Fraser Valley – Sometimes a school assignment is just an assignment, something you do for a grade before quickly moving on to something else. But sometimes, it’s so much more.
When Amanda Minchau participated in a CityStudio Hubbub at Abbotsford City Hall in spring of 2024, she didn’t know what to expect. A partnership between the City of Abbotsford and UFV, CityStudio Hubbub challenges students to tackle civic issues and provide prototype solutions.
Minchau, who was enrolled in Children’s Literature: Diversity & Accessibility and has extensive experience as an educational assistant working with children with special needs, identified a deficiency in learning materials for students with sensory disabilities (like blindness), or reading challenges (like dyslexia/dysphasia).
Some children, she notes, are kinesthetic learners who process information best by touching, doing, or creating as opposed to just listening. Minchau thought about how teaching materials could be adapted for the science curriculum, specifically on the topic of clouds. She decided to create a tactile book.
“I put sandpaper on the nimbus or storm cloud page so they can feel that it’s dark and rough, and I put cotton balls on the cumulus cloud page because they’re fluffy and soft,” Minchau explains. “Stratus clouds are low-lying, long, and layered, and I represented those with different layers of ribbons near the bottom of the page.”
Minchau says the reactions at the Hubbub were great. She met Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens along with several city officials and other guests who were delighted by her work.
“It’s funny because I created it for kids who need hands-on learning, but everyone wanted to touch this book,” she laughs. “It was interesting seeing neuro-typical adults play with the book, and have one person say to me, ‘I’ll never forget cumulus now.’
From start to finish, the experience was an eye opener for Minchau.
“I didn’t know Hubbubs could connect you in so many ways,” she says. “Whether getting your ideas out or just meeting the right people and networking and showcasing your stuff – it’s not just, ‘Hey, I’m a student and I did this thing. Isn’t it pretty?’”
Minchau suggests students aren’t always excited about doing a worksheet in class because it has no meaning for them or their life experience.
“But if the project connects to an idea or passion that they want to pursue, and they can interact with someone who also has that passion, then you have real learning and real connection,” she says. “And isn’t university about that? Isn’t it about meeting and networking, seeing your ideas come to fruition and discovering what you want to do?”
The next CityStudio Hubbubs are coming up in early April. Chilliwack City Hall (8550 Young Road) hosts one April 7, from 10 am to noon, and Abbotsford City Hall (32315 South Fraser Way) hosts one April 9 from 10:30 am to 12:45 pm.
