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My community placement is called PAWS Pathway. I work with student athletes attending York University, as their mentor. Through this program, I work with students who have a lower GPA, and are at risk of academic probation, or failing out of their program. The first observation I have made in my practicum is that my mentees stories/academics are related to interactions with their family, previous educators, and others. Thus, their background, including socio-economic status, play a role in their performance in university. This relates to the reading point, that there is a direct relationship between people and the neighbourhoods they live in (James). While this is the case, I have seen throughout my placement how hard my mentees work to rise above and succeed. Another point brought up in the reading is that schools operate by middle class eurocenter views of society (James). In doing so, this view projects that students in lower income areas should be preparing to get out. This makes me think about the two students I work with at my placement. One of my students expressed to me their story of growing up in a lower income area, where they were perceived as less then, and were told to go to school to get out. As well, having placements in other schools, I see how this eurocentric view affects how children in these areas view schooling and teachers. The last observation I have made within my placement is how my mentees use their cultural capital and funds of knowledge to their advantage. My community placement helps create a place where students are able to access resources that may be able to help them understand and combat social conditions that affect them daily.

Reference

James, C. E. (n.d.). Life at the Intersection. Retrieved from https://eclass.yorku.ca/mod/forum/view.php?id=1725792

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Living in a community that is overly represented by a negative story meant learning to push back against the alluring simplicity of the dominant narrative or perception. (118-119)

My first placement in this program was at an inner city school which in my opinion, had a negative connotation towards it which was evident as soon as I stepped through the doors. It was hard to see past this narrative or even get another one that was different or more positive than the one I was initially given. Many of the students were not white, and many of the teachers were white. In my opinion, I think that it is important no matter what to learn about your school community but in a case where your identity differs from one of your students, I think it is even more crucial. This article highlights the importance of learning about your students and the school community and how that affects students’ experience at school.

The idea of schooling in low-income, disadvantaged neighbourhoods should not be merely about preparing students to “get out” of the neighbourhood (124)

In this same school, I felt a lot of times that students were being swayed to leave their community for something “bigger”. This may not have been the intention of the educators however, even as someone who was not part of the community, I felt that this was an underlying undertone of what the students were being told. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with leaving a community to explore new places of the world but, if your community has such a great negative narrative around it and you’re only being told to leave, how would that make students feel about their experiences in the community and their identities?

If schools in urban and suburban disadvantaged neighbourhoods are to effectively meet the needs of their students, then they must develop educational programs, curricula and pedagogy that reference the community (127)

I think that this is the overall message of this piece and in an ever-changing multicultural society, it is important to take a look at the school communities we are a part of as the narrative around the communities plays a big role in how students will feel at school and outside of school.

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Carl James’ article talks about the relationship between the neighbourhood, class, and schooling. My community placement is located in a low-income neighbourhood and the program I am participating is designed to support students who do not have access to after-school programs. As the neighbourhood contains many low-income families, extra support and services that may not be offered within the school are provided to help students. My community placement program is operated in schools, to make it safe and easy for students to attend. This school is very diverse, and I have observed the majority of the students are low in terms of academic performance. I, as a teacher candidate, am not in the same ethnic group with the most of students who regularly come to the program, but I need to gain different perspectives and have more new skills when working in a different community. For example, paying attention to the environment around the school to make sense of the community and dealing with who the students are. This should be incorporated into developing the knowledge of the students and their community.

Moreover, I would have to develop a sense of what I might have to take into account as I prepare to teach the students. For example, do teachers have to be in the same ethnic group to understand culturally specific topics of conversation? I do not necessarily have to be in the same ethnic group; however, considering how I would approach to different students and families is required. This will be connected to the notion of culturally responsive teaching. Additionally, I have observed in my school practicum that the school welcomes various perspectives through teacher candidates or any other internal or external programming, such as guest speakers, community gardeners, or field trips to allow students to learn but also to grow as a community member. I have seen that the school represent many cultures in the environment and create an environment where promotes culturally responsive and welcoming atmosphere.

The theory also talks about promoting an environment that is culturally appropriate. In my school placement, students and their families are very diverse, and the school support many of the families’ inclusiveness even within the school environment. Students and families can see their cultures and themselves represented in the classroom in a variety of ways (e.g., artworks posted on the hallway, school events, etc.). This is through the food, some of the artwork as well as the school events. Having a good relationship with the community you serve allows to connect with the people you work with and allows you to better understand their educational journey.

