Inquiry #8 – Reflecting Over the Weeks

When choosing the focus for my inquiry, I was unsure where it would lead me. This project allowed me to look at fashion through a sustainable lens, while encouraging individuality and self-expression in the process. Thus, this ended up being an introspective and reflective process, and I have been able to really look inward at myself, my habits, and then mirror this into my teaching practice.

I think my biggest take-away is that while we need to be accountable for our actions, we also need to be gentle with ourselves as we begin to embrace new habits. Change is never instant, and is only sustainable when we slowly take new actions and make new choices. Over the past few weeks, I have slowly noticed a change in my habits. More so, I have noticed a change in the way that I think as I walk about my day. After exploring sustainable fashion, I have noticed that new thoughts pop into my head as I am shopping (which I will say is a rarer occurrence these days, especially on a student budget…). If I see something I like on the rack, I will pick it up and ask myself a few questions: what type of material is it? Will it last me a while? Is it versatile? Do I have anything similar? Do I see myself wearing it on a day-to-day basis? Do I really love it, or is it similar to something that I have seen online, so I just think that I like it? If I have any uncertainty, I put it back. No questions asked. It will be there tomorrow, and if I regret not buying it I can always go back and get it another time. That has not happened so far. Stopping, taking a deep breathe, and thinking purchases through, rather than running on impulse, has saved me money and also reduced my overall consumption.

The biggest moment of inspiration I felt was when I heard the words of David Suzuki. His words really stuck with me, and I find myself repeating them in my head on a day-to-day basis:

“Action says you hope something different is possible”

Action. We can talk the talk, but without action, there is no change. Actions speak louder than words. I hope something different is possible, so I am doing something to make it possible. I take the bus even on days when I really don’t want to. I walk to the grocery store instead of driving. I take the effort to read the labels on the garbage, compost, and recycling bins to sort my items, instead of just throwing it all away. I take a deep breathe and put the items in my hand back on the shelf. These are small, micro-changes, but if everyone just tries to make a fraction of a difference in their habits, big change can happen.

Teaching Takeaways

After considering various topics and reflecting inward on a personal level, I was able to bridge what I have learned into my teaching practice in more ways than one. First, I touched on fostering individuality and self-expression in the classroom by providing a safe space where children feel comfortable to openly express themselves as they navigate their likes and dislikes. This can be done through modelling, providing yourself as an example to students by celebrating diversity, uniqueness, and expressing yourself freely.

I also touched on using journal prompts as an introspective process for learners. As demonstrated on myself, introspection can be a powerful tool to look inward and really gain a sense of self. Sometimes learners just need a little push to engage in the reflection process, so it could be valuable to offer journal prompts and reflection time that allow learners to gain a sense of their individuality. This should also be done by explicitly talking about self-expression and diversity so that learners understand the why behind what they are doing.

On another note, my most recent post touched on teaching sustainability through a fashion lens, and I was quite blown away by all the material and resources out there to support this. Especially in the upper intermediate and middle years, fashion can be a fun and engaging topic to teach sustainability, as children begin to explore outward expression and make choices on what they wear without adult support. This is a great way to connect to student interests while teaching meaningful and practical lessons that teach environmental literacy in the process!

In Conclusion…

While I wasn’t sure where this inquiry would lead me, I am very happy it led me where it did. This ended up being a very reflective time, but in the process I adopted new habits and knowledge that will be carried with me into the future. Now, I feel more connected to myself, and have more trust with my fashion choices rather than relying on acceptance or validation from outward influences. I wear what I wear because I want to wear it, not because I think I should wear it. I have also been able to hold myself accountable for my actions, and have tried to slowly make changes in my life to embrace new habits and take action. I am really excited to carry these feelings into my upcoming practicum!