On September 25, 2020, we had the opportunity to attend both the POPEY and Indigenous Day of Learning talks. These incredibly informative conference-style talks were part of our professional development. I would like to share some of the themes and concepts from these two conferences.
My morning began with the POPEY conference. The theme was literacy in primary grade levels. One of the most striking concepts under discussion was the idea of diversity. We, as both learners and human beings, learn and think in unique ways. For instance, some of us are more visual learners, while others rely on oral stories, or perhaps hands-on approaches. We tend to teach what we know best, and visual learners will often teach using more visuals. Unfortunately, this approach means that students with other strengths may be overlooked. A good way to promote inclusivity in the classroom is to teach in diverse ways, using a variety of visuals, oral, and hands-on approaches.
We then discussed ways in which we can incorporate literacy into the classroom. We talked about the concept of teaching word families (such as the -at word family). Teaching word families makes it easier for students to start to recognize word sounds and sight words.
We also discussed how to include every student, and how students can be encouraged to open up and discuss their feelings. One interesting concept that was introduced is known as the Hand of Knowledge. This is a tool that can be used in the classroom to promote sharing, discussion, and relationship-building. It is important for students to feel connected with their peers, as well as their teachers.
Overall, the POPEY conference was incredibly eye-opening to me as both a learner and educator. The group sessions and concepts introduced during the conference were especially enlightening. The material presented was geared towards primary grades, something that is of great interest to me as an educator.
After the POPEY morning was complete, it was time for the Indigenous Day of Learning. Unfortunately, I had missed the majority of the presentations by the time I was finished at POPEY. I was able to catch part of the Systemic Racism presentation, which was informative and eye-opening for me. Although I realize that racism is still an issue in today’s society, I was shocked to learn to what extent it is still happening. The speaker described how he has felt marginalized throughout his lifetime, to the point where he shared the common racist terms he has heard over the years. It is something I can never fully understand, as a person of the Caucasian majority. I do, however, deeply empathize with the struggles of marginalized groups. I cannot even begin to imagine what life is like for the speaker, and I want to be a part of the solution to this systemic problem. We, as educators, must work to promote equality, inclusivity, and diverse learning approaches.