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I think it is so important to never judge a book by its cover. I have had experience working with several School Boards and they are all diverse, just like our students, no one is the same. My last placement was in Regent Park in a low-income high-risk neighborhood. On the other hand, I have also worked for schools where there was a great deal of funding, support staff and resources. Each and every child is unique and this should be celebrated. Labeling children or neighborhoods can be extremely damaging. Children are meant to behave like children. We as aspiring teachers have the responsibility to help pave an exciting/successful learning journey for them. Children should come to school and always feel safe and appreciated and never judged. Building a strong school-community relationship is very beneficial. Communities can provide schools with a context and environment that can complement and reinforce the values, culture, and learning the schools provide for their students. Building the foundation for a healthy school and community relationship can empower students to become more involved in school life and improve student success and overall well-being while also contributing to one’s academic achievement. Life at the Intersection states; “Sociologists tell us that there is a direct relationship between the class background of individuals and the neighbourhoods in which we live – middle-class people tend to live in neighbourhoods with big houses, manicured lawns and tree-lined streets, and working-class people tend to live in neighbourhoods with low-high-rise apartment buildings, townhouses and small houses.” (pg. 122-123). Cultural heritage is deeply personal, but it is also a connection we all share; through connecting with culture children can connect more with those around them. Many students find they share similar cultures with their peers, or they may find a peer who is from a place they want to know more about. Students who learn about different cultures during their education feel more comfortable and safe with these differences later in life. This allows them to interact in a wider range of social groups and feel more confident in themselves, as well as in their interactions with others.

Another important aspect is inviting and involving students in the learning process. Research has demonstrated that engaging students in the learning process increases their attention and focus and motivates them to engage in higher-level critical thinking. “Allowing students to participate in constructing the learning process encouraged them to perceive education as their project, something they create.” (pg.125). With the studies done by experts as to what would be the best approach to learning, they have come up with a single result, that the child should be the center of the teaching-learning process. The child is perceived as a unique individual with hidden skills, talents and potentials that a teacher needs to unlock.

Lastly, education is a fluid process, it doesn’t not need to have concrete strict rules, it should be diverse and open-ended. Students should be encouraged to use their voice and advocate for themselves. “It is certainly important to encourage young people to have hope, hold onto high aspirati0ons and believe that through their agency they can succeed in life” (pg.126). Curriculum can be adapted, modified and/or differentiated to meet the needs of all students while also building a positive classroom/school community where students feel accepted and appreciated for simply just being themselves.

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One thing I've observed about the school is that many of the parents and children know each other outside of school. When we leave the class at the end of the day, I notice the students and their parents conversing with one another in the school courtyard. This reminds me of a point raised in the article on belonging. Kulsoom specifically mentions feeling like she belonged to while living in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood since she was surrounded by classmates who had immigrant parents and the same socioeconomic backgrounds. The similarity is one of the most essential factors that either allows or discourages students from participating in their community. Another thing I've observed is the existence of several before and after-school programs. These initiatives have established a space for students at the school to engage with one another and be a part of the community in their own unique ways. These services that come to the school also serve the community, particularly the parents, by allowing them to work longer hours, which may be necessary for certain family situations. The article mentioned the necessity of planning and executing educational programs, curricula, and pedagogy that reference the community. This is something that will help to understand the students' lives and allow us to continue to be aware of the diverse students in our care.  My final observation is the commitment to inclusivity within the school itself. When you first go in, you will see that the walls are all decorated with different faces, ethnicities, and words (in different languages). Many of the staff members are likewise highly diversified, as are the food options for snacks and hot lunch. This type of representation not only encourages kids to be in the space but also allows the community to be connected with the school, as mentioned in the article. They discuss how the representation of your community gets ingrained in who you are and what you do, and how it is impossible to escape. Overall, my experiences have shown me that belonging in space is not always based on your social or economic status. In fact, it is not often driven by where you live or your working-class neighbourhood but by the connections you carry throughout your experience and the impact you leave on those around you

