Dec. 13, 2011

Captain R. Wilson Public School students had a good time as Shak-Shak provided, through music, an important message about respect and hard work.

The Caribbean-style band performed at the Oakville school on December 2 to help it celebrate inclusive education, promote bullying prevention, and to appreciate diversity through music.

The concert addressed the Grades 1-8 music curriculum by exploring an understanding of a variety of musical genres and styles from the past and present. As a result of watching the concert, students learned about various styles of music including Calypso, Reggae, Pan Music and Afro-Cuban jazz, says Alka Sahai, principal at Captain R. Wilson Public School.

“By appreciating diversity, we are teaching students the importance of each individual's uniqueness,” says Sahai. “Life is diverse because everyone is different and students learn to value each other through each other’s differences. We are teaching our students an important life skill.”

One of the songs Shak-Shak performed was the uber-hit, One Love, by Bob Marley. The band also sang about the value of education. One of the lyrics were, “Education, education, this is the foundation/Our rising population needs sound education.”

“I hope students learned to appreciate diversity, how to stop bullying at school and gained a greater understanding of styles of music traditionally associated with the Caribbean,” says Sahai.