Recently, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation proudly announced that the Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Theresa Shrine Catholic School were selected as honourees for their Heartbeat of the Drum project. Through this interdisciplinary initiative, students embarked on a powerful learning journey 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 (TCDSB) Indigenous artists Diane Montreuil and Allison Dawn Pilon, students explored the sacredness of drumming through the teachings of the Medicine Wheel. The experience involved sharing cultural knowledge and helping students understand how drumming connects mind, body, spirit, and community.
A key component of the project involved Indigenous ways of knowing in mathematics, connecting relationships between their bodies as tools for measurement while appreciating and respecting the beauty of proportions in relation to a 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 appreciation of how mathematical relationships are embedded in traditional drum-making.
Beyond constructing their drums, students also explored their own cultural identities by researching personal histories and reflecting on how cultural traditions shape who they are. They then integrated what they had learned about Indigenous teachings into personalized visual designs, painting meaningful symbols and stories onto the faces 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 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 honouring the memory of the experience was also created and displayed in the school’s main entrance.
This project reflects the TCDSB’s ongoing commitment to Indigenous education and brilliance, creating transformative change through meaningful connections to curriculum and lived experience.