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I feel as though my experience at community placement is unique compared to my classmates. My community placement is in the same neighbourhood as my school practicum therefore I see the community in two different ways. Some of the kids that participate in my community placement attend the school of my school practicum. The neighbourhood of my community practicum is predominately low income. The article discusses how families of lower-income status do not have the same opportunities as middle to high income status families. I am in a computer literacy program for my community practicum and many of the families do not have access to technology at home. At the end of the 12 week program all students who regularly attend the program receive a chrome book as a graduation present. A second observation I have made that reinforce the points made in this article is the knowledge of the neighbourhood the educators have. The article discusses the importance of educators having a thorough understanding of the community and their students and how it can affect the relationships they make with the students. The educators at my community practicum have focused on learning about the community, the history of the community and the families whom attend the programs. It has been apparent that the educators work hard to build trusting relationships with each student and their families. To conclude, I there is one point from the article that I disagree with. The article states, “there is a direct relationship between the neighbourhood in which a person lives and his or her social class status” (pg. 123). I disagree with this point and it became evident during my placement. I am placed in Regent Park which in recent years had gone through gentrification and as a result, there is a mix of very high-income families and low-income families. The social class of the families in the neighbourhood varies immensely and the neighbourhood they live in does not have an impact on this.

Rubric

I give myself four points for this journal. I throughly read through the article and made various connections to my placement experience. I made two connections that reinforce the article as well as one connection that challenges the authors view of social class and neighbourhood. As I read through the article I thought about both my community practicum and school practicum which allowed me to form deeper connections with the text.

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Life at the Intersection- Natalie Buhagiar

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Life at the Intersection- Natalie Buhagiar

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After reading Carl E. James's Life at the Intersection, there are several insights from my community practice that correspond with the text. Carl James studied the relationship between the community in which people resigned and their socioeconomic standing. My community placement at the Working Women's Community Centre in Toronto, a settlement organisation that mostly assists women immigrants. Working women recognise that beginning a new life in Canada is difficult. This initiative provides disadvantaged individuals with access to better chances. While the programme is virtual and serves families in the GTA as a whole, it focuses specifically on immigrant families that face the same hardships and day-to-day obstacles as a result of being new to Canada. Throughout the text, James also emphasises the need of intercultural education. The tutors aim to include students' identities and histories into their daily lesson programmes. The majority of tutors I've met and work with ask students to contribute something about their culture and ethnicity at the beginning of each session. Having this knowledge enables the instructor to take it into account while developing lesson plans and activities for the pupils. The essay concludes by discussing students and cultural representation, as well as how a culture's unfavourable stereotypes or opinions about students might impair the learning environment. This not only made me consider my community service placement, but also all of my prior and prospective assignments. As humans, it is easy to make assumptions about pupils without knowing them, which may be immensely detrimental not just to the students but also to how you handle and instruct them. Before entering the classroom or workplace, it may be incredibly valuable to examine your prejudices and preconceptions to ensure you are establishing a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere.

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After reading Carl James’ article, there are a few observations that I have made in my community practicum that reinforce and disrupt the ideas within the article. Firstly, Carl James explains that there is a direct correlation between the neighbourhood in which a person lives and their social class status (2012). That is, as some neighbourhoods are predominately populated by particular ethnic, racial groups is as significant as their economic status. This can be seen in my community practicum as I have been placed with Girl Guides in a more affluent neighbourhood. The children that I work with are primarily caucasian who attend the same schools and extra curricular activities. This reflects the community in which they live in as there is a lack of diversity and their families can afford to live within the community.

Secondly, James (2012) also mentions that, “strong school-community relationships exist in White middle-and upper-class communities where principles, values and norms of schools are reflective of those of the community” (p. 124). This is evident within my practicum as the children participating within the Girl Guides program all attend the same school or have met through other programs. Being that most of the children within the program are white, James’ idea that strong school-community relationships exist within White middle to upper class communities can be connected. This is also evident in the way that I have observed the children interact and communicate to one another. I have noticed that many of the children share the same perspectives and ways of thinking. From what I have observed, these perspectives are relatively the same amongst the children. This can also be related to James’ idea of “principles, values and norms of schools are reflective of those of the community.”

Lastly, James (2012) highlights that higher income neighbourhoods are more likely to receive funding that would enable them to obtain educational resources in addition to those provided by school. This is not evident in my school practicum but also my community. With Girl Guides, they are infamously known for their cookie fundraiser. With this group of children I am working with the community in which they lives, these children may have a more successful outcome of selling and receiving funding. That is, in a more affluent community neighbours may be more likely to afford to buy and donate money. This may be because James’ (2012) correlation between neighbourhoods and social class.

