You Are Part of History!
What if classes d’accueil students had an opportunity to introduce themselves to their peers in the regular stream? In You Are Part of History!, the MEM guides your group through every step of creating an exhibition at your school. This exhibition showcases the students’ personal journeys, family heirlooms, and first impressions of Montréal.
You Are Part of History! combines teacher-led activities with workshops facilitated by the MEM.
- In introductory workshops, facilitators introduce the project and get to know the students.
- Additional workshops invite students to learn about Montréal’s past and how immigration has shaped the city. As well, students are tasked with finding a family “heirloom” to display in an exhibition.
- A final workshop allows students to assemble the exhibition, from choosing panel types to selecting contents for display.
You Are Part of History! is a dynamic and highly structured program for teachers and students alike. Teachers oversee workshop participation and keep students on track with independent activities between meetings. As well, teachers organize a special event around the exhibition to celebrate the students’ work and promote interaction with other classes.
This series of workshops is for intermediate to advanced secondary-level classes d’acceuil on the Island of Montréal (maximum of 20 classes per year).
To read the stories contributed by students who participated in You Are Part of History! over the past two years, visit the project website (In French Only).
Objectives of You Are Part of History!
- Offer classes d’accueil students an opportunity to learn more about Montréal and improve their French language skills.
- Highlight the value of personal stories to help students engage with their language learning and develop a sense of belonging.
- Raise awareness in the Montréal host society of issues around inclusion by creating a space for sharing and interaction.
Links to the Québec Education Program (QEP)
Linguistic, Educational, and Social Integration
- Communicate orally in French in a variety of situations
- Read and write a variety of texts
- Integrate into the school environment and Québec society
You Are Part of History! is an educational program developed by the MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises through an agreement between the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration du Québec and the City of Montréal.
Information and reservation
For updates about program availability, subscribe to the MEM newsletter.
- Free for schools on the Island of Montréal.
- Space is limited, reservations required!
Educational vision
The MEM's educational offering is the fruit of a collective effort involving a committee of some fifteen teachers and education specialists, as well as community partners working in the fields of civic engagement, living together and accessibility.
Our educational programs aim to equip young people to become citizens interested in their city, its challenges and its history. They aim to foster their awareness of the importance of living together and their commitment to their community.
Our programs talk about Montreal, its history, its territory and its people, through such perspectives as neighborhoods, immigration, citizen power and disability. The varied activities that make up our programs encourage students to share their experiences, develop critical thinking skills and empathy, and foster civic engagement.