Social Inclusion ~ in social justice, inclusion gives equal importance to all living things including humans, animals, plants and even the oceans, places where we work, school, live and play. When we are included and include others this adds to our own personal sense of belonging.
Also see Equity + Diversity, Social Justice and Wellbeing
Arts programs that support social inclusion
Each Kindness
Each kindness is an eponymous story of inclusion expressed in a colourful narrative mural inspired by grade 4 to 6 students from Morse St PS. We share it with you!
Based on Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, Illustrated by E.B. Woodson, Nancy Paulsen Books, An Imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Chloe and her friends won’t play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually, Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe’s teacher gives a lesson about the ripple effects of kindness, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she’d shown a kindness toward Maya. Adaptable to all grades ~ Mahshid Fadaei, Sandra Iskandar, Pria Muzumdar+ Allycia Uccello ~
Artistic Process
Eradicating World Poverty through Gender Equity
Renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist Melinda Gates believes that the solution to eradicating world poverty is to empower young people to change world thinking on the value of women and children. The stronger the dominant social beliefs on gender equity in a nation, the greater the development of a country through social and economic opportunities. What does this mean for families? What is middle class? What does it look like to have a nation where all families are middle class? Let’s accelerate discovery of how to most effectively and intentionally identify and address gender inequalities and how this relates to wellbeing and world peace. What are the human rights issues involved? What is individual and intra-household decision-making power? What part does education play? What part do boys and men need to play? Consider beliefs and attitudes and how these can be changed. Artist Charmaine Lurch works with grade 5/6 students from Rose Ave PS in mapping the inequities in beliefs about gender and turns it into a dialogue and visual arts game to affect change.
(The Immortal Life of) Henrietta Lacks
The true story of Henrietta Lacks who surprised doctors at John Hopkins University in Baltimore in 1950 when it was discovered her immortal (durable and prolific) cells could heal millions of sick and dying and also contribute to successful cloning, polio and other preventative vaccines and gene mapping. Henrietta died of cancer in 1951 and since then 11,000 patients have been involved in research with HeLa cells. Yet Henrietta never knew of her remarkable cells. She never gave her consent for their use and she and her poverty stricken family were never compensated. Here is a remarkable true story inspired program of a remarkable woman and her immortal cells expressed in a tiny petri dish.
Ideal for grades 7 + 8 with Charmaine Lurch ~ Artistic Process + Short Film PHOTO ~Petri dish mini-sculpture art ~ Henrietta’s immortal cells ~ gr 7/8 Fairmount PS ~ Chairmaine Lurch ~
Seven Sacred Grandfather Teachings
The First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples of North America were given the great gift of human understanding in Seven Teachings of the Sacred Grandfathers, oral traditions that form the foundation of their spirituality. Each teaching is represented by an animal and honours one of the basic virtues to a full and healthy life. Grounded in these teachings is the notion of mindfulness. When we are in balance with our world we contribute to overall harmony. This program brings Mariposa In The Schools Ojibwa storytelling Esther Osche into the classroom in partnership with visual artist and ICA sculptor Charmaine Lurch. Young students learn about balance and harmony through these remarkable tales and practice a visual interpretation of each. Ideal for grades 3 to 6 ~
The Woman Who Outshone the Sun
This legend is part of the oral history of the Zapotec People of Oaxaca, Mexico and adapted from a poem by Alejandro Cruz Martinez, a young Zapotec poet and social activist. It is the story of a beautiful and dignified woman named Lucia Zenteno who arrives in a village bringing with her dancing butterflies and brightly coloured flowers on her skirts. Even a loyal iguana walked at her side. Some said she outshone the sun. But the village soon becomes fearful of her differences and she is cast aside. The loss is deep and far beyond anyone could imagine. With story, word, visual art, mixed media and shadow puppets students explore concepts inherent in cultural competence to gain understanding of the importance of inclusion and its relationship to social justice and wellbeing at a global scale. Several artists ~ Ideal for grades 3 to 6 ~