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After reading the Carl James article one of the observations I made is the importance of . to fostering a multicultural education while also integrating a culturally responsive approach to my practices from my mentor teacher and working with the kindergarten students in my class. A lot of the students in our classroom come from diverse backgrounds and this is their first experience away from home and their cultural values, these children are learning essentially a different world. Reading Kulsoom talk about his experience about how he felt like he belonged in his neighbourhood and school environment because he felt represented reminded me of how important it is to foster a sense of belonging within the classroom.

The second thing I observed in this article was when Kulsoom says “ I am the first piece of curriculum in my classroom (James, p.118)  this made me reflect on the importance of  ensuring cultural awareness within the classroom through my lesson planning and educating myself to create better learning experiences for my students. This also made me think about how important it is to make the effort to understand students’ backgrounds, hobbies/passions, and their learning styles.

The third thing I observed in this article is how Kulsoom’s and Sam’s reflections made me think about how reducing students’ experiences to a single narrative would mean failing to give attention to the complexities of living in diverse and marginalized communities. Which made me reflect on why it is important to learn the children’s beliefs and cultural nuances as it can strengthen the communication between the families which in turn helps support the student. This article also gave me the chance to reflect on my own experiences with living in a marginalized community growing up think and how there was was a lack of cultural incorporation within the curriculum and overall classroom settings, I remember being pushed to assimilate into Eurocentric values and traditions by my educators because there was a lack of diversity and an education surrounding it.

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One of the observations I made after reflecting on the Carl James article was how privileged the students at my community placement are. After reading Carl James article it is evident that the class position or the economic means of the people in a certain neighbourhood helps define institutions such as schools that operate within it. I find this is true because the students in this nature school live in high income areas and this nature school was built to provide them an alternative form of education designed to explore experiential learning through hands on opportunities which promote curiosity to nurture each child’s needs. These students come once a week on Friday and most of them miss their regular schooling to attend the nature school. This school is funded by the parents pay a tuition to enrol their children in the program. This shows that the neighbourhood and the position of the parents allowed them to create better learning opportunities for their child.

Another observation I made while reading the article is when Carl James stated, “there is no doubt that strong school community relationships exist in white middle- and upper-class communities where the principal and parents’ values and norms of the schools are reflective of those in the community”. This made me reflect on how important it is for the community, parents, and school officials to communicate in order to create strong community relationships.

The third observation I made while reading the article is when James Carl states “Most importantly as the cultural substance of their identities feeds and sustains an academic persona”. A lot of these students grew up in a free play environment in nature settings, their parents hold different values and expectations for their children such as exploratory, inquiry based, fun learning. These parents want their children to learn important hands on life skills through the natural environment such as shelter building, whittling wood, cooking on open fires, knots, making woodland crafts and sharing stories. The school officials ensure that the children are safely learning and practicing these values.

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1)To begin with, the article discusses that collaboration and partnership are needed between youth, parents, community members and educators with a clear mission to do whatever is necessary to improve the quality of education for all students in the system. It emphasizes that a strong school-community relationship has the potential to advance equity and create innovative solutions. My community practicum: pathways to education is an organization that works with students, teachers, boards, and community members to support students in Scarborough village to graduate from high school. The organization has collaborated with schools nearby to offer extra support to their students in hopes of improving the quality of education. Scarborough Village pathways to education was only possible due to the school-community relationships. Therefore, just as is stated in the article, my community practicum reinforces the importance and benefit of strong school-community relationships.

2)The article mentions that a community-referenced approach to education is required for students in marginalized communities if they are to engage with and benefit from their schooling. My community practicum also reinforces this concept. In a community-referenced approach, educators must have knowledge of the community and culture if they are to effectively facilitate a teaching and learning process in which students are able to see the relevance of their learning to their lives. This has been evident at my placement because all the educators come from the same and/or nearby communities. Therefore, they have a great extent of knowledge of the community and the social situation of Scarborough village. As a result, resources have been created such as housing and shelter, counselling, family therapy, community outreach etc. These programs are specifically aimed at the Scarborough village community. Likewise, the article states that when students witness the validation of the culture within the educational process, they concatenate their identities as family members and students. Pathways to Education also hosts many events for youth in the area such as Halloween and Diwali parties.

