Equity+&+Inclusion

How can a teacher contribute to a school’s ability to support race, religion, and disability accommodation and understanding? What practical strategies can a teacher use to build a positive school culture that honours diversity and prevents discrimination?

Reflections from several teachers....

The easiest way to support the school is to include the origins of the sports that students are learning. We know basketball is Canadian, Lacrosse our national sport is Aboriginal as well as a plethora of other sports. Simple recognition of the contributions of others cultures to the world of sports gives them extra credibility. Also all teachers must endorse the classroom etiquette of no racism tolerated. This is difficult as many of the students grow up in a diverse culture, one that uses racist remarks in a joking manner. I enforce the rule that non of it is allowed at any time regardless of who says it or who it is directed towards. We as physical education teachers can ask students to provide the class with a sample of a game tied to their cultural background and integrate it into the class as a lesson for an IRP or other culminating activity. Integration is the key, make student aware. Exposure, show the students what other cultures do. Acceptance, be understanding of other cultures views and beliefs.

I agree that sports are an easy way to include different origins and cultural games into schools. Not only does this allow those student’s to feel included but it can also bring about pride and identity, especially when the other student’s enjoy the different games.

I agree with you- teaching culture through sports is an awesome way to promote an inclusive learning environment. I think that teaching cultural sensitivity and awareness through sports- may have a greater success as compared to reading or listening about issues related to culture and race sensitivity and issues. A "sport" provides the field for ALL students to participate- regardless of their backgrounds. Where all students depend on each other for success. The physical, emotional, and intellectual engagement that the "sport" offers- provides fertile grounds for student growth and community sharing.


 * A sense of acceptance and belonging is key to every child’s developmental process. It is unfortunate however, that many students feel excluded because of their race, religion, or because they have a disability. As educators it is our duty to create environments and course content that promotes the inclusion of all groups. These are a few possible strategies to develop inclusion among students that could be applied to a Physical Education setting.**


 * Rather than focusing on the typical sports such as basketball, football, or baseball, a Phys Ed teacher could create units that teach students sports and activities stemming from a wide variety of races and cultures. Students can also study and participate in games such as wheelchair rugby or sledge hockey. Playing and experiencing the difficult nature of these games will help students respect and understand the unique challenges that a disabled student has to face. If implemented these strategies could possibly create a more equitable and inclusive environment for all students.**


 * Your suggestion to include sports, games, and activities from students representing different cultures and/or having physical limitations is an excellent idea. It enables students to engage with material/content that is relative to them and share it with other students in the class. This extends to the idea of honouring the diversity of the students and will create a unique class room culture.**


 * I agree with your comment especially the fact that we as teachers need to incorporate equality and inclusion into or course content. With my Language program I’ve developed a Human Rights unit that focuses on treating everyone with respect and accepting the many different cultures throughout the world. Here is a website that I use to help student’s better understand Human Rights, it also has resources for teachers. http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/**


 * I agree with your ideas- I believe that //learning is experiencing//. Through contextual experiences- students will have the opportunities to become conscientious citizens. When you have students- see through the lenses of other students- a different collective learning environment is created. For students who have had difficulties- they now become the experts- with this- they impart their experiences on others- leading to a learning community.**


 * As physical education teachers we need to take a step away from the mainstream sports and introduce different sports and skills that allow everyone to play on an “even playing field”. These can be culturally different to expose student to sports from around the world and hopefully they would build an appreciation for knowing how to play different sports.**


 * I think it is important to support race in Physical Education by providing a history of the sport and where it came from. Having students understand that not every game is “American” can definitely help to promote and support different races or cultures because they created some of the students’ favourite sports. We could also have students introduce a sport or physical game/activity from their own culture or have them research one from another culture. I think religion or faith can be promoted by the way we teach our students to play the game. Being fair, respectful and kind during play all support some form of religious background. If students treat other students, teachers and themselves with respect in our classrooms then we are supporting a religious-like understanding to sport. Disabilities can be challenging to incorporate into a school system Physical Education class but it is not impossible. Many modifications can be made to games to include every individual. Also incorporating sports from the Special Olympics can usually assist those who are not necessarily physically able and also keep those “skilled” students grounded giving them a sense of what it’s like to be challenged physically, which in turn increases their respect for those students. Teachers can use many different tactics in their subject area or school wide to promote equality between all. I think education is the best way to build respect, simply by an understanding one can empathize with others.**


