Author Archives: Jasmeet Hothi

M2, P5: Power of Words

In English Language Arts courses, we often discuss how important word choice is in getting our messages across effectively. The words we use reveal our intent and have the power to leave an impact on others. The same can be said when we use words to describe others or to address one another. Our Indigenous Ed. Department in our school district has created a website for us sharing helpful resources that we can embed in our teaching and share with our students. I came across a video the department posted about terminology and although it was meant for kids, I, an adult, felt it was helpful for me to understand as well. As someone who teaches Indigenous students, I should know what terms are to be used and what are instead imposed by others. This also aids in relationship building, which ties into the First Peoples Principle of Learning: Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place.

CBC Kids News. (2019, March 26). The word Indigenous explained [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CISeEFTsgDA&t=144s

M2, P4: Podcasts

“Say Hello” by Jeffrey is licensed under CC BY 2.0

I have shared a few podcasts in previous posts that I have listened to or come across on my journey towards learning more about Indigenous knowledge, cultures, and issues. However, while exploring if technology can be used meaningfully to support First Peoples Principles of Learning in my English Language Arts classroom, I started making connections about podcasts in my courses and how significant they can be to incorporate Indigenous voices through oral storytelling in ELA. Using podcasts can connect to the English Language Arts curricular competencies as well as the First Peoples Principles of Learning. The curricular competencies of Develop an awareness of the diversity within and across First peoples societies represented in oral texts and Recognize and appreciate the role of story narrative, and oral tradition in expressing First Peoples perspectives, values, beliefs, and points of view can be applied and can also allow students to share their own stories as well. Similarly, the First Peoples Principles of Learning: Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story and Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge are applied. This list of Indigenous podcasts on the IndigiNews website or varied. I have listened to 2 out of the 10 so far and am looking forward to the rest in order to grow in my own learning and aid in supporting my students in theirs.

Top Ten Indigenous Podcasts to Follow. (n.d.). IndigiNews. https://indiginews.com/okanagan/top-ten-indigenous-podcasts-to-follow

M2, P3: Strong Nations Online Bookshop

The website www.strongnations.com is an online bookstore offering various books by Indigenous authors. You can search by grade level, topic or subject, and territory. Strong Nations is Indigenous owned and operated and shares authentic books that deliver Canadian and Indigenous content. I think this a great resource for English teachers because of the various search categories that can help us find grade and theme related content, but it also allows us to find local connections where we can choose books from authors in our communities. We can then purchase for our school library and our classrooms. Additionally, many of us ask students to choose books for independent novel study or for reading at home, so this could be a website to suggest to students and their parents as well.

M2, P2: English First Peoples Resource Guide

The First Nations Education Steering Committee has created a English First Peoples (EFP) 10-12 Teacher Resource Guide (2018) to support implementation of BC’s EFP 10-12 curriculum. It is fairly new, updated from the previous 2008 and 2010 versions. Although our school does not offer these courses in 10, 11, or 12 currently, unfortunately, I think the resource guide is still something I can use within my ELA courses. The guide involves planning for instruction, such as information about First Peoples pedagogy and connections to the First Peoples Principles of Learning, dealing with sensitive topics, literature circles and much more, as well as themes and topics, text recommendations, and assessment units. It is a rich resource guide that offers a lot of learning for me as a non-indigenous educator.

English First Peoples Grade 10-12 Teacher Resource Guide. (2018> First Nations Education Steering Committee. http://www.fnesc.ca/learningfirstpeoples/efp/

M2, P1: Ethics of Storytelling

“Ethics” by masondan is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Dr. Regina McManigell Grijalva’s (2020) narrative analysis, “The Ethics of Storytelling: Indigenous Identity and the Death of Mangas Colaradas,” presents us with valuable information regarding the significance of ethics in storytelling. Grijalva uses the example of various retellings of the murder of Apache Chief Mangas Coloradas, comparing the dominant narratives to those from Indigenous peoples, such as the accounts from “Apaches who were there with him in the thick and thin of the many conflicts or who were part of the great chief’s band, clan, or family” (p. 46). Grijalva goes on to state that not only is it important where and who the stories are coming from, but that Indigenous peoples telling the stories have ethics to share their own history and identity as well. Overall, it is suggested that when it comes to telling Indigenous stories, “writers and readers be vigilant of the reasons, values, and actions involved in such storytelling” (p. 53).