3) The article states that teachers whose teaching is informed by an equity and social justice framework have classrooms where there is a free exchange of ideas, tools, and the democratization of knowledge. My community practicum reinforces this idea because pathways to education also provide tutoring services online. I have attended these sessions and noticed that it is a safe welcoming environment where students who do not need homework help are able to join the main room and discuss any topics they want. They have the spaces and time provided for a free exchange of ideas tools and democratization of knowledge. In fact, I have learned about various topics just by dropping in and listening. As long as the language and topic are appropriate, the host encourages students to debate, share their ideas, and talk about current events happening around the world. Topics have ranged from debates on basketball players to the use of homophobic comments in class.

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*Community placement is online with participants coming from different cities. Will reflect based on school*

(Reinforce) One example where I believe it reinforces the concept of one narrative taking precedence over the neighbourhood. School practicum is in Regent Park. When other (educators) ask where my practicum is – they immediately follow up with “if you can survive Regent Park, you can survive anywhere”. The narrative being that kids are tougher in that region. Some of the students are more challenging than others, but it is also taking into consideration a loud minority. So far in my experience, the children are not actually following the narrative.

(Reinforce) The MT I work with, along with other teachers I have observed, do take into consideration the community the students reside in and incorporate it into their pedagogy and curriculum. It creates a sense of community and connection in the classroom where learning is more relevant. Using examples or people that also come from Regent Park (Mustafa Ahmed – Poetry) to promote a better discourse surrounding their community.

(Disrupt) In neighbourhoods that are more affluent compared to lower-class communities, there is a high discrepancy between them. The amount of community building, incorporation, sense of identity and inclusion is more prevalent in lower-class communities. Previous placement barely used the community children are from and incorporated it into the classroom. The way the educators approached the curriculum does not incorporate the classroom's cultural backgrounds. There were no connections to the community or bringing the classroom to understand it. Learning seemed to be quite enclosed in a bubble and that academia and sophistication took precedence.

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Nebil Shak - Life at the Intersection Homework Dec 9th

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Nebil Shak - Life at the Intersection Homework Dec 9th

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Carl James’ article explores various viewpoints as to how “life at the intersection” could affect each individual and “engages young people, parents, and educators to explore the experiences, issues, perceptions and ambitions of the youth of this community” (James, 2012, p. 115). The article highlights the importance of structuring learning and education to meet each student’s academic and socio-emotional needs through an adapted and modified curricula approach and through individual education plans, accommodations, and specialized programs. In my community practicum, this is one of the fundamental reasons why the school exists in the first place. It is an alternative school that focuses on strengthening students’ reading, writing and math skills through personally differentiated approaches and specialized programs. The programs make use of individualized use of assistive technologies that are ideally suited to students with mild learning disabilities or learning style differences. Students are provided with enough opportunities to work at a pace that best fits their needs with the support of multiple staff in the classroom.

The article also highlights the importance of encouraging students to participate in constructing their own knowledge and experiences while also embedding their cultural practices and funds of knowledge throughout the whole process. Within my community practicum, nothing is structured in the classroom without consulting the students first. When it comes to designing the learning, on a weekly basis, educators ask students what kinds of projects, clubs, and learning experiences they would like to be a part of. They allow students to brainstorm and come up with ideas based on their own innate and personal interests and cultural experiences. Democratically, students will get to vote on the ideas that they want to be a part of and construct their own learning.

The article further talks about promoting an environment that is culturally appropriate and relates to the communities and individuals that the school serves. I absolutely agree with this point wholeheartedly as I am a big proponent of creating a culturally responsive space and working towards celebrating the lives of communities on the school grounds. This is actually one of the reasons why in my practicum experience, I approached the vice-principal of the school to communicate about the ways in which anti-Black racism, LGBTQ Rights, and Indigenous Rights are discussed and policies in place to address some of these issues. The vice-principal was thrilled that I was taking an initiative to be interested in working towards creating an equitable and welcoming learning space that celebrates the lives of communities and individuals. My interest in this area has granted me an opportunity to become the leader of the social justice project with student ambassadors from the school. I became the leader with the goal of promoting student voice and allowing students to engage in artistic projects that showcase anti-Black racism, LGBTQ Rights, and Indigenous Rights. These artistic works will be displayed all over the school and pictures sent home to parents in a PowerPoint format and newsletter.