 * One thing that all cultures have in common is their enjoyment from participation in recreational activities. There are many sports and games that are played world-wide, but there are also many games that are played locally in smaller communities and that students might not be aware of. I think it would be a great idea to promote games from different parts of the world into physical education. I know that even for myself, I’m not sure of where certain sports come from or their historical significance. One part of our role as physical education teachers is to challenge our students in a fun and safe environment. Exploring different games from around the world will not only help to unify the student body, but it will also present a new and fun challenge that students can do together. Furthermore, when playing a new sport you can also level the playing field since there probably won’t be any students that have experience in that sport. As with any game, creative strategies and modifications to include students with disabilities can also be used. As seen in the Olympics and other athletic competitions, physical activities are good for bringing people together, which is why physical education provides a great opportunity to promote inclusivity in our schools. It teaches students to work together as a team to meet individual needs and it promotes a sense of belonging when a team works as a cohesive unit.**


 * Teacher can contribute to support race, religion and disability accommodation by **
 * -providing accommodations for students with disabilities **
 * -assignments that deals with discrimination, race, religion in which they develop media ads. **
 * - promote fundraisers within the community for them to be involved with. **
 * - teachers beware of the different groups within the school and try to be active member or support staff **


 * The implementation of Bill 82 required the inclusion of all children in the education system. It is imperative that we support race, religion, and students with disabilities into our programs in order for other students to support it as well. At the beginning of a semester I like to incorporate some aspect of global connection into my classroom. I have students share where their families are from and where in the world they have traveled to. I feel this brings awareness to all students in the class; and feelings of pride as well. Establishing community in a classroom from the get go, honours diversity and respect for classmates begins to form. Christian suggested not just teaching the typical sports in a phys-ed class. This is a great idea, and possibly having students research and share games from other countries would build a positive school culture. Introducing students to a respectful, caring, and comfortable environment from the beginning of a semester/year sets a foundation for expectations that need to be carried throughout the year.**


 * Practical strategies a teacher can implement in creating an inclusive environment and culture that is reflective of the diversity we are blessed with today would include introducing sports from other countries, sports that immigrants to Canada may be very fond of. Also, in your health unit you may also consider a lesson on nutrition styles in other areas of the world and maybe the training styles of international sporting athletes.**


 * __ How can a teacher in this subject area contribute to a school’s ability to support race, religion, and disability accommodation and understanding? __**
 * In order to answer this question, I decided to check the Health and Physical Education Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10, (1999) to see if there are any specific expectations that “teachers in this subject area can contribute to a school’s ability to support race, religion, and disability accommodation and understanding.” **
 * The curriculum notes that “Healthy active living benefits both individuals and society in many ways: for example, by increasing productivity, improving morale, decreasing absenteeism, reducing health-care costs, and heightening personal satisfaction. Other benefits include improved psychological well-being, physical capacity, self-esteem, and the ability to cope with stress. The expectations within this curriculum promote healthy active living through the development of physical, social, and personal skills.” Health & Physical Education teachers cannot achieve this mandate without promoting an understanding and respect for the race and religious beliefs of all students. Furthermore, they must provide accommodations for students with disabilities in order for them to achieve these expectations. **
 * The introduction to this document also states that “the health and physical education curriculum also promotes important educational values and goals such as tolerance, understanding, excellence, and good health…Parents, schools, health-care agencies, peers, businesses, government, and the media are all vital partners in helping promote these values to students.” This means that the Health & Physical Education teacher has a mandate to work collaboratively with a variety of people to ensure that all students lead safe and healthy lives. **
 * The curriculum document also states that “there are clear connections between the expectations in health and physical education and those in other subject areas, such as guidance and career education, science, and social science. For example, all of these subject areas share the goals of developing life-management skills, identifying social realities, interacting positively, working independently and collaboratively, enhancing healthy lifestyles, and examining contemporary social issues.” This means that the Health & Physical Education should collaborate with teachers in these subject areas and seek to share resources and ideas to “support race, religion, and disability accommodation and understanding” in the school. **
 * The Health & Physical Education documents states that: “The expectations in health and physical education courses are organized into four distinct but related strands: physical activity, active living, healthy living, and living skills.” **
 * I feel that by intentionally integrating creative ways to “support race, religion, and disability accommodation and understanding” in the “Living skills” strand, teachers can meet the following criteria as stated in the document “helps students develop a positive "sense of self", as well as effective decision-making, conflict resolution, communication, and interpersonal skills. This strand includes the topics of "decision making", "conflict resolution", and "social skills." Expectations such as demonstrating active listening to de-escalate conflict, expressing feelings to help resolve problems, and demonstrating behaviour that is respectful and sensitive to others help students make the transition to adulthood.” **
 * By using incorporating specific examples related to issues related to //religion, and disability// //accommodation and understanding//, Health & Physical Education teachers can help foster a safe, respectful, healthy and inclusive school environment. This can be achieved in the following “Living Skills” strand: **
 * Living Skills **


