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I love that this metaphor brings in the idea of diversity and the value we all bring to our society. There are so many little differences about each coin, providing so many layers of difference from one coin to the next. For instance, the sizes and materials of the various coins. I love the fact that each coin also has the representation of the queen which is something that ties them all together. I appreciate metaphors that open up the conversation that despite all of the differences between the various coin types, there is always something that they share in common. I also love your point that we need to respect each person for thier value.

Dez

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I completely agree. I have always lived in Calgary, and i spent most of my summers as a kid in staying the mountains. I have always found the presence of mountains calming and peaceful, like they were protecting me. My experiences at boarding school in Saskatchewan made me miss the mountains, and honestly even just a regular foothill. I always though Sask was too flat, but its true that many of my friends from Sask found spending time in the mountains as claustrophobic. One of the most important aspects of this metaphor is that nature has a significant impact on our idenities in Canada.

Dez

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I agree that the Calgary tower is important to our identity as a city. Along with the saddledome, the tower is the most recognized building in downtown. The tower is one of the buildings that makes Calgary's skyline recognizable. While i did not know that the colors changed depending on the event, i have noticed that the lighting of the tower, whether the flame or the colored lights, correspond to things that we as a community are likely to care about. For instance Flames victories, or the events you mentioned.

Dez

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I must start by saying that your pictures are beautiful. I like the possibilities of this metaphor, and you make many good points. Each of our roles in society is important to the larger structure. I also like the fact that the nuts and bolts the bees are carrying imply that citizenship requires cooperation. A bolt only does its job effectively when a used with a nut to anchor it in place. I also love the juxtaposition between the environmentally friendly paint with the mechanical imagery. Mechanization has often come at the expense of the environment.

Dez

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This is my favorite metaphor! I think it is great and I wish I had of come up with it!! (haha) I love that you used Canadian coins to represent the diversity of Canada. I love when you said “we are responsible for teaching our students that everyone has value” because I believe that is part of the process of understanding who they are and how they can maximize their potential. I think it is important, like you mention, to respect the different ways people choose to engage in society. It’s crucial to respect and appreciate multiple perspectives that are all equally valid. A large aspect of my metaphors involved diversity and I agree with your comment that “everyone has come to their Canadian identity in different ways.” We are a mosaic and it is important to have a respect for differences. - Sarah

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I love the metaphor of the road connecting your old roots to your new ones. So beautiful! You are right that this one relates to my mountain photo!! Reading what you wrote just reinforced for me how part of having a Canadian identity is feeling a connection to the land we live on. While we all have our own unique relationship with it, it is something that unites us as Canadians. I agree that individual identity is different from person to person and I also believe that things like our deep love for nature speak to a trait of our collective identity as Canadians because it is something many of us have in common. - Sarah

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First of all, I actually had no idea that the lights installed were colour coded by event - Very cool. I like your idea of the Calgary tower representing identity. I have lots of family from rural Ontario (who have never travelled elsewhere) and when my family visits they call us “city folk” and make jokes about how different our lives are from theirs. Your metaphor reminded me of that because it speaks to how those who aren’t from Calgary perceive us. I don’t see myself as a huge city girl (although Calgary just keeps growing immensely) that is disconnected from the land, but in comparison to their lives I am. Your metaphor just made me think about how other people’s reactions to us contribute to who we are; as individuals and as a group. I have lived in Calgary my entire life and I am not sure I can separate Calgary from how I view my identity but like you mentioned, it is important to recognize how that continues to change as the world continues to change. - Sarah

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Michelle, I love this picture! It’s so beautiful! Also, I agree with your sentiment that each one of us contributing to society adds up to something impressive. That was a great way of acknowledging the role each of us plays in society; regardless of how small we perceive that role to be. I also agree that younger generations appear to be disengaged. I just finished reading the ‘Inspiring action in education’ document which I find has many connections to social studies. It involves a shift in education in Alberta towards encouraging engaged and ethical citizens as well as entrepreneurial spirits. I think that relates a lot to your metaphor because it will require each student to have a high level of involvement and to be aware that their contributions matter. - Sarah

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A picture showing that even though these coins all have different values and purposes, they all add up to something great.

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My annual road trip from Calgary to Abbotsford, BC in the summer

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A view of the city at dusk from my apartment

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Some environmentally friendly graffiti art courtesy of Beakerhead.