Download “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~ Mahatma

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~ Mahatma Ghandi
What great responses and fun teaching that is being done “across Canada”! I took from so many of you
all of the neat work you do with students and the interest you have in what you teach and the successes
that occur with your classes and the highlights that I think all of us can relate to.
In the end, no matter what we are teaching, maybe even about how we teach and no matter what grade
level or ability level or background history, it seems to me that we connect to our students in a way that
works for us and we see that through our successes. I began this year with a more positive approach in
all areas of my life...the teaching assignment stayed the same, the clientele for the most part also the
same, my material and topics the same...what changed was how I looked at things and I became more
“aware” – once you are more “aware” you are automatically connected to what you are aware of. I
decided to put out positive- positive- positive in all aspects (I am sure that some of you are thinking ‘she
sure must have been negative!! No...that’s not it...I just became more awake and decided that I might as
well put a positive twist on everything/situation/people that I come in contact with) and once you are
‘aware and awake’ and the connection is made, then success is happening! I can’t tell you how much
the students are interested in literally everything I teach and talk about...it is because I make that
connection and that I show how excited and interested I am in what I am talking about (whether it is art,
textiles or food related topics). Even students who dreaded to do the sewing and the textile arts, they
loved being in my room, A) because they felt connected and were included and B) because they had a
positive environment (don’t get me wrong, Ms. K had her moments  and would explain that I too am
only human)... When we are in a positive, inviting and welcoming environment, we are connected and
we will thrive...and that is what I see my students doing in my classes. By giving out my positive thinking
and actions and being awake and receptive to all students, I get the positive thinking and actions and
attention right back!
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” ~Wayne Dyer
“If you don’t like something change it, if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.”
~Mary Engelbreit
From each of you, here is what I took that resonated with me and made me do some thinking...thanks!!
“I can apply a study of critical thinking for every class of students, and I embrace the challenge to achieve
excellence in this endeavour. I also believe that my students can only benefit by including topic
facilitation by multiple generations, as discussed by Peterat, Mayer-Smith, Lee, Sinkinson, and Tsepa
(2004).” Ayala
“My activities in the class are driven by the desire to instill the traditional values that Aboriginal nations
have understood for generations.” Sarah
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everthing else in the universe.”
John Muir (thanks to Sarah)
“I liked that they were thinking of how interconnected this farm was to the local food production web.”
-Meghan
“I've noticed the beauty of interdisciplinary learning and how subjects overlap into real-life.”- Kendra
“Giving students the opportunity to see the connection between the environment and their food can
give them knowledge to make better food choices, both in terms of sustainability and nutrition.” –
Carolyn
“..so I pulled out a Learning Outcome that was one of only two goals from Textiles 12 that were linked
with sustainability:
{D2 - Assess the implications of textile decisions (e.g., purchases driving production, brand status,
environmentally sustainable fabrics, online shopping, transportation, global warming, pesticides,
working conditions such as sweat shops and piecework}”- Catherine
“Live an examined life in both professional and everyday practice (Vaines)” ... “Teach,
Facilitate by example, avoid the expert/lecture role...” Gale
‘I think that it is valuable to design a curriculum that uses ecology to bring students full circle, returning
to concepts and learning outcomes initially taught when canning and further developing ideas when
using the ingredients. At the same time it is important to avoid “using education as a tool to influence
human behaviour in a particular direction” because such instrumental teaching “stifles creativity,
homogenises thinking, narrows choices and limits autonomous thinking and degrees of selfdetermination”’. –Kelsey
“The point is that it is not at all difficult to incorporate ecology into our teaching practices. The
curriculum expectations are there. Our fundamental beliefs for a better world, empowering individuals
and families, is our root. Ecology truly is a unifying theme in our everyday experience.” – Mary Elizabeth
“We can create an emancipative environment so that our students can be creative, have a broad range of
choice for projects, become autonomous thinkers and determine for themselves how their actions will
not only affect themselves but others as well.” –Diane Parr
“Wals writes that one of the most essential steps in the learning process is the importance of
establishing knowledge and awareness of nature and environment. I think that the linkage of home,
family and school is an extension of this.” – Amber
“...the student should be brought to realise knowledge about the world, society, nature, and also his/her
place in/within that world. I can emphasis the necessity, or at least the real desirability of the acquisition
of a global attitude. This can involve a realisation of the individual’s place, and acting upon that realising
his/her potential as a human being in the web of life” – Dean
“Ask students: How can we be more responsible consumers? How can we change?” – Lorraine
“To always evolve! Be constantly aware of new forms of learning ; to emerge with dynamic forms of
addressing my students’ learning...Wal says it best – to have ecosystems of empowered, engaged and
competent citizens.” - Kelli
“By creating an environment where the students feel safe and encourage to share their
thoughts...Creating group activities where they will learn to mirror their ideas, feelings and insights
against those of others...” Lauren
“...imagine ourselves in harmony with air, water, people, plants and events and to see that our actions
come to reflect our connectedness, our symbiotic relationship with everything and everyone...” Gayle
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the
web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” - Chief Seattle