 * Overall Expectations **


 * By the end of the course, students will: **


 * * use appropriate decision-making skills to achieve goals related to personal health; **


 * * explain the effectiveness of various conflict resolution processes in daily situations; **


 * * use appropriate social skills when working collaboratively with others. **


 * Specific Expectations **

__Decision Making__


 * By the end of the course, students will: **


 * * identify personal strengths and areas for growth; **


 * * demonstrate how they have achieved short-term goals based on a personal vision; **


 * * demonstrate understanding of the impact of parents, the media, and culture on values and goals related to healthy active living; **


 * * produce sequential action plans to achieve personal health goals. **

__Conflict Resolution__


 * By the end of the course, students will: **


 * * demonstrate understanding of personal values that can lead to conflict; **


 * * use assertiveness techniques to avoid escalating conflict; **


 * * demonstrate active listening skills (e.g., identifying non-verbal feelings expressed by others, paraphrasing the message, asking questions for clarification) when managing conflict; **


 * * demonstrate the appropriate steps of conflict resolution in situations encountered in class, at school, with friends, and at home; **


 * * demonstrate understanding of the triggers of conflict (e.g., defensive behaviour in a group situation) to prevent escalation; **


 * * identify coping skills (e.g., involvement in physical activity, talking it out, participating in alternative activities or hobbies) to deal with the internal conflict and stress that often accompanies change. **

__Social Skills__**

By the end of the course, students will:

* contribute to the success of the group verbally and non-verbally (e.g., by completing a fair share of the group task, by acknowledging others' contributions to the task);

* explain the benefits and disadvantages of working with others;

* give and receive assistance (e.g., through peer mentoring);

* use appropriately a variety of methods for reaching group agreement (e.g., through consensus, by taking votes in which the majority rules). http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/health910curr.txt __ What practical strategies can a teacher in this subject area use to build a positive school culture that honours diversity and prevents discrimination? __ One practical strategy would be to promote the use of cooperative learning activities in the classroom, as well as the rest of the school. Cooperative learning could be a focus for a “professional learning community” The “Jigsaw Classroom” website states that: “The jigsaw classroom is a cooperative learning technique with a three-decade track record of successfully reducing racial conflict and increasing positive educational outcomes.” If teachers carefully select groups that are balanced in terms of different cultures, races and ability and has expert groups work closely together to achieve mutual goals, then each student in the group will grow to appreciate and respect the others. However, this will not be successful unless the teacher has spent considerable time teaching teamwork and collaboration skills. Using the TRIBES philosophy will also enhance this process. The Tribes training that I completed last year taught us how to create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment through a variety of strategies. One of them was the “four agreements” to be used. This included attentive listening, showing appreciation, refraining from put downs, showing mutual respect, and having the right to pass. The Tribes website has lots of great ideas. [] http://tribes.com/about/

Excellent reference to the current curriculum. The new curriculum that is to be released in Secondary hopefully this year has the Living Skills strand interwoven throughout the other strands. I would encourage all Physical Education Teachers to connect with other subject areas to forge and reinforce our consistent learning objectives so that students connect our common learning objectives like social skills, conflict resolution and decision making.

