Four Grade 5 classes from Mitchell Middle School showed up to take in a Pistons practice recently.
The teachers set up a field trip for the students to come and watch the Pistons go through a regular practice, and then meet and greet the players afterwards.
The students came to cheer one individual in particular who has been volunteering in the classrooms at the school. Daniel McKitrick has recently been at MMS for the past couple of weeks as part of the Deeper Learning Plan: Learning Partnerships initiative at the Hanover School Division.
“We find people and places in the community to partner with us in our kids’ learning,” said Jerrah-Lee Broesky, one of the teachers at the school. “Any opportunity we’ve had to just meet with other people and to see other faces beyond their teacher, we try and take advantage of that.”
Broesky says that during the first few times McKitrick came, she hosted an initial Q & A session for the students to get to know him. “He talked about being from Nunavut, and there were a few friendly questions about how he’s settling into this community.”
Broesky says the kids have loved getting to know McKitrick. She says that they ask every day if he is coming back to help out. “When he walks in the door, it’s like a celebrity has just walked into the room,” Broesky explained. “(The kids) just love having him there as someone other than their teacher who can encourage them, and push them to do their work well and to keep learning.”