Scarborough by Jordyn Atkinson

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-29 19:18:05 UTC

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jatkins3_ — 2024-01-29 19:26:41 UTC

Ms Hina builds relationships with the people of the Ontario Reads Literacy Centre.

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-30 21:10:10 UTC

Ms Hina understands and delivers the official curriculum of the reading center, but also prioritizes the hidden curriculum of fostering social growth for the children, forming community among the parents, providing access to and education about other support services, and supporting basic needs like food. She is able to recognize the need for these elements because she immerses herself in the lives of her students. In contrast, Jane constantly reinforces the center's intended purpose (promotion of reading and “good parenting”), but is never actually in the space herself.

Bing & Edna

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-30 21:10:42 UTC

Ms Hina ensures that the classroom environment is safe and supportive for Bing, who is singled out in his regular classroom for being “gifted” and nto conforming to traditional masculine gender roles. She shows personal investment in his education by giving him space to explore his interests, and supports his emotional wellbeing by being a safe person to talk to and encouraging him to participate in the talent show. Sylvie and Bing become friends through the centre, and we see Sylvie also advocating for Bing when Ms Hina isn’t present.

Ms Hina also becomes friends with Edna and provides support while she situates into a new community. We see the close bond formed when Edna and Ms Hina come together to support Marie and Johnny.

Sylvie, Johnny, and Marie

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-30 21:11:00 UTC

Sylvie is generally seen as self-sufficient, she has been raised to stand up for herself and others, but we also see how she sometimes feels overshadowed by her younger brother’s problems taking Marie’s attention away. Ms Hina supports the entire Beaudoin family by supporting Marie and giving space for Sylvie to feel heard. Sylvie forms a connection with Bing and Larua at the centre, which Ms Hina recognizes, coming to them after Laura dies and providing individualized support and attention through giving them the foam letters.

Ms. Hina also supports Marie by supporting her parenting decisions under scrutiny from other mothers at the centre, and encouraging her to seek accessibility resources for Johnny. When Marie expresses concern at benign able to find a doctor and travel to appointments, Ms Hina again extends beyond her job description “as written” and offers to connect Marie to her doctor friend and to drive Marie to the appointment.

Ms. Hina never disciplines Johnny for messing with the classroom lights, and tries to connect with him on his own terms. When Johnny is introduced to physical language supports, we see Ms Hina, Edna, and Marie all working with him on his words, and we see their joy when he makes his first connection to the word cracker.

Laura and Cory

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-30 21:11:09 UTC

Cory refuses to interact at the centre and sits or sleeps while the other parents engage with Ms Hina and the kids. Ms Hina still reaches out to Cory even though she is visually uncomfortable with his demenour and behvaiour towards her.

She brings up the school’s lice policy but makes sure to provide an immediately actionable alternative treatment instead of simply informing Cory of the policy and leaving it up to him to seek treatment, showing that she genuinely wants Laura to return to the centre. This reflects her willingness to go the extra mile for all of her students, and do whatever is reasonably within her power to help them, instead of just following the letter of the job description (what Jane would prefer).

Jane

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-30 21:11:17 UTC

Jane warns Ms Hina about not running a “soup kitchen” but Hina sees that there is a need for more food in the community and that the people who attend the centre often can’t access the soup kitchens/food banks. She advocates for the community of her students, but has to do so while balancing Jane’s concerns about “doing her job.” If Ms Hina loses her job she would be unable to help in the same capacity. We see her navigate these bureaucratic limits throughout the movie, finally standing up explicitly when Jane doesn’t allow her bereavement time for Laura’s funeral. It was interesting to see the conflict between Hina’s personal ethics and the misaligned expectations of her role as an educator.

What actions can we take in our classrooms to ensure we value every learner?

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-30 21:12:06 UTC

What does Scarborough's narrative mean for us as educators?

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"How the Project Approach Challenges Young Children"

mackenzielrowe — 2024-01-31 16:54:58 UTC

When Ms. Hina noticed Laura was interested in the foam letters, Ms. Hina used this to help Laura learn the letter H. She got Laura to say the name of the letter, and the sound of the letter. She tells Laura that she can bring it home if she comes back with words that start with the letter H. The course text "How the Project Approach Challenges Young Children" it discusses how in the project approach the teacher takes a step back from their usual role as a classroom leader and lets students take the lead. This is evident in the example as Ms. Hina didn't suggest to Laura that she should use the foam letters she followed her interest in them.

Knowledge

rachelscott16 — 2024-01-31 17:33:31 UTC

· The opening scene with the various families reminds us that we might not know the events around our learners' lives.

· Remembering the community we are in. In Ms. Hina’s case she is part of community that “refuses to come undone even though they are facing a system designed to fail them”

CBC. (2022, March 4). “a community that refuses to be undone”: Catherine Hernandez and Malia Baker discuss “Scarborough.” YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Vw0cvhzdQ

· We as educators need to remember that most people want to do right by their child.

· Ms. Hina has food that is offered to families, not in individual ways that call out them, but in a whole group. It is extra, we can’t use it, if needed take it is a mentality we can have. As we can’t always know who needs that food.

Advocation

rachelscott16 — 2024-01-31 17:43:22 UTC

The doctor when Marie wanted help with Johnny is that it would be too much for them. Educators spend a majority of time with the children so we are responsible to be advocators. This is seen throughout with Ms. Hina.
When Bing is bullied on the bus, and then ends up going home, there is no sight of a teacher or educator stepping up to advocate for Bing. This made each one of us upset.
Being told that Ms. Hina’s role was to teach literacy and parenting practices, not a soup kitchen. Learners cannot be effective if basic needs are not met. Having designated snack/lunch times might not be enough and we as educators can implement ways to combat hunger .
Ms. Hina stands up her Learning center against Jane. She gives valid reasons and examples of why the center is a success and what it means for the community. Educators can do this with programs they use in their classroom.

Education

rachelscott16 — 2024-01-31 17:45:26 UTC

The character of Bing represents a boy that doesn’t fit mainstream sterotypes of a young boy but yet he deserves the same education and respect, it just might look different for him.
The language used in the film, like Syliva calling Johnny “retarded” or Cory to Laura, might not be language we as educators might use but this is the language the students have heard, and understand as the way to communicate. We can offer other words that might better encompass their emotions.
Ms. Hina did not hide her sadness but shared with kids. Did not use them as therapists but let them know these emotions are valid and she feels them too. Offers solution though the sharing of letters.

Connection

rachelscott16 — 2024-01-31 17:48:50 UTC

Ms. Hina found specific ways to connect with the learners, so with Laura, she gave information about the letter H, and then let Laura decide if she wanted to accept the invitation to come up with words that started with H and return to Ms. Hina. This is a practice each one of us can see using.
Ms. Hina does not seem to play traditional holiday songs like asked by another mum but instead fun songs that the learners join in on. This makes everyone feel included, and allows for everyone to be connected using one song.
Once Johnny is diagnosed, see not only Marie working with him. Edna and Ms. Hina are there for support, and to help where they can. Community is such an important aspect of being an educator, whether it is the class community, wider school community, or outside community.
Lastly, each time the learners and parents are seen either leaving or entering the center, Ms. Hina says goodbye or greets them. This makes them feel welcome and that they belong. It is also a simple thing to do, costs no money, but has strong impacts.

"Engaging Children's Minds: The Project Approach"

mackenzielrowe — 2024-01-31 17:53:13 UTC

When Ms. Hina told Laura she could take home the letter H if she came back with words that start with the letter H she did. Laura brought the letter H back to Ms. Hina with the words happy, have, and Halloween. After hearing these words Ms. Hina gave her the letter U again she got her to say the name of the letter, make the sound and told her she could take it home if she came back with words that start with U. Laura did so and brought the letter back to Ms. Hina then Ms. Hina gave her the letter G with the same deal. This shows Laura is intrinsically motivated to learn these letters as Ms. Hina is not giving her a reward for learning these letters. This can be connected to the project approach, in "Engaging Children's Minds: The Project Approach" it discusses that the project approach relies on intrinsic motivation which is evident in Laura.

"The Project Approach Book Two Managing Successful Projects"

mackenzielrowe — 2024-01-31 18:02:26 UTC

After Laura passes away, Ms. Hina and the learners in the learning centre are very sad. As a way to cope with this, Ms. Hina invites an Indigenous Elder to come in and lead a ceremony in memory of Laura. This can be connected to the project approach. As discussed in "The Project Approach Book Two Managing Successful Projects" a part of phase two of the project approach is bringing an expert into the classroom. Ms. Hina inviting the Elder is inviting an expert into the classroom.

Support student’s learning by taking their hierarchy of needs into account

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-31 18:09:24 UTC

When food is available for everybody (for example, in the form of a snack box), those that need it are able to access it without being othered. Notice when learners need a brain break.

Advocate

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-31 18:09:40 UTC

Be involved in your student’s lives and interest, so that you can advocate for their wellbeing outside of your classroom. Notice patterns and changes in learners so you are able to comment on them with evidence.

Include community members

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-31 18:10:02 UTC

Emphasize that learning comes in many perspectives and from many sources by bringing community members into your classroom. Model to students that people often have specialized knowledge (for example, in Scarborough Ms Hina invites an Indigenous Elder to help the class process their grief), and that you as an educator don't necessarily have all the answers.

Offer solutions not just statements

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-31 18:10:20 UTC

Ms Hina offered actionable solutions to the needs she saw in her community, even if the action was simply connecting someone to a resource.

Connect to your student’s real lived experiences

jatkins3_ — 2024-01-31 18:10:37 UTC

Celebrate events that are important to the learners in a way that connects with them, and talk about topics like death and illness when the students are experiencing them.