Amarpreet Kaur Chatha Educ407-S03 Instructor: Kelly Bobke Bust A Move The event I attended was called BAM

or Bust A Move hosted by the Alberta Cancer Foundation for breast health. It took place at the Big 4 Building in Stampede Park. It was a great open space where mats were laid out for participants with a stage at the front for speakers and instructors. There were several tables at the back by sponsors, including food tables, donation tables, and even a separate area for massages. There were several attendees at the event which was full of diversity. Several people had come by registering for the event to raise funds for breast health. Many of these were friends and families of victims of breast cancer. Others were people who wanted to support the cause. There were also a couple of survivors of breast cancer who joined the crowd. There were various teams and groups that joined together for the cause and came out to the event, such as Tits Out. Some people were there as individuals. There were also many volunteers and organizers of the event present. Volunteers were there to help out with a variety of tasks, such as food distribution, coat check-in, and donation collection, while also participating in the fitness activities. Also in attendance was celebrity guest star, Richard Simmons, an American fitness personality and actor. He led one of the fitness classes by Apple Fitness. There were several other fitness instructors and sponsors there as well who led Zumba, Hip-Hop, Yoga, Kickboxing and other fitness classes. All of the participants at the event ranged in age, including small babies and children (who came along with parents), young teens, adults, and even seniors. Men were also present

alongside women. There were people of different cultures, race and ethnicity, and backgrounds. Majority of the crowd was Caucasian but there were also a few African-Canadians, AsianCanadians, and East/South-Indian, among others. I chose this event because everyone was getting together for a common positive cause. I am a huge supporter of serving the greater community for positive change and this is what this event was all about. It was a 6 hour fitness extravaganza and took place to raise funds for breast health which went towards the Tom Baker Cancer Centre through the Alberta Cancer Foundation. It was also something I had never been a part of, especially on my own, so I knew I would feel a bit out of place and a feel a sense of difference there, which is what this project required. I felt that it would be a great way for me to get involved in helping out, working out, getting fit, and also getting to know various other individuals who were coming for their own personal reasons but for a common cause. Before going to the event I had assumed there would be a lot of families and groups and that it would be female-dominated. Majority of the people there were females but there was also quite a few males including volunteers, participants, and instructors. As I had thought, there were also several groups of friends and co-workers but not as many family groups. I was very nervous going into the event as I felt I would feel very left out and all on my own, since I was going by myself. I did initially have this feeling when I got there but once things I got rolling I felt right in and a part of this massive group. Everyone was working out together as the fitness instructors led us and volunteers were cheering everyone on. We laughed together at jokes made on stage. I felt like we were one big unit working together for a common cause, and therefore did not feel that sense of aloneness or singled out or that I was a separate entity among mostly Caucasian females. Looking around I felt that positive energy everyone was

channeling together and it helped me raise my consciousness and realize that we are all one in the same. I felt as though I was a part of this huge group and interconnected to them. I even had an older volunteer lady come up to me at the end and applaud me for all my efforts put in during the workouts. I felt a sense of community and belonging with these people I barely knew, who all came from different backgrounds. In a conversation with a female volunteer at the event, who was several years older than me and Caucasian, I learnt that she was there because she had gone through a tragic incident of breast cancer in her family, where her sister passed away. Any other time I would have been very reluctant to approach someone quite older than me and especially of a different ethnicity and race, as I feel more comfortable conversing with people who come from the same background as me. However, as pushed by this diversity project, I decided to start a conversation with this lady, and much to my surprise, I found in the short amount of time, we had a very heartfelt, open, and understanding conversation with one another. I felt I got to know and understand a depth of her I would not have otherwise known, and made a connection to her that raised my consciousness and will allow me to see others in a different light from now on. That interaction allowed a barrier between us to drop and opened us up to each others perspectives and ideas, enabling us to build a relationship with one another. As learnt in class, Structuralists believe that social structures outside of the classroom have a strong influence on achievement outcomes. They have identified children who do not do well in school because they come from cultural groups that are not respected by the majority. This social inequality can affect individuals and schools. According to Jerome Bruner, ...our interactions with others are deeply affected by our everyday intuitive theorizing about how other minds work.

