“Teachers lack confidence to talk about residential schools, study says” (CBC)

When an article has a headline like the one above, I find that it is directly pointing out the challenges with the education system. Many provinces require education about Residential Schools, but there are limited resources for teachers to use and teachers do not feel comfortable leading discussions on such a traumatic event. I personally struggle to teach my students about residential schools. I can read Shi Shi Etko, I can share Phyllis’ Story, we can watch a video, but to lead a deep and meaningful conversation about the trauma and atrocities experienced in these buildings is extremely challenging. I fit in with many of the non-indigenous teachers who lack the confidence to discuss and teach this topic, and it’s something that I need to learn how to do.

CBC News Article, August 20, 2017: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/residential-schools-edmonton-1.4254947