Artist Statement
The work is a photograph of a playdough model. The model represents community- the sharing of ideas and the connection that circles create. The red balls represent individuals coming together, and the yellow circle is the bond, support, and connection created by these individuals.
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I believe a sense of support and community is important to students’ growth both academically and socially. Creating that sense of belonging and acceptance allows students to feel a sense of identity that is connected to the communities that they belong to or even create.
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Communities are created in all parts of life whether it be at home or in a classroom. I think about communities that have helped me along my path to being a teacher; the one that involves my parents, teachers, and tutors to ensure that I (a young student with a learning difference) do not feel like I would fail in my education. I also think of the community that I was a part of in my adulthood that supported my young cousin through a time when she needed adults to stand and support her.
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These events and groups have brought me to a point in my life where I hope to belong to communities that support and nourish students. Marie Battiste states “Education is the belief in the possibilities. It is a belief about knowledge systems. It is the belief in the capacities of ordinary humans” (2013, p175). I believe that as teachers we create communities for our students so that they can believe and know they are capable of being successful at every point in their lives
References
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Battiste, M. (2013) “Possibilities of Transforming Education,” in Decolonizing Education: Nourishing the learning spirit. Vancouver, BC: Purich Publishing Limited.