Commitment to Learning Communities
"Members are dedicated in their care and commitment to students. They treat students equitably and with respect and are sensitive to factors that influence individual student learning. Members facilitate the development of students as contributing citizens of Canadian society." ~ https://www.oct.ca/public/professional-standards/standards-of-practice
Throughout my journey in education, I have had the privilege of serving our MLLs who arrived in Canada with stories of resilience and trauma, supporting students with diverse learning challenges, and helping families navigate barriers to mental health and well-being. These experiences have shaped my commitment to inclusive, compassionate teaching.
Building on this foundation, I have pursued a Master’s in Counselling Psychology, which now enables me to embed mental wellness literacy across all my arts-based units. My goal is to create spaces where students in grades 1–7 can explore emotions, embrace conversations about wellness, and discover empowering ways to communicate—always through the transformative lens of the arts.
By integrating creativity with emotional learning, I strive to nurture not only artistic expression but also authentic self-understanding, resilience, and joy in the lifelong process of learning.
Equitable Learning Opportunities
Contributing Citizens
Grade One students start with just the primary colours of plasticine. Through exploration of the colour wheel, they learned about secondary and tertiary colours, helping them to learn with hands-on experiences. They demonstrated their learning through verbally explaining this process.
How do we tell this story in a dramatization, respectfully?
Students are given lessons which help with their emotional intelligence, along with a deeper understanding of cultural values. They learn critical thinking skills to embrace learning about other groups within Canadian culture, and how to live respectfully within the global village .
It is my hope that my students can demonstrate their learning and understanding in a wide variety of ways. I am sensitive and show respect to my students in embracing and reflecting that students learn in a wide variety of ways, and that diverse opportunities should be provided to show one's learning and understanding. The arts should provide different entry points, and should be flexible in proving one's learning.
Stolen Words
Written by: Melanie Florence
Illustrated by: Gabrielle Grimard
Whose story is this to tell?
How is Grandfather feeling?"
Can you connect to this story?"
Can you really know what the Grandfather was feeling?
Explain.
Contact
Nina Waddington
© 2026. Nina Waddington All rights reserved.
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board acknowledges our presence on ancestral Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Confederacy land as determined by the Dish with One Spoon treaty. The intent of this agreement is for all nations sharing this territory to do so responsibly, respectfully and sustainably in perpetuity. We respect the longstanding relationships with the local Indigenous communities, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River.
LGBTQI2SA+ Safe Space
Lawfield Elementary School
Learning Commons/Prep Coverage ARTS gd 1-7
