Community Mapping Exercise

If you feel you can safely do so, please visit a local school site and its surrounding
community (safely). 
If this is not available to you, please use Google Maps/Earth to simulate this
experience.

Do  not enter school grounds during school hours or immediately before/after school.
Do not attempt to enter the building. 
If you take any photos please ensure no students or staff are captured at all. 

Please take note of the following...

The school - Physical Presence

How old does the building look? What is the The building looks pretty old. There are areas
state of the property? where you notice the structure is falling apart
– rusted entry ways, old windows
Does it have a play structure? Other It has two play structures, a sand box, a few
amenities? basketball courts and nets, it also has painted
games on the pavement (four squares,
hopscotch), there is a soccer field and a
baseball diamond. The kinder area has a
separate play area with play kitchens, a sand
box, a pavement and grass area with small
wooden tables and chairs-built in.
What else do you note? There is a lot of trees in the area and in the
school yard, it’s in a quiet area, no particular
Use all your senses smell.

If you attended at entry, exit, lunch.. Observe The students line up outside and their teachers
how the students arrive - noting any patterns will pick them up and escort them into their
(behaviours, demographics, etc) that you classrooms. It is generally calm, a little loud
might draw upon as information to due to the number of students and parents
understand the school community there to pick up/drop off and including the bus
students who get dropped off and picked up
after school.
Include a picture (see note above). 

The school - Online Presence

On the website, there is a “new happy hour
What programs or co-curricular activities are events” – there isn’t information posted yet.
offered at this school according to the school They mention that they have co-curricular
website? activities inside the school.
There is a section entitled ‘PMJS fitness page’
where they discuss that each student does 40
minutes fitness classes every week.
What demographic data can you find about On the website it mentions, ‘family-oriented
this school? community, 350 students representing a
diversity of cultural backgrounds’
LOI 2020 Rank – 313
 TDSB Learning Opportunity
Where does it fall on the LOI 2020 Score – 0.38277
Index and Census Data (if applicable)

In grade 3 - Reading –constant with the

What can we learn from the following about highest in 2017 (86%) above or at provincial
the school? standard. Writing – constant, highest in 2018
(87%) and math increased over the years with
EQAO data: see 2019 ranking 77% (highest score). Therefore
https://www.eqao.com/en/assessments/results approx. 80% of students are at or above
provincial standards all across.
 City data: Eg. Toronto neighbourhood
profiles, United Way of Greater Toronto Located in Ward 2 – Etobicoke North
reports Media age is 38.8, population has grown by
4% in the past few years, most individuals
here live in either a single family or high-rise
apartment/condo – where half of the families
rent and the other half own.
The community 
- I work in the before and after school
Do you have any contacts in the school or program inside the school, and know most of
community that you engage in discussions the teachers/staff in the school
 - it is a close knit community, many of the
with? students and parents live in the area and are
neighbours with one another.
If so, what did you learn about the strengths
and assets in this community?

Either using Google Maps/Earth or if you can safely get around the school (taking into
account COVID protocol)

Types of buildings – mainly residential (single

Make an inventory of the types of buildings, homes, a few apartment buildings nearby),
businesses, greenspaces, community grocery stores/retail outlets close by, middle-
resources, organizations, language of signs, upper class vehicles, diverse community,
types of vehicles, people on the street etc. English signs, many nearby parks, large park
‘west Deane park’ very close.
- The community is very welcoming and feels
Notice your reactions to this community. safe when in the general area.

What feelings does this community evoke in - I feel comfortable walking around alone.
you? - This could be connected to my identity/life
experiences thus far is because I grew up not
How might this be connected to your identity far from here and I work here so it’s a familiar
or life experiences thus far? area and I know the community pretty well.

Teacher Community- (Mapping your

own community)

The demographics of my own community is

What are the demographics of your primarily white, middle aged individuals with
community? children.

I often see retail stores such as groceries, drug

Who/What do you often see? (street stores, gas stations), a lot of 40km/hour street
signs, stores, community events, etc.) signs, and “community watch” signs. There
are a lot of schools and parks in the area, with
not too many community events where I see
(could be because of COVID).
Mostly English speaking.
What do you often hear or not hear?
(e.g. languages)
The school environment and the outdoor area
In what ways, if at all, do your mirrors the community around – as there is a
 lot of families, and outdoor walking and
community mirrors the school playing areas for families. The school is very
community? (note similarities and welcoming seems to mirror that the school is
differences) located in.

For teachers, it is important to note these

What are the teaching implications? things to plan and community build
accordingly. By knowing the community, it
allows the teacher to become immersed in the
events and create more as needed.
The work required would include trying to
What work is required if your build an inclusive environment that mirrors
community is dissimilar to the school the community. So if the community in the
community? school is strong, perhaps going out into the
neighbourhood and doing things to help one
another (planting trees, cleaning up etc.)
By mapping the community, you can
What insights might you gain from understand the demographics, the amenities
mapping your community? and the types of families and communities that
are in the area to gear your education to being
inclusive of the diversity and cultures with the
students and their families.