more central in services provided by schools. To create caring, engaged and empathic learning environments this issue must be addressed. I am glad that there are some initial steps being taken by the BCTF but much more has to be done. I also hope that this issue is integrated more frequently into the education program at UVIC as it is something future educators will be engaging with and taking steps to remedy. I have attached some resources and information for people to engage with if they are interested 

References/Resources

“Child Poverty’s Impact on Education.” www.bctf.ca.

Last modified August 2017.

https://bctf.ca/publications/BriefSection.aspx?id=46882

“Health and Academic Achievement.” www.cdc.gov.

Last modified May 2014.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/health-academic-achievement.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/health-academic-achievement.pdf

http://bcpovertyreduction.ca/learn-more/school-resources/

https://www.bctf.ca/povertyresearch.aspx

https://bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/SocialJustice/Issues/Poverty/Antipoverty%20Month%20Resources.pdf

Our class visit to the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry was great for gathering insights into cross-curricular and multimodal approaches to education. The student led emphasis of the school holds a lot of potential for engagement and in depth understandings of subjects of interest. The depth instead of breadth approach can also provide excitement for student to explore their interests. I appreciated the open community based aspects of the school with different spaces that are conductive for collaboration or individual focus. The quiet meditation room was a positive space to see, where students can go to feel calm and refocus their energy. I was slightly concerned about the elitist aspect of the school as people have to be able to afford to send their kids their, but it was good to hear that the administration is trying to figure out ways to have a wider socio-economic spectrum at the school.  The music room looked great with a lot of fun electronic equipment, it was also interesting to see a loom in the building. I would be interested to know more about the various ways that the arts are embraced in the school as I did not notice much focus on visual arts. The school seemed to have a big focus on entrepreneurial development which is positive if students have the resources to explore these possibilities but problematic if they do not come from a wealthy family. The tech focus on web design and video games was interesting to hear about, as these are areas that youth are very interested in although I wonder if this focus may compromise other aspects of their learning.

It was great to see a student I tutored last year at the school as well. They were having difficulties at a public French immersion school partly from mild dyslexia when trying to read and write in English. They seemed really excited and happy to be at the school, which speaks to the relief some students must feel when they can explore their interests outside of traditional classroom learning frameworks. Overall it was a great trip to the school that provided insights into alternative approaches to teaching that embrace the multimodal and cross curricular focus of the new BC curriculum.

With the BC curriculum focusing on multimodal cross curricular education, I have been thinking about how music can be integrated for storytelling and art creation. In the context of a History or English class, music can be analyzed for various meanings and literary devices. Providing students with opportunities to explore the historical frameworks that music is creating in, can help make subject matter more relatable for them. Music can also provide simple writing prompts for English classes such as… What music inspires you? Providing frameworks for students to express their inner world is essential for engaged learning. Also linking music videos for visual reference points, or having students create their own interpretations through video or art allows for various avenues of expression. A good question for a Art class based around music would be to ask.. Draw or paint how a song you love makes you feel. Music can also be used to help students connect to current events and politics if these subjects are integrated in Social Justice 12, Law, English or History classes to draw parallels and demonstrate the value of inventive expression.

Here is a good New York Times article that provides various activities and writing prompts.