Brandon University is using anonymous postcards to better help families communicate with teachers as part of a new research initiative. The Truths for Teachers project started as a way for families to share what is going on in a student’s life to help teachers create a better learning environment and experience. “We wanted to create a safe, anonymous space where people could share some of these stories openly and honestly,” said Akech Mayuom, a research assistant at Story Grounds, a research lab at Brandon University. “This was started because educators may not always be aware of the students’ full circle.” Mayuom notes it gives teachers the opportunities to create more inclusive spaces for students and can help families talk about a variety of topics and concerns, from financial barriers to mental health troubles. The anonymous postcards can be found online and can be filled out by any Manitoba family, no matter the grade the student is in. The project allows people to write, draw and use any language to complete the cards. Some of the posts already submitted talk about feeling disconnected from their child’s learning, not having enough money to cover field trips, and concerns about comments that impact self-confidence. “Barriers, if they’re not addressed, it doesn’t allow a student to fully participate,” said Mayuom. “It’s really important that that bridge is created so students can fully participate and those barriers are removed. Things like bullying, racism that’s experienced in the school—how can we ensure that students are safe and their mental health is not impacted?” Once enough of these postcards are collected, Mayuom said the plan is to share them with current teachers around the province as well as education students who are working to become teachers. They hope to get as many postcards as possible to ensure there is a full understanding of the stories students and families can share with teachers. “The heart of this project is about sharing stories and experiences, and our hope is that these postcards remind us that there’s always more to a student’s story than what we see in the classroom, and that understanding these experiences can help build more compassionate and inclusive schools.” Postcards will be collected for the next three months and can be submitted online or emailed to storygrounds@brandonu.ca.