Explain why I gave my journal this mark?

I gave myself a level 4 because the ideas presented in the article are themes and research I am very familiar with. In fact, that is precisely why I am I want to become a teacher. My approach to learning and teaching has to be culturally responsive and recognize that the lives of students and their communities inform my practice. Why can’t education be a space for students to communicate about their families’ and communities’ experiences and take social action to address that? As an educator, I need to provide that space! A space where they challenge issues that directly affect them and issues such as anti-Black racism, sexism, ableism, Indigenous Rights, LGBTQ+ rights, etc. A space where they are encouraged to hope and take an active role in how the learning occurs, develop relationships, and gain perspectives to transform their conditions.

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After reading Carl James article the observations that I have made is the importance of a school community where each child’s needs, experience, interests, and expectations are met in the community they live in. Community programs, resources, and support can help families in urban disadvantage neighbourhood to grow by meeting the needs of their children. Each family has their own story, cultural beliefs, language, and experiences which can be understood and respected through community based approached. The schools should have knowledge about their people in the community to better provide the support they need for example, meeting the social emotional needs of students through curriculum and materials they offer to the students. Teachers need to develop knowledge about their students and families in the community which can help them build a positive relationship with them. As it is essential for effective teaching and practice. Educators should consider their students experiences, cultural, familial and community life while creating lesson plans and programs to provide inclusive and supportive learning environment. Therefore, learning, and listening to your students can help you to eliminate those false assumptions and biases which creates barriers to represent your students voice and meet their needs and expectations. As it is a critical aspect to work on for you to be an effective and great leader on your community a teacher.

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EDPR 1000_ Learning Journal #1 - December 9 

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A connection I found between my community placement and James’ article is negative narratives about neighbourhoods and the people that live in them. In the article, Jane and Finch is described as one of Canada’s most dangerous neighbourhoods as there have been various shootings and “at risk” youth. I am completing my community placement with the boys and girls club at Sheppard Public School, which is in Jane and Finch. On my very first day at placement, I was asked by one of the mentor teachers to supervise a group of girls in the washroom because they could not be “trusted” to go on their own. I did not question the teacher, but when I arrived at the washrooms with the students, I noticed that there were no mirrors. I asked one of the students why there were no mirrors in the washroom and she responded, “They don’t give us mirrors anymore because we kick and break them.” I said, “Well, why are you breaking the mirrors?” Another student responded, “They said they can’t trust us.” The conversation I had with these two students made me think about how words affect them and their behaviour. The students did something bad because they were told they were bad children. The mentor teachers should acknowledge the students' behaviour when they do something positive and remind them that they are good and capable children.

Another connection to the article is defending the community I was placed in (Jane and Finch). Whenever I mention to people that I am completing my community placement at Sheppard Public School, one of the first things they all say to me is, “What a terrible area to be in! Aren’t you scared to be around there?” My answer is “no” to these questions. No part of me is scared about working with my students or being in that area. I firmly believe that my group of students are great. They work incredibly hard, are intelligent, and have many unique talents. I want to help them shine their light. I only speak highly of them. The parents are also lovely. They are very involved in their children’s school life and continuously thank the staff for helping the students with things like homework or learning a new sport.

One last connection between the article and my community placement is fostering an inclusive framework responsible for a co-learning model between the teacher and student. An example of this from my placement is learning how Christmas is celebrated worldwide, an activity implemented with my students in the BGC at Sheppard Public School. Rather than completing something as typical as a Christmas craft, I wanted to give the students a voice to share how each of their families celebrates Christmas. I wanted the whole group to learn from one another and respect each other's differences and cultural celebrations.

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She didn’t want us to grow up battling racism, feeling different, struggling for acceptance; in this area, so humbled by the media’s characterizations and its own very real challenges, she saw the possibility of a different Canada, where the children of those immigrants were not a minority.

I found this way of thinking to have been true in my community practicum school. It is in deep Scarborough so an overwhelming majority of the students who attend are from racialized backgrounds. I can see that the students of the same backgrounds bond together and have a very special connection to the staff that are like them. By being in a space like this, the likelihood of the students being discriminated against due to race or being different are lessened.

