TL;DR:

• All languages have value!
• We can collaborate with others across the world.
• Value humanity and spread kindness.

“Equity and Inclusion Just Got Better” Blog Reflection Questions:

1. Why is it important to consider teaching about a global perspective when teaching values?
2. How can you adapt my media lesson plan and make it your own?
3. What courageous conversations are you going to have about one of the three topics: languages, collaboration, or random acts of kindness?

Lesson Plans

I am starting off this blog with media arts lesson ideas for your classroom from mine. As a second grade teacher in Ontario, Canada, I do think it’s important to base inclusive teaching practices on the instruction of values. I think that by teaching the importance of valuing all languages, collaborating, and serving others, we learn to value humanity in a global society.

I think that by teaching the importance of valuing all languages, collaborating, and serving others, we learn to value humanity in a global society. Click To Tweet

Value Languages

The world has many different languages. They each have an origin and are important to the people who speak them. Authentically building understanding is of importance when there is a language that you don’t speak. I learned this first hand when I attended the UN women’s movement—there were many female leaders, many languages spoken, and, by using translating services, we were able to understand each other.

Maintain global peace! Think about this commercial from the country that I was born in (Sri Lanka in South Asia) which maintains peace and is united through cricket as a sport. I loved the national unity in the video:  Sri Lanka Cricket Commercial (Media Arts).

Key concepts:

• No language holds more value than another.
• All languages are of importance to their own culture.
• Building a common understanding helps us communicate: by speaking, writing, and being able to read in different languages.

The invention of applications such as Zoom and Teams have also made the world a smaller space. These are tools to help us stay connected and understand each other so that we can communicate, make lasting friendships, and learn from each other.

1. Google Translate
2. iTranslate Translator
3. Speak and Translate

Value Collaboration

I’ve used cricket as the sport to focus on in lessons since it is a very popular sport in Asia and in the commonwealth regions, which unites countries with a common interest to have a friendly completion.

I grew up watching cricket and love this commercial to teach with: World Cup Cricket Commercial (Media Arts).

Guiding Questions:

1. What unites countries as we compete in global sporting events such as The World Cup of Cricket?
2. Can you identify how classism plays a role in participating in sports?
3. How do we maintain friendly global initiatives to unite countries?

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Value Humanity

We live united as a human race on this Earth. We have to learn to care about it so we can maintain a caring society and empower each other by sharing resources.

Kindness is key and I love this commercial from the Continent of Asia to teach about the importance of “Random Acts of Kindness” and how important they are: the commercial is with subtitles and is perfect for the lesson plan hook (Media Arts).

Guiding Questions:

1. Why does kindness matter?
2. How do you practice random acts of kindness?
3. Humanity is a global concept…caring about the human race. How can you see that reflected in this commercial?

Connect

Please do stay connected and share your thoughts on equity and inclusion with me on social media. I would love to see the bigger impact of you as an educator reading my blogs!

Yours in education,

Nilmini

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About Nilmini Ratwatte-Henstridge

Nilmini Ratwatte-Henstridge teaches in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. She was born in Sri Lanka and immigrated to Canada with her family. As an elementary school teacher who is passionate about equity, social justice, and human rights in education, she enjoys teaching the younger generation to be global-minded citizens.

Discovering the world by connecting with others is an opportunity that we have today in our society today and she loves meeting new people! She is always learning while traveling to understand the inter-connectedness of this beautiful earth we live in! Nilmini LOVES cooking great meals, watching movies, and the latest fashion trends! Family and friends are close to her heart as she looks forward to balancing social media and navigating professional learning communities in education to network globally this year!