Student leadership and agency in the Elementary School come in many different forms. From initiating art and cheer clubs and presenting in assemblies to organizing playground supervision and planning school-wide events through the leadership club, Meadowridge students have been making a positive difference in their school community.
One example of recent student agency sparked a positive ripple effect in her school community. As part of their Sharing the Planet Unit of Inquiry, our Grade 2 students participated in an in-class field trip with the Urban Safari Rescue Society. Students explored the topics of metamorphic and non-metamorphic life cycles, as well as animal endangerment, through the introduction of small animals. Inspired by the experience of having animals in her classroom, Zahra S. from Grade 2 took action to write an opinion paragraph at home, outlining the benefits of bringing pets to school. She returned the next day, requesting to share her writing in our upcoming assembly, where she confidently and eloquently expressed her ideas in front of the entire Elementary community. Zahra was thanked for her contribution to the assembly, and to ensure that students were not left with a false sense of hope of having their furry friends in the classroom, a reminder was given to students that, though an exciting concept, our school policies did not permit our pets to accompany us to school.
Zahra’s message had a profound impact on the Elementary community. Our students are animal lovers, many of whom have pets at home. After hearing Zahra’s message, many also wished that they could bring their pets to school. Later that week, the Grade 4 and 5 Leadership students pondered the idea. “If we can’t bring our pets to school”, they inquired, “what can we do to celebrate them in our Meadowridge community?” From this discussion, the idea of a pet board blossomed. The students all agreed that if they couldn’t have their pets with them in their classrooms, the next best thing would be to showcase photos of them at school. They invited students and staff to bring in drawings or pictures of their family pets to add to a Pet Board at the Elementary entrance. The initiative was well-received by our community, and before long, the Elementary Pet Board was covered with photos of our cherished animal friends. From cats, bunnies, and dogs to horses, hamsters, and birds, many members of our community adorned the Elementary entrance with pet photos, sparking conversations about love, friendship, and responsibility. And so, a simple request to share a piece of writing in an assembly had its first ripple.
The word of the Pet Board spread beyond our Elementary students, as photos of pets, such as Beans, the dog of Mr. Pacey, one of our school custodians, were proudly added to the wall. The ripple continued to spread when Mr. Jim, one of our SAGE Dining Services staff, heard about the Pet Board and wanted to contribute to our goal of celebrating the furry and feathered animals in our lives. As a talented artist, he offered to create a pet portrait for one lucky pet owner through a draw. In a recent assembly, Ava G. in Grade 2 became our lucky winner. A week later, Ava received a beautiful wood-burning portrait of her cat Waffles from Mr. Jim.
Ava G. (Grade 2) poses with her custom pet photo, courtesy of Mr. Jim.
In Elementary School, student action and agency are integral to the IB framework that guides student learning. In this example, individual student action inspired by learning experiences in the classroom led to group action by our Grade 4 and 5 leadership club. This group action brought our Elementary community together, while extending an invitation to other departments and areas of the school to join in. These initiatives provide a clear example of the magic that can be created when student agency creates a ripple of connection within our community.
