Tag Archives: truth and reconciliation

(Entry 5) Website: EdCan Network

Website: EdCan Network

This website provides educators with a variety of different teaching resources (both for professional development and for use within the classroom. Of particular interest to me were two articles: “How can we embed Truth and Reconciliation in every school?” by Dr. Pamela Toulouse, and “How teachers can integrate Truth and Reconciliation in their classrooms: Infographic: How to get started and who can help”, by André Rebeiz. The first article discusses the parts of Reconciliation that apply to the classroom and how teachers can implement activities relating to increasing student awareness of Indigenous issues; the article also provides a downloadable PDF fact sheet that can be posted on a bulletin board for quick reference.

The second article provides teachers with an infographic containing tips and tricks on how to immediately implement Truth and Reconciliation initiatives within the classroom. In addition, it also provides a list of excellent resources for use in Canadian classrooms. One of which is the Martin Family Initiative containing a link to the Promising Practices in Indigenous Education Website. This second website contains a wide variety of links to resources that specifically address key components of the TRC documents that need to be addressed within different areas of the educational system.

Links:
https://www.edcan.ca/articles/how-can-we-embed-trc/

https://www.edcan.ca/articles/how-teachers-can-integrate-truth-and-reconciliation-in-their-classrooms/

References
Rebeiz, André, & Network, E. (November 12, 2018). How teachers can integrate Truth and Reconciliation in their classrooms. Retrieved November 27, 2018, from https://www.edcan.ca/articles/how-teachers-can-integrate-truth-and-reconciliation-in-their-classrooms/

Toulouse, D. P. R. (June 20, 2017). How can we embed Truth and Reconciliation in every school? Retrieved November 27, 2018, from https://www.edcan.ca/articles/how-can-we-embed-trc/

Module 4 Weblog

My final entries for Module 4 are sometimes eclectic, reflecting the wandering nature of this journey I have taken, and sometimes repetitive when considering that several of my classmates have likely posted the same links. However, I feel enriched for having the chance to explore the multitude of online resources, and through the contributions of the class, I feel an emerging confidence in being able to find and utilize authentic resources for my classes.

#16

http://mediasmarts.ca/blog/new-tools-aboriginal-youth-making-good-decisions-about-sharing-online

This is an excellent resource for media literacy for youth in Canada. The specific link refers to resources that have been translated into Cree, Ojibwe, and Inuktitut, dealing with sharing and smart decision making when negotiation content online. The site offers resources on larger media related topics, from Aboriginal peoples in general, to stereotyping and representation in media.

#17

https://next150.indianhorse.ca/challenges/authentic-indigenous-arts

#18

https://www.reclaimindigenousarts.com/home

Since my final paper deals with cultural appropriation, my search for related resources brought me back to the “Next 150” campaign to spread awareness of Truth and Reconciliation through Canada by way of a variety of social media challenges. This particular challenge is presented by Nadine, St.-Louis, a prominent “social and cultural entrepreneur”. In a short video, St.-Louis shortly summarizes cultural appropriation before directing the audience to pledge that can be taken to promise to support only Indigenous artists and their work. St.-Louis also directs the viewer to – among other resources – www.reclaimindigenousarts.com, an “awareness campaign and a Call to Action” surrounding cultural appropriation in Canada. The site explains cultural appropriation and offers ways the viewer can help support the campaign. St.-Louis and Toronto based artist Jay Soule (who’s featured in the Module 3 collection of sources) are credited with originating the campaign.

#19

http://www.isuma.tv/isuma

The production group mentioned in the Faye Ginsburg chapter caught my attention, so I decided to include it. The site contains information on the founders of the group and their various projects.

#20

http://aptn.ca

Failing to make the cut from my Module 1 contribution, The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network site was a contribution I wanted to explore and include at some point. Combining news and various television programming, the site offers for me eye-opening evidence of the values and interests of a culture that I knew so little about. I will certainly be coming back to this site in the future to explore more the types of stories that are told through this historic indigenous media hub.

#21

https://www.sonnyassu.com/

#22

https://canadianart.ca/features/sonny-assu-complex-mix-of-cultures/

In looking for more artists for my final project, I came upon a local (North Delta) artist who, like Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun, explores the convergence of the traditional and modern. Like Andy Everson and Jay Soule, Assu sometimes incorporates iconic imagery and themes from western popular culture in order to explore his multicultural influences. The article from Canadian Art covers a wide range of topics, from Assu’s ancestry to his influences and significant modern works.

#23

http://www.unesco.org/education/tlsf/mods/theme_c/mod11.html

UNESCO has created a “multimedia teacher education programme” that attempts to define Indigenous knowledge in hopes of fostering understanding and appreciation for a place for Indigenous knowledge in education around the world. This particular programme offers seven lessons or activities that range in topics that cover the importance of Indigenous education to how to live with Indigenous education and incorporate it into various curricula. This site links to other activities that focus on areas such as experiential learning and storytelling.

#24

https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/11/21/us/missionary-john-chau/index.html

My last entry is from a recent incident involving an American missionary killed on North Sentinel Island after attempting to communicate with the Indigenous tribe there. After reading this particular article, which seems to focus on the missionary’s reasons for illegally traveling to the island and attempting to contact the tribe, I found myself questioning the bias inherent in it, as it seems that detailing the background of the missionary and the devotion to his cause underscored the severity of the crime he committed in trying to contact the tribe. The Christian euro-centrism in this piece resonates strongly, as while the potential harm that such contact presents is raised, and a defense from a group advocating for “tribal peoples’ rights” is presented, the article cannot help but be padded with details of the missionary’s past and devotion to his religion, despite knowing the risks that contact could present. I wonder if CNN would pay as close attention to the motivations of, say, a Muslim who died for their religious beliefs, or a suicide victim who was driven by personal reasons. As a conclusion to this course, I think this article has shown me how my views and understandings have changed with regards to Indigenous peoples and own relationship with their world.

#25

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8C4Qa3f7j8

“Sunshine” from the 80s Australian Reggae group Us Mob. The song has stuck in my head for a few days now, and serves to remind me of the learning I will continue to do with regards to defining and celebrating Indigenous identity and culture through media and technology. Enjoy the song, and if you want to learn more about the group, see the links below (rather than explain, I will let you explore 😉

#26

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrong_Side_of_the_Road

#27

http://shop.nfsa.gov.au/wrong-side-of-the-road

#28

https://aso.gov.au/titles/features/wrong-side-of-the-road/clip1/

Post 5- Speaking Out

This video was shared with my school district at our latest Aboriginal Focus Day. The points shared in this video for fairness, sharing and teaching our history with those who have recently come to Canada are important steps to Reconciliation. Taking action to create ReconciliACTION is important because it is 2018 and this knowledge needs to be shared.

Post 3- Orange Shirt Day

http://www.orangeshirtday.org/

Hearing Phyllis Webstad speak to students in SD28 just over a week ago was inspirational. Hearing her read and share her story, listening to the students asking questions, and hearing about her hopes for Orange Shirt Day and the possibility of being a holiday with Jesus (Christmas) and a Queen (Victoria Day), was inspirational. If you haven’t already checked out this website, I highly recommend it, but if you ever have a chance to listen to Phyllis share her story, you do not want to miss out.

POST #3 – This Is Why Most Teachers Need Indigenous Coaches

A great article that focuses on the movement in which education is the key element in the call to action to support reconciliation. By incorporating Indigenous content and perspectives into classroom learning there is an expectation for investment in renewed relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators.

The article discusses how non-Indigenous teachers can move forward and go about this work in the best way.

https://theconversation.com/this-is-why-most-teachers-need-indigenous-coaches-82875

Module 3 Weblog – Laurie Campbell

At the beginning of Module 3, there was a question that guided much of my thinking as I worked my way through the course material. “Indigenous peoples are diverse, but they share the common experience of being colonized by western and imperialist powers. Can technology be useful in supporting Indigenous communities’ efforts to de-colonize values and thoughts?”

Many of my links have something to do with how technology may be useful to the First Nations people of Treaty 7 as they relate to the Catholic Church and the Calgary Catholic School System post-TRC (Truth and Reconciliation).

Blackfoot Language & Culture (3-year Program of Studies, Alberta Learning)

http://www.learnalberta.ca/ProgramOfStudy.aspx?lang=en&ProgramId=684282#

This site lays out the curriculum for the three-year high school Blackfoot language and culture program. It outlines the general and specific learner outcomes for all three courses. The curriculum was written in 1993 and unlike other language and culture programs in the Alberta, it contains sections on Community Services (drugs and alcohol abuse), Employment, and Social Responsibility. Within this website, there is no mention of who authored the curriculum, or whether these authors are themselves indigenous. Would the topics of study be different if this curriculum was written today? Interestingly, there is a section on native contributions to technology in the 30-level course.

Alberta Teachers’ Association – Indigenous Education and Walking Together

https://www.teachers.ab.ca/For%20Members/Professional%20Development/IndigenousEducationandWalkingTogether/Pages/WalkingTogether.aspx

This “Walking Together: Education for Reconciliation Professional Learning Project” is a site put together by the Alberta Teachers’ Association to “support teachers to increase capacity in foundational knowledge of First Nations, Metis and Inuit as outlines in Alberta Education’s new Teaching Quality Standard”. There are a number of workshops available as well as other resources available through the ATA library.

New Alberta Teaching Quality Standards (TQS)

https://education.alberta.ca/media/3739620/standardsdoc-tqs-_fa-web-2018-01-17.pdf

Being implemented this school year and next, the new Alberta TQS document outlines the responsibilities that Alberta teachers have in and out of the classroom. Now grouped into 6 main sections, this document outlines how teachers are expected to foster effective relationships, engage in career-long learning, demonstrate a professional body of knowledge, establish inclusive learning environments, adhere to legal frameworks and policies and most relevant to ETEC 521: Applying Foundational Knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit.

Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops – The Church in Canada and Indigenous Peoples

http://www.cccb.ca/site/eng/church-in-canada-and-world/catholic-church-in-canada/indigenous-peoples

This site points out that approximately 25% of all indigenous peoples in Canada identify themselves as Catholic. According to the 2011 Canadian Census, 39% of Canadians as a whole identified themselves as Roman Catholic (down from 45.3% in 1991). There is a short discussion of Catholic Missionaries from the 17^th to 19^th centuries, including a description of the evangelizing process as “uneven and limited.” “If there were bishops and missionaries championing aboriginal rights, there were also theologians and Church leaders defending colonial exploitation. While some missionaries attempted to protect and understand native cultures, others failed to value native beliefs and customs as seeds of the Word of God.”

The Digital Blackfoot Storytelling Project: Methodological Approaches to Child-Centred, Community-Driven Research

http://crytc.uwinnipeg.ca/index.php/2016/01/28/the-digital-blackfoot-storytelling-project-methodological-approaches-to-child-centred-community-driven-research/

I haven’t been able to find a link to the actual Digital Blackfoot Storytelling Project, yet. This site is an invitation to a public lecture by Dr. Erin Spring from the University of Lethbridge. It will be interesting to track this one down and see how technology was used in this case to tell Blackfoot stories.

Post 1 – Truth and Reconciliation in the Classroom

While researching Truth and Reconciliation in the classroom, I came upon this resource, focussing on the 94 calls to action. I found the variety of multimedia articles and interviews to be very engaging and helpful to support student understanding. Many of the videos on this website allow students to realize how our past history influences people today, and puts a face to the the history to create a more personal connection.

https://curio.ca/en/collection/beyond-94-truth-and-reconciliation-in-canada-2586/

Module 2 Entries

As the second module draws to a close, I find the time devoted to my cybertravelling is torn between pursuing sites that narrow the focus of topics relevant to my research proposal and the modules to date, and general exploration of authentic sites and sources that may be helpful for my classroom. This week’s selections may seem a little random and simplistic, but they will nevertheless suit my needs well for my classes.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4881203/

A literature review examining the prevalence and effects of social media and digital technology among Aboriginal youth in Australia. Published in the International Journal for Equity in Health, the review incorporates fairly recent data in a review featuring over forty references. Good for an reasonably quick, at-a-glance assessment for technology use among Aboriginal youth in Australia.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/joseph-boyden/article35881215/

My earlier posts have alluded to my interest in – and frustration with – using works by Joseph Boyden as authentic Indigenous texts in my classroom. This article from Eric Andrew-Gee in the Globe and Mail examines both Boyden’s Indigenous ancestry claims as well as issues of Indigenous identity in general. From the article:

But the real difficulty of answering the question [of Boyden’s ancestry] rests with the essential thorniness of coming to grips with Indigenous identity in a country that has spent centuries trying to warp and misconstrue the very concept.

This is the story of Joseph Boyden and his Indigenous identity – how it came about, how he has put it to use, and to what extent it can be credited. But it is also the story of that elusiveness – the story of how Boyden thrived by cultivating a quality that is painfully at the heart of so many quests for Indigenous blood and belonging and, in doing so, laid bare historic wounds that he had hoped to heal.

https://www.fraserbasin.bc.ca/_Library/Ab_NonAb_Relations/bridge_between_nations.pdf

Thoughts and comments from the last few weeks have also revolved around seeking resources that are both authentic, and relatively friendly to perspectives (like mine) that are still coming to terms with understanding First Nations’ experiences in a variety of contexts. I came across this document, “Bridge Between Nations: A History of First Nations in the Fraser River Basin,” published by The Fraser Basin Council. The document is an introduction to the lives, histories, and issues of these First Peoples, and is intended to “encourage greater communication, understanding, and respect between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal peoples.” It reads insightful and authentic, and appears to thoughtfully address the relevant concerns of the peoples it describes.

http://nctr.ca/assets/reports/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf

I had yet to read the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Report. As a part of my journey towards understanding, this primary source is essential.

#10

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/indigenous-language-inuktut-natan-obed-1.4168017

In my general browsing, I came across this article from 2017 that reports on the status of Bill S-212, “An Act for the advancement of the aboriginal languages of Canada and to recognize and respect aboriginal language rights.” The article outlines the status and need for protection of Aboriginal language amongst Inuit, Metis, and First Nations peoples throughout the country. A complete description of the Bill can be found at http://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/bill/S-212/first-reading . Reading this article reminded me of the Lorna Williams interview.

#11

http://nwejinan.com

I wanted to find at least one source that showcased authentic Indigenous voice amongst youth. “N’we Jinan is a non-profit organization that brings a mobile recording studio into schools and community centres across North America. The program is aimed to create an environment where youth can express themselves musically and creatively under the guidance of a professional music producer.” The organization has a significant presence on Youtube and Itunes, where videos and songs featuring various community youth and their projects can be found.

Module 1 Weblog – Laurie Campbell

1. The Endangered Languages Project

http://endangeredlanguages.com

In reading Bowers thoughts in week one, I was struck by his acknowledgement that “tribal leaders… see in the computer a means of revitalizing indigenous languages and preserving the traditional knowledge essential to tribal identity” (Bowes, 2000). I went looking for examples of this, especially for the Siksika language from my Treaty 7 area. Sure enough, I stumbled across The Endangered Languages Project, with a page of Siksika resources:

http://endangeredlanguages.com/lang/1677/guide

which included this little video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=197&v=4gqWBlT4j1s

Wouldn’t it be lovely if the YouTube translate feature could figure out Blackfoot!

References:

Bowers, C. A., Vasquez, M., & Roaf, M. (2000). Native people and the challenge of computers: Reservation schools, individualism, and consumerism. American Indian Quarterly, 24(2), 182-199.

2. Siksika Nation

http://siksikanation.com

The Siksika Nation website is a valuable resource for learning more about the Siksika and the Blackfoot Confederacy. There is information here about the chief and council, history and culture, news and upcoming events, and departments such as family services and justice. There is also a link to the Siksika Board of Education Website:

https://sites.google.com/SIKSIKABOARDOFEDUCATIOn.com/home

I love reading school newsletters. It’s a little window into what other students and teachers are experiencing.

3. KAIROS Blanket Exercise program

https://www.kairosblanketexercise.org/about/

This is an activity we did as professional development in our school, but there is a version available for many different audiences. Participants use blankets to represent land used 500 years ago and re-enact the consequences of events affecting First Nations peoples, including treaty-making, disease and residential schools.

4. Supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calgary Catholic School District Call to Action

https://www.cssd.ab.ca/Programs/ProgramSupports/FirstNationsMetisandInuitEducation/Documents/CCSDandTRC_CalltoAction.pdf

In reading Michael Marker’s paper from Week 2, I started thinking about how two people can recall the same event differently. He discussed the proceedings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and how Catholic clergy “…expressed deep resentments towards what they saw as the Commission’s emerging history of their schools; they saw it as incompatible with their order’s historical contributions to the survival and prosperity of natives peoples in Canada, and above all with their memories of what it was like participating in (and making personal sacrifices for) this project of human welfare” (Niezen, Truth and Indignation as quoted in Marker, 2015).

Priests and nuns involved in residential schools often saw themselves as doing the good work of the Catholic Church and believed that assimilation of aboriginal children was for their benefit, ignoring (or unaware of) alternative approaches being used south of the border.

Currently working for the Calgary Catholic School District, I am currently studying our board’s work with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. I’m wondering if this is a possible research interest for me in this course.

References:

Marker, M. (2015). Borders and the borderless Coast Salish: decolonizing historiographies of Indigenous schooling. History of Education: Journal of the History of Education Society, 1-23

5. Calgary Catholic Diocese of Calgary – Letter from former Bishop Frederick Henry on Residential Schools (2000).

http://www.calgarydiocese.ca/news-events/bishops-blog/residential-schools.html

Written back in 2000, before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Bishop Frederick Henry of the Calgary Catholic Diocese wrote an open letter discussing the Church’s role in aboriginal education from 1857 through the 20^th century. Specifically, he addresses lawsuits brought against the Anglican and Catholic churches by individuals who were sexually or physically abused in residential schools. He points out that it was a “church-state partnership…in which the government was the senior partner,” and that “[e]ssentially, the residential school system was a creature of the federal government even though the children in the schools were, in most cases in the immediate care of the churches” (Bishop Henry, 2000).

I would like to do some more research into the current position of the Calgary Catholic Diocese now that the first phase of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has been completed.