As educators we have a responsibility to ensure that all our student’s feel included in all aspect of school. I’m fortunate to be part of a school that has staff members dedicated to running different organization and clubs to ensure every student’s has the chance to be a part of our school community. One group that has grown over the years in our GSA “Gay Straight Alliance” which brings awareness and talks about sexual orientations of our student’s. One of their goals which the school is backing, is to try to get rid of the saying “This is Gay” or “Your so Gay.”This and other sayings are being used in humour; however, it is still offensive to some people. Therefore, it’s important as teachers to make sure these terms and phrases are being eliminated within our schools and classrooms to ensure equality is being met.

One of my students experienced this very thing at a Co-op placement. The other students there thought it was funny, because of the way they could get him to react. He put up with it for two weeks then told the supervisor and emailed me. We took it very seriously, immediately arranged an appointment to meet with the supervisor, spoke with the Principal and consulted with a person who is on the Gay Straight Alliance to ensure we offered all the right support. I also had another student who spoke to me about being afraid what his friends might think of him if they found out he was gay. I went again to the Gay Straight Alliance person, who offered me a binder of info. and to meet with him. He decided not to meet with them, but ask if he could contact me at a later date. I think he felt better just having someone to talk to about it. I’m glad I have that support.

My high school has also organized a GSA, and although its had a rough straight it is slowly becoming a part of the school culture, as recognized by the students. When announcements were made introducing the committee to the school and inviting students to join, there were students who would snicker or make comments, and so on. However, since it's been some time that the alliance has been around, it has become more accepted, students are more willing to join or participate in activities the group organizes, and rarely do I hear any student react or make comments, when GSA announcements are read over the PA. So it really is just a matter of making it part of the school's "mainstream" and once the staff and admin have made the GSA a part of the school, like any other program or committee, the students, for the most part, have also adopted the GSA and respect its members.

To create a welcoming environments to all including a committed leadership eliminating discrimination through the identification and removal of bias and barriers as well as creating equity and inclusive education policies and accountability and transparency through respect and support.

In my experience when students are in the primary grade they listen well to the teacher with their guidelines of equity and inclusive education. However when they go to higher grade they become more self centered themselves. Therefore, the secondary school level should develop more supportive implementation for race, religion and disability accommodations as well as environment understanding through additional resources and training to development.

A teacher can easily promote a school’s ability to support race, religion, and disability accommodation and understanding by embracing and modelling the desired traits in their everyday lives. Teachers must treat their students and colleagues of different races, religions and abilities with the respect that they wish the students to emulate. Once students realize the importance of what is being done they will often begin to adjust their attitudes.

In addition to the above, teachers can also carefully select the books that stock the classroom library and the posters that cover the walls. I have even deliberately used "ethnic" names in math word problems. TDSB has Days of Significance that are announced during morning announcement. We can discuss these days and incorporate them into our lessons. In a mapping lesson we use pins to mark the places in the world that we originated and during the first weeks of school we usually complete an assignment titled "All about me" where we talk about ourselves and our familial backgrounds. Students just burst with satisfaction when they talk about themselves and see their pictures on the bulletin board!

I agree that as teachers we must model the behaviors we expect of the students. As mentioned before we actually give a car in Grade 12 to the person who demonstrates character at our school. In September each staff member on the first day of school will wear a shirt with their character trait they most represent. We also sent a letter to another staff member chosen at random and described what character trait they display the most. It was great to have a fellow staff member identify a character trait they thought I displayed to the school.

I too like to start the beginning of my semester off with a focus on looking at nationalities and where students' families originate from. I have also incorporated a cultural research project into one of classes and the students really enjoy learning more about their own backgrounds or a country they are interested in.