In November at … And Still We Rise, I had the incredible chance to listen to Elisapie speak. Elisapie is an award winning Inuk musician and she shared with us about her life and her newest release titled, “Inuktitut”. In this release, she has recorded the songs of her life and childhood that were important to her. With permission from the original musicians, she sings each song in Inuktitut. Elisapie shared with us that the songs she chose to record each brought back a memory from her childhood; community dances, a moment shared with a friend, and other pieces of her life. The beautiful and familiar songs of my own childhood sung in Inuktitut remind me that life can be experienced so very differently; the same music can bring different memories for people.
There’s a reflection activity I’ve used at different times of the year is the Soundtrack of My Life. It’s a chance for myself and my students to share a little about each other in a fun way. Firstly, we talk about what a soundtrack is and how music can communicate events or emotions. We brainstorm examples together and many students share popular or trending music tied to an event or a memory. So many conversations can stem from this activity and it really helps as a vehicle for us to get to know each other while having fun.
Thinking back to this past school year, there were so many beautiful moments to take with me. And just to balance those out, some challenging ones, too. At the beginning of the school year, I always feel so hopeful and excited to meet new students and try new lessons. Mid-year brings different emotions. We’re all in the midst of working hard through the winter as term one comes to an end. I admit that the shorter days and gray skies weigh on me! At this time of year, I try to bring more joy to the classroom and school. We have some fun, hands-on experiments and time for community building activities. By the time spring comes, we have built a community in the classroom. I feel as though we know each other quite well and I hope they feel accepted in our classroom.
These are all my hopes; my emotions. They might be represented through some songs, like “True Colours” or “The Dock of the Bay”. These experiences and songs define my important moments even though they might be different from the students. I try to ensure that the students feel safe enough to share a little something, but I also try to respect their privacy if needed. Sharing music might mean sharing a story, but it can also mean just sharing a song that we really like and can enjoy together. I invite you to think of which songs might help to build the soundtrack of your school year and which memories and hopes you will take forward with you to the next.