2. I remember having to do the bulk of the work of defending my community at the middle and high schools I attended.

The community practicum school that I go to does have a notorious reputation. From my experience, I have witnessed instances that make me nod my head as these instances further perpetuate the narrative of it being a bad school. But despite this, I can see how tight knit the community is. The staff have deep connections with the children that go beyond academics. I can see that working at that school doesn’t affect them negatively. I can guarantee that they too defend the school’s honour.

3. My story is a story among many stories that tend to be lost in the dominant narrative of the area as deficient and corrupt.

The problem with this single narrative of Jane and Finch is that it is one narrative of one community. Like the point above, there is danger with single narratives. Prior to my first day at this school, I recall being told by a friend that someone she knew had told her about how bad the school was. It was enough to give me anxiety and I was very anxious on my first day. Only after did I realise that I had fallen into the trap of a single narrative. Anyone can have a bad experience with something but that doesn’t mean it will be bad for everyone.

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Carl James’ article explores various viewpoints as to how “life at the intersection” could affect each individual in a differently. The reading focuses on the “troubled” intersection of Jane and Finch in Toronto with key themes of social dysfunction, shootings, and “at risk” youth. The article invites educators, students, and families to immerse themselves within this economically disadvantaged neighbourhood to further explore the issues and inequalities through the perceptions ingrained within the community. Throughout my own community practicum experience at Working Women’s Community Centre, I’ve had the opportunity to work as a supervisor alongside a support team of tutors in finding rich resources to develop lesson plans fit for multilingual learners of Portuguese and Spanish backgrounds ranging from grades 1-12. The article embodies the ideology of seeing education through an adapted and modified curricula approach through individual education plans, accommodations, and specialized programs to meet each students’ academic and socio-emotional needs. My first observation that I’ve made within my community practicum experience reinforces this specific concept from the reading. Each tutor is assigned 1-2 students who are similar in age and share common learning goals. From there, the tutor is able to develop effective methods of instruction for the students to explore each session. One tutor specifically was able to split her tutoring sessions with her two students in half, so that they were able to provide their undivided attention to creating specialized accommodations to lessons, and engagement strategies to fit the programming to their goals. The article analyzes the community-reference approach as a way to understand the students’ lived experiences shaped by their community beyond the classroom doors. My second observation that I’ve made within my community practicum experience reinforces this specific concept from the reading. My community practicum has done an excellent job thus far in ensuring that they are actively providing their learners with subject matter that mirrors their self-identity, and cultural roots. One tutor specifically included literature that featured vocabulary words from the mother tongue of their students. Grounding our students within culturally relevant curriculum planning is a necessary component in helping ourselves as teachers learn from our students in building a relationship with their community. Lastly, the article reinforces the idea that curriculum planning must foster an inclusive framework that is responsive to a co-learning model among the teacher and student. My third observation that I’ve made within my community practicum experience reinforces this specific concept from the reading. I’ve been able to create connections not only with the learners, but with the teachers during my community practicum placement. I’ve been able to collaborate among the students in understanding how I could develop a deeper understanding on their learning needs to facilitate a well-rounded environment.

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1) Schooling in a low-income neighbourhood should be a community based approach to education where lessons and resources are used to help students make sense of their community. In order to do that, educators need to educate themselves. We have been able to see these minimal changes within my community placements. However, more needs to be done.

2) Do teachers have to be in the same ethnic group to understand culturally specific topics of conversation? It is necessary to gain different perspectives and acquire new skills when working in various communities. I can see this at my community placement in how different family dynamics can affect a child's learning experience as a whole. How I, a future educator educator, approach each student is unique!

3) My community placement welcomes various perspectives through student teachers and external programming (e.g. reading clubs, guest speakers) to give students the chance to not only grow within their studies, but to grow as a community.

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Read Carl James' Article. Tell us in a one-page summary about 3 observations you have made in the community practicum experience that reinforce or disrupt the concepts and /or ideas from the readings?  Bring your journal #1  and your rubric   for journal #1 to class to share on December 9th

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Read Carl James' Article. Tell us in a one-page summary about 3 observations you have made in the community practicum experience that reinforce or disrupt the concepts and /or ideas from the readings?  Bring your journal #1  and your rubric   for journal #1 to class to share on December 9th