The images we as teachers create are part of educational discourse which Focault refers to as positioning within discourse. This discourse helps us to think about the different ways we know what we know, where all that information is coming from, how the information is produced, and whose interests it is possibly serving. In Bishops article from the course textbook, he supports this claim and argues that the quality of relationships that are established in the classroom affects students learning, attendance, and their achievement. He came to this conclusion from the Maori students who spoke about the importance of whakawhanaungatanga and whanaungatanga, which refer to the process of establishing relationships and the quality of the relationships that are established for their engagement with learning and eventual achievement. He further states that teachers are the one who have the potential to change educational outcomes. (2007) In our course lectures, we learnt that relationships are very important in having successful educational reform. The actions we as teachers take in the classroom is crucial for educational reform to occur because it is in the classroom where change begins. Therefore, it is important to create these social interactions with people from different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and all sorts of diversities, to gain an understanding of all kinds of people and learn how they work and how to work with them in a positive manner. Once we start breaking down barriers between us, we can see the depth and realties of all around us and open our minds and broaden our perspectives of others. As teachers, this can allow us to bring these new insights into our classrooms and enhance the learning for all the diverse children that are a part of that space. From participating in this event, I learnt that sometimes it is okay to put yourself out there and interact with different people that you normally wouldnt interact with. It can be a very

rewarding, uplifting, and insightful experience, as it was for me at Bust A Move. I learnt that everyone has a goodness in their heart, and it is even more evident during events like this where everyone works together for a common positive cause. It is important to gain an understanding and build relationships with all kinds of people because it broadens your own perspective, establishes an understanding of how others work, breaks down barriers and opens your heart up to them. This is a very important notion to keep in mind in moving forward in our career as teachers, as it can help in establishing a successful classroom for our students. Overall, I was extremely grateful to have been part of this experience. I felt a sense of rejuvenation when I was there. Even though I did not know these people personally I felt a sense of connection with them as we all sweated our butts off and generated a load of heat and energy, smiling away but not giving up as we all fought through the 6 hour workout for a wonderful cause. Everyone united as a common front to help with breast health. It was as though the barrier of differences had broken down. It did not matter what gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or background anyone was from. Every individual stood there as an equal to the other beside him/her and cheered through this beautiful extravaganza of hope. Everyone laughed together at the jokes made on stage, cheered together for the cheque presentation to the Tom Baker Centre, cried together when Richard Simmons shared an emotional and heartfelt speech, and surged like a powerhouse together through the fitness classes. This was such an incredible and beautiful experience that I will always remember and cherish.

DISCOVERING DIVERSITY PROJECT INTENT Name: Amarpreet Kaur Chatha 1.What is your proposed plan (activity, date(s), time, duration, location)? Activity: Bust A Move (BAM) event hosted by the Alberta Cancer Foundation for breast health and to raise funds for Breast Cancer. Date: Sat, March 2, 2013 Time: 7:30am-3:30pm Duration: ~8 hours

Location: Big 4 Building, Stampede Park 2.Who is/are the facilitator(s) of this event? Provide contact information. Alberta Cancer Foundation acfonline@albertacancerfoundation.ca Brianne Fodor (Chief Bust-a-Mover) bustamove@albertacancerfoundation.ca 3.Why have you chosen this specific event? Provide a brief paragraph rationale. I have chosen this event because everyone is getting together for a common positive cause. I am a huge supporter of serving the greater community for positive change and this is what this event is all about. It is a 6 hour fitness extravaganza and happening to raise funds for breast health which will go towards the Tom Baker Cancer Centre through the Alberta Cancer Foundation. I feel that it will be a great way for me to get involved in helping out, working out, getting fit, and also getting to know various other individuals who are coming for their own personal reasons but for a common cause. 4.What are your assumptions and understandings going into the event about the group/community/individual? Im assuming there will be a lot of families and groups and family and friends of individuals who have been victims of breast cancer coming out to the event. I assume there will be a range of ages including kids and seniors. I feel like everyone will be very enthusiastic and involved. 5. What stage are you at in terms of organizing your activity and participation? I have looked into signing up and registering for the event. I have also looked at the location, time, and date of the event. Registration is cheaper for students so I am hoping to sign up online tomorrow. 6. What supports do you think you might need to be successful in this activity? I will be taking my water bottle, and workout gear with me, including a ball of enthusiasm and energy to bust a move! Other than that, I do not feel like I need any extra supports for this activity.