These ideas tie well into The First Peoples Principle of Learning: Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story and Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and-or in certain situations. Stories can teach us many valuable things and they can provide voices to those who need their stories heard. At the same time, we must know for what reasons we share the stories and provide context. We must also understand what is okay to share and what is not. The Web has made it easier to find stories to share or to share our own, so we must do so with these ideas in mind. Grijalva states that the “potential for change in storytelling provides the impetus for teachers and students of writing to take care when listening to or telling stories” (p. 32). As storytelling is part of BC’s English Language Arts curriculum, both listening to/reading stories as well as creating/writing them; these ideas connect deeply to how we teach with stories in the classroom.

Grijalva, R. M. (2020). The ethics of storytelling: Indigenous identity and the death of Mangas Coloradas. College Composition and Communication, 72(1), 31-57.

M1, P5: Residential Schools and Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation

Note: Deeply sensitive and triggering content

This week we were reminded of the horrific treatment and genocide of Indigenous children by the Church and Government in Canada, when remains of 215 children were found at a former residential school located close to home, in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. I cannot find the words to express my anger and sadness with this and my heart and thoughts are with all of the survivors, families, and Indigenous communities who are having to deal with the trauma caused by our government.

I could not do a post this week without thinking about this and looking into resources to do with residential schools. I came across a three-part podcast series called Residential Schools hosted by Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais and created by Historica Canada. The podcasts share experiences by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. The stories they share are so vivid, personal, heart wrenching as well as triggering for many. This podcast series is part of a Residential Schools in Canada: History and Legacy Education Guide that I was able to find through the podcast. The guide includes activities, images, stories, and videos to discuss residential schools in Canada and lead to questions about our current education system, as well as what actions we are taking towards reconciliation.

I also looked into the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation website and exploring and discovering an abundance of information that I could learn from and hopefully then incorporate into my teaching. There are various reports available, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, educational resources by grades and various programs and events, such as Every Child Matters, and a memorial “to forever remember and honour the children who never returned home from residential schools.” There is still a lot I do not know about Truth and Reconciliation and I need to do better.

Schools are supposed to be one of the places children trust, but that is not always the case. As a teacher, I need to let my students know they are cared for, safe, and matter. Everyday.

Historica Canada. (2021). Residential Schools in Canada: History and Legacy Education Guide. Historica Canada. http://education.historicacanada.ca/en/tools/647

The Canadian Encyclopedia. (2020, Feb. 21). Residential Schools Podcast Series. The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/residential-schools-podcast-series

The Canadian Press. (2021, May 28). Remains of 251 children found at former residential school in British Columbia. APTN News. https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/remains-of-215-children-found-at-former-residential-school-in-british-columbia/

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. (2021). https://nctr.ca/

M1, P4: First Peoples Principles of Learning

I have been looking into the First Peoples Principles of Learning (FPPL) and if technology can support or play a role in exercising the principles in my classroom. Through the research process, I wanted to inquire more about what the principles really mean and I came across this valuable blog by Jo Chrona, a BC Educator and Curriculum Coordinator for the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) who is part of the Kitsumkalum First Nation and helped develop the English First Peoples 12 and the First Peoples Principles of Learning embedded within that course.

Though the blog is a couple of years old now, Jo Chrona shares with us valuable information, such as how the FPPL came to be and how they can be embedded within classrooms, as well as authentic resources and appropriation. There is also a professional development activity that goes into details of what the principles mean. I found this to be very helpful in understanding the principles and providing context.

Chrona, J. (2016). First Peoples Principles of Learning. https://firstpeoplesprinciplesoflearning.wordpress.com/

First Nations Education Steering Committee. (2021). First Peoples Principles of Learning. http://www.fnesc.ca/first-peoples-principles-of-learning/

M1, P3: The Importance of the Storyteller

I was on the phone with my Mom this week and after our usual check-ins—you know, the motherly inquiry into if I am eating and sleeping enough—she began giving me updates on what is going on in India with Covid. “Yes, I know, Mom,” I found myself cutting her off almost coldly as she told me the recent death count. My news feed via Social Media and Television has bombarded me everyday with painful stories about the effects of Covid felt all over the world, India being one of the deadliest at the moment. I just didn’t want to hear it anymore.

For my Mom, however, this was not another devastating story heard on the News. It was a very real experience some of her family is going through in her home country right now. She tells me about the fears from her sister-in-law from a village in Punjab and a friend in one of the major cities and suddenly the news doesn’t just seem like news anymore. I immediately feel guilty and begin to wonder about the people, their families and loved ones, and my heart hurts.

This experience made me start to wonder about how news is shared. News is often meant to be objective, information presented as facts. However, when we share and see the news as subjective experiences that allow us to feel for or with the person experiencing, the news become stories. As part of my research for this course, I decided to apply my reflection about media outlets and storytelling towards Indigenous news and experiences. I decided to look into Indigenous News channels online and see what I would find. I wanted to know if there were Indigenous networks telling their news from their perspectives. A quick Google search brought me to the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN). This is a Canadian network that has been around for almost 30 years! I will admit, I am embarrassed that I had not heard of it before. Going through the website, I see so many different shows and documentaries, and then I see a section called News. Upon click, I am taken to a new website: https://www.aptnnews.ca/

The APTN National News tells stories about current issues and news connected to Indigenous People and the stories are primarily told by reporters and journalists that are themselves Indigenous and/or have ties to Indigenous communities. When I click on British Columbia, the province I live in, I see news about First Nations people who were attacked by forestry workers on Vancouver Island, Indigenous Nurses Day stories, Indigenous language programs offered in BC, and more. APTN News also has an Instagram page: @aptnnews that shares the tagline, “our stories told our way”. I know that news is supposed to be unbiased and strictly facts but when you are dealing with an experience that someone is going through, you really do need that person to tell their own story or people with some relating knowledge, understanding or sensitivity to tell give it justice. This is especially important when we realize the current consequences of Canadian history written by colonizers and settlers. I wish I had found this source sooner but am thankful to now know it exists.

APTN. (2021). Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. https://www.aptn.ca/

M1, P2: The Marrow Thieves—A Must-Read!

A few years ago, I was introduced to the book called The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, which had just come out and was highly raved about. Someone who enjoys Sci-Fi books and someone who is always interested in reading Canadian and Indigenous works, I gave it a read. My mind was blown. Not only was this book engaging and intriguing in all aspects of a true dystopian novel, but it brilliantly touched on a more real aspect, our Canadian history and the treatment of Indigenous peoples. I loved it so much, I ordered a class set for our school and it is now one of the books we have at our school to teach with at Senior English levels. I have been teaching juniors and Digital Learning with the 9’s these past two years, so I have not been able to use it in my courses but I hope to do so next school year. Thus, I decided to look into some resources online that could support with this. I did find a few sites, but as someone who prefers to create her own activities and use the author’s views as guides, I found the CBC Books site to be helpful, primarily because of the interview with the author, Cherie Dimaline, as well as articles and videos.

Without giving too much away, this story imagines a world where people have lost the ability to dream and begin to hunt for the cure in the bone marrow of Indigenous people. Seems too dark to be possible, but we will see similarities to the dark past of our Canadian history. In addition to reading for your own engagement and knowledge, if you are a teacher, and are looking for ways to incorