In the teaching approach of Pearline Barrett-Fraser (BA Psychology ’16 and BEd ’19) — or Ms. Pearl, as her students call her — respect, self-expression and social, cultural and academic inclusion rule. To deconstruct prejudice and create a caring environment where every child can thrive, she encourages open dialogue and celebrates diversity.
In addition to teaching elementary school, Barrett-Fraser teaches hip hop dance in a kindergarten to Grade 12 program. Her teaching embodies the four principles of this African American cultural and artistic movement: peace, unity, love and having fun. Born in The Bronx, New York, the birthplace of hip hop, she has always been guided by these values. It is an approach she uses in the dance studio, but in the classroom as well.
Barrett-Fraser has a contagious energy that uplifts her students, while empowering them to be curious, get involved and build strong, positive connections.
After this conversation, we can say with confidence that Ms. Pearl is most definitely the kind of teacher we all wish we’d had in school.
This interview has been edited for brevity.
Tell us about your philosophy as an educator.
Some of my key values are inclusion, awareness and acceptance of diversity.
I strongly believe in reciprocal learning. Students learn from me, I learn from them and they learn from one another. Together, we form a learning community. I put a lot of emphasis on the importance of building these strong relationships, and I do so by creating a classroom environment that is safe, welcoming and positive.
As a teacher, I want to see my students succeed. My role is indeed to teach them academically, but it goes way beyond! I feel like my job is to create a safe space and a support system to provide the social and emotional learnings that will help them thrive.
I always tell my students that I got their back – I want them to feel confident so they can tap into their full potential.
As a dance educator and a teacher, can you tell us what are the benefits of learning through dance, music and culture?
Dance, and more specifically hip hop, is a place where we can meet and connect.
I have taught dance to students from kindergarten to grade 12, coming from different levels of education and ethnic backgrounds through Luv2Groove, an organization that aligns dance workshops with the Arts and Health and Physical Education curricula. Working with Luv2Groove Dance Education has amplified my feelings towards physical activity and movement within the classroom.
In my master's thesis, which I'm currently pursuing at the Faculty of Education, I am looking into how hip hop dance can be used as an outlet for connection. How we can create meaningful connection through movement and the arts. Because hip hop has the potential and power to really unify communities with that one collective beat, it is a culture of peace, community and connectivity. I see it as a way to promote social justice and peace.
Experimenting with various forms of self-expression gives children an opportunity to enter their learning space through different entry points. It also gives educators a way of reaching students on that connective level of their interest, one that is culturally aligned.
With my research, I'm hoping to create resources and guidelines for educators to redefine the barriers within the pedagogy. The idea is to give them tools to promote physical literacy, dance, and hip hop in the classroom in a way that is rich in culture and that allows students to thrive and strengthen their connection to the global community – beyond the classroom.
What role do teachers play in promoting anti-racism education and empowering kids from a diversity of backgrounds?
Having representation in schools and encouraging educators to lead important conversations is how we start a wave of change. There's nothing good in teaching colour blindness. It is so important to acknowledge diversity, celebrate the differences, see them as strengths, and also address the commonalities that bind us together.
That is how we nurture that safe space and that is how we make a change for the better.
Having conversations about the Black-lived experience within the classrooms is crucial. It is important that we hear the stories and recognize how people of colour have not been treated fairly in the past and know that it's still the case today. It's crucial to recognize, reflect and educate your students, but it is also important to have student voice. Open the space for them to express themselves and sharing understanding. Whenever there's an opportunity and it's appropriate, it's good to keep that conversation going.
As teachers, we need to create that platform for discussion because what kids don't learn in the classroom, they will learn elsewhere, and it might not be taught appropriately. There's this risk of misunderstanding and that's how unconscious biases and internalized racism take roots.
Can you give us some examples of how Black History Month is celebrated in the school where you work?
I've helped created a full calendar of activities and resources for fellow teachers to integrate in the classrooms. Kids get to learn about important figures in Black Canadian History and their contributions to the country. They're then invited to reflect on it – whether through an art project, a writing piece, or a discussion for example.
I really want to connect the past and the present, so students not only learn about the trailblazers of our past, but also those who are living right now and are making a change for the future. Black children who are in the classrooms today, they are a part of Black history too. We're starting to see a shift; students are beginning to find their voice and recognize their potential. The outcomes are endless!
Kids are proud to go home and teach their parents something they learned during the day. It's very empowering for them, and it's also the perfect way to keep conversations going at home.
We are also working on a larger project, our equity roadmap as learners within the schools – which includes not only students, but also teachers and administrative staff. We are thinking about the barriers our students face, what are ways we can guide them and guide each other towards more equity.
You start little waves and you see an ocean of change.
Pearline has also participated to the video series 28 moments of Black Canadian History created by Unilearnal. Her video is shared within the school where she works.