I believe that school is a place where all children should feel safe, seen, and heard, and have the ability to learn. To do this, I prioritize building a strong and positive classroom community that fosters inclusion and diversity. Through the use of universal design for learning, differentiated instruction, and Indigenous pedagogies, the classroom can become a place where all students can grow socially, emotionally, and academically. If students do not feel safe in their environment, learning is a much more difficult process. As a teacher, it is important for me to meet students where they are at, and to provide them with the tools they need for success. All students learn differently and that is why I strive to create entry points for all types of learners within my lessons. Another key aspect of an inclusive classroom is providing the students content from multiple ways of knowing. In Canada, the school system is a colonized version of learning, however, learning has taken place on these lands for thousands of years prior. I believe that it is important to recognize this fact and give students the opportunity to learn from multiple ways of knowing and being. By including multiple perspectives in the content, it also reinforces the notion that one way is not better than another, which circles back to all students feeling valued within the classroom.
