On one of the smoky days, I sat with my


Grade 4 students to process what was happen- ing. I started by acknowledging that, because of the smoke from wildfires, it was dangerous to spend too much time outdoors. Given that this is a new experience for all of us, I invited them to share what was on their minds and in their hearts. It’s an important experience for students


to practise listening to their peers during moments of emotional stress and a powerful learning experience to see their teachers hold space for them. A social worker and a child and youth worker advised me on how to cre- ate this space. I was directed to maintain eye contact, ask open-ended questions, make af- firmations (e.g., I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, I know this is a difficult topic to talk about), and to use reflection to capture the meaning and feeling of what was shared. Young people don’t always get the opportu- nity to share how they are being impacted by what is happening and creating these spaces helps them know they are not alone and their feelings matter, and builds a sense of a class- room community.


STUDENT ADVOCACY


Students thrive when they can participate in the important conversations happen- ing around them. Tey want to connect to real-world issues and have a strong sense of right and wrong. As part of a visiting orga- nization’s presentation on ecosystems, my students were introduced to the Greenbelt, a biodiverse stretch of protected land. What the presentation failed to mention was that, based on Doug Ford’s plan, protections are to be re- moved from a 7,400-acre area of the Green- belt. Te presentation inadvertently turned into a new learning opportunity. As a class, we virtually toured the Green-


belt. Students explored images of beautiful Tobermory and stretches of farmland in the Holland Marsh. Aſter conducting indepen- dent research on the topic, students were assigned to write a persuasive essay. Tey described what and where the Greenbelt is, whether they feel this protected land is important, and outlined the government’s plan for it. I like to begin class debates with a round


of “agree-disagree.” One side of the room is labelled “agree” and the other, “disagree.” I of- fer students statements about the issue, and they get up out of their seats and align them- selves with the side they identify with (“Te Greenbelt is important. Tere are homes for everyone. Te government's plan to develop


the Greenbelt is a good plan”). Between each statement, students chat with peers gathered beside them. Ten, I choose a volunteer from each side to share their viewpoint. Ten we talked about advocacy and the


power of collective action. Environmental education programs oſten focus on individual actions, primarily recycling and consump- tion awareness. Tese are important pieces of environmental education; however, they fo- cus on individualism in activism rather than helping young people understand the power of collective action – that by joining voices and being focused with our demands, we can accomplish more than through individual ac- tion alone. Te class discussed levels of government


and debated which level was the right one to contact on this issue. Together we settled on contacting both Doug Ford and their local member of provincial parliament. I offered students a template to input their own opin- ions and thoughts. Students wrote detailed sentences to support their opinion on wheth- er this development is a good or bad idea. One student wrote, “I am writing to let you


know that developing the Greenbelt is a bad idea. It is a bad idea because the Greenbelt is home to many endangered species that are now protected because no one has used the land there. If you used that land it could ruin the habitat of the endangered animals and it could make them extinct. Tere are over 70 endangered species there.” Te assignment gave students an oppor-


tunity to develop a critical perspective on a current issue, an understanding of effective advocacy, and a first-hand experience of how easy advocacy can be.


TEACHING ART IN NATURE


Creating opportunities for students to con- nect and explore their natural environments is essential. Tere’s an abundance of research on the mental health benefits of nature, par- ticularly when students feel safe and empow- ered to create while outdoors. In class we explored the works of Andy


Goldsworthy, a British sculptor and environ- mentalist who creates art installations out- doors with found items. His aim is to explore transience; watching his art deteriorate is part of the process. Aſter a walk in the school yard where stu-


dents could explore the space and available materials, they created proposals for potential art installations outdoors. Teir art installa- tions aimed to focus on colour, line, and shape. Te class selected two proposals to create.


ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO 23


“STUDENTS THRIVE WHEN THEY CAN PARTIC- IPATE IN THE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING AROUND THEM. THEY WANT TO CONNECT TO REAL- WORLD ISSUES AND HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG.”


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