Intersectionality, Inclusivity, and Diversity (and Other ities)

Guess who’s back… BACK AGAIN! 

via GIPHY

Did you miss me? Because I missed you! 

These weekly reflections and blog posts are probably the most fun I get out of my homework in the five classes I’m enrolled in, even if it does take a lot of time and effort.

I enjoyed Simone’s presentation, as you’ve seen from my inquiry blogs (and if you haven’t, you can check them out here), I feel very passionately about including others and making others feel included; whether it’s through the accessibility of sustainable clothes or education, I care A LOT. This can be a blessing and a curse because I want to make sure everyone is included. Unfortunately, the world we live in does not always like to include everyone fairly. I like this diagram, it’s a great reminder that sometimes I need to sit down and check my privilege; make sure what I’m putting out into the world does more good than harm.

I didn’t enjoy my schooling experience, but I like that both Markus and Rylee addressed the barriers to inclusion in traditional classrooms; seating arrangements were made to look solely at the instructor, not their peers, and the instructor taught using the stand-and-instruct method. As a child, this did not help me. I would have LOVED VISII as a child (during Simone’s presentation, I wished I could turn back time and do it); the inquiry model is something that fascinates me and makes me slightly anxious. I know the amount of work needed for this type of school model, which can feel daunting if you try to tackle it all on your own. Last semester, I had a seminar class that required us to do an inquiry project about something we’re interested in regarding teaching and education. I was interested in teacher burnout, especially since it was so prevalent when I applied to this program (our cohort is rumored to be the year with the lowest amount of applicants applying); with the rise of COVID-19, lots of teachers I knew opted for early retirement or moved away from the profession completely. When I looked into teacher burnout, data showed that younger teachers tend to be the ones who burn out from the profession and leave it entirely. These new teachers will be my cohort and me in a few short months!

If you are interested in reading about the presentation, I’ll embed it somewhere here: 

Inquiry Project Presentation: Preventing teaching burnout for new teachers by Kimiko Martone

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Canva? Anyways, maybe this is a hot take, or maybe it isn’t, but in my experience, most IEPs or students with designations just need more attention and patience than other students may need. I was thrown into a kindergarten class last year for 6 months because of a teacher shortage and teacher burnout. I had prior experience coaching water polo and teaching swimming lessons to a range of ages but never ever taught in a classroom before. I had a class of 13 students and 5 of them had IEPs, they were considered the ‘bad’ kindergarten class because some students would have meltdowns and need breaks or wait time (usually during transitions). It was HARD, did I cry? sometimes. Did they also cry? Yes. But after a few months of knowing these children, building relationships with them; we found tricks and tips that worked for us, and slowly but surely, the meltdowns decreased, the crying and screaming decreased… We had a little classroom family! I went back to visit them during my winter break, I was worried they would forget about me but when I was in the classroom doorway, I was greeted with hugs and smiles. They showed me what they’ve been learning in the classroom and new skills they acquired, like reading and writing.  I was supposed to stay for an hour or two… but that turned into me walking out with some of the students when the final bell rang that day.  I understand in the public system teachers are overworked and underpaid (especially in Quebec, known for having the lowest-paid teachers in all of Canada) but we’re teachers for the kids, not for ourselves (although sometimes it seems as though some people choose the latter rather than the former).

I probably sound naïve but I think using technology when necessary, can help close the gap between education and inclusion. For example, using text-to-speech or speech-to-text tools. This can help students struggling to hear or students who have trouble writing down their thoughts. I love the fact that there are so many programs to help assist with accessibility for students; like the CanAssist at UVIC or SET-BC.

I liked hearing about what inclusion looked like for VISII as well; having regular conversations about diversity, flexible learning spaces, having a social/emotional and mental health focus, modeling inclusive language, different means of participating for students, self-assessments as well as educator assessments, and individualized curriculum/goals. I would love to do my practicum there but I’m still skeptical about these middle school kids! They scare me! I know I would be a target of constant roasting (although I think being brought up with 2 younger brothers has prepared me for it); I am doing my first practicum at Monterey, a middle school in Oak Bay South, and maybe I’ll like it. I feel as though I already dress as a middle schooler so it might be a good fit.

I want to leave this reflection on a fun note, so I asked ChatGPT to explain intersectionality and educational inclusivity in Gen Z terms:

Okay, imagine you’re a character in a video game, right? Intersectionality is like all the power-ups and challenges you face. Each power-up or challenge represents a different part of who you are – your gender, race, background, all that cool stuff. It’s not just one thing; it’s how everything mixes together.

Now, think about school as a hangout spot in the game. Educational inclusivity is making sure this hangout spot is rad for everyone, no matter what power-ups they’ve got. It’s like making sure the game level is designed for all players, with different abilities and backgrounds. So, intersectionality and educational inclusivity are like levelling up the game so that every player feels awesome and included. Got it? 🎮✨

– Kimiko (& ChatGPT)