Category Archives: MODULE 4

Module 4: Post 3 – Kitchen Table Guide for Reconciliation Dialogue

An important part of land acknowledgements is understanding and working towards reconciliation. Reconciliation Canada has posted a Kitchen Table Guide for Reconciliation Dialogue that provides a step-by-step guide in facilitating tough but important and worthy conversations. The guide covers everything from dialogue guidelines and prep work to agendas and discussion/conversation starters. There is a Circle of Balance that I found particularly helpful in thinking about my own roles when it comes to not only being part of reconciliation but actively working towards it as an educator who has the power to bring these important issues to the forefront of my classroom community.

Link to PDF: Kitchen Table Guide for Reconciliation Dialogue

Module 4: Post 2 – A Guide to Land Acknowledgements

This website Native Governance Centre and this particular page on the site have helped me in my research topic tremendously. The site offers tips for creating a land acknowledgement statement that go beyond just wording, but stresses the importance of deeply understanding the why behind the acknowledgement as well as understanding that we must carefully approach this topic, look at the language we are using and put in the effort when creating a meaningful land acknowledgement. I appreciate this guide and the attention to detail because it helps settlers to this land make a first step towards reconciliation and authenticity with our relationships with Indigenous peoples.

Module 4: Post 1 – Whose Land?

The website called, “Whose Land” is a really informative and interactive place. It is similar to the site that I blogged about in module 1 called “Native Land”. They both have an interactive map of the land and highlight the Indigenous peoples that have been a part of that land since time immemorial. This site however also makes it easy to see all the treaties as well. For my research topic specifically on land acknowledgements, there is a section on why we should acknowledge the land as well as resources that I can draw from as a I work on writing my paper.

M4 P1

Indigenizing versus decolonizing the classroom

I found this week’s readings really interesting because it made me reflect about the difference between indigenizing and decolonizing an education system. In McGregor’s reading, it’s evident that Nunavut’s education system has been decolonized as it has been designed by and for Inuit communities. However, in Nichol et al.’s reading, there has been a lot of thought in incorporating Indigenous ways of teaching and knowing, however it’s clear that the system the teachers are working within is still a colonized, western system that has time constraints, exams etc. I have struggled for many years now feeling like I’m not doing enough and that I haven’t decolonized my classroom yet. After reflecting on this week’s readings, I looked at the curriculum for one of the courses I’m teaching this semester (which I’ve linked below) and there is only one bullet point which reflects on integrating anything Indigenous into the curriculum. The bullet point states : Identify and analyze cultural values and symbols in Aboriginal and other texts. It’s challenging to decolonize a classroom, when the system itself does not prioritize decolonizing. Yes, they are trying to indigenize, however there needs to be a systemic shift for it to be completely decolonized. I think I need to remind myself of this on days when I’m feeling defeated.

https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/fral/9/core