This past year, Grade 7 and 8 students at St. Theresa Shrine Elementary School embarked on a powerful learning journey through the Heartbeat of the Drum project—an interdisciplinary experience that honoured Indigenous knowledge, creativity, and mathematical understanding.
Guided by teachers Bryan McGouran and Jonathon Butler, with support from central staff Jennifer D’Addario (elementary math department), Andrea Thykootathil (secondary math department), Sonya Charal (Indigenous Education), and Toronto Catholic District School Board Indigenous artists Diane Montreuil and Allison Dawn Pilon, students explored the sacredness of drumming through the teachings of the Medicine Wheel. The project shared cultural knowledge while helping students understand how drumming connects mind, body, spirit, and community.
A key component of the project focused on Indigenous ways of knowing in mathematics. Students used relationships within their own bodies as tools for measurement, learning to appreciate and respect proportional beauty in relation to the circle. These embodied techniques helped students determine the dimensions, length, and area required to construct their own handmade drums. This hands-on approach deepened their understanding of how mathematical relationships are embedded in traditional drum-making.
Beyond drum construction, students also explored their own cultural identities by researching personal histories and reflecting on how cultural traditions shape who they are. They then integrated their learning about Indigenous teachings into personalized visual designs, painting meaningful symbols and stories onto the face of their drums. The result was a vibrant collection of individually created drums—each one a blend of mathematics, culture, artistry, and respect for Indigenous traditions.
A heartfelt thank you is extended to school principal Stephen Patel and library technician Andrea Smith, who continue the work of Indigenous allyship, reconciliACTION, and learning alongside Shrine’s 8th Generation Allies. A beautiful mural was created to honour the memory of the experience and is now displayed in the main entrance of the school. This project reflects the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s ongoing commitment to Indigenous education and brilliance, creating transformative change through meaningful connections to curriculum and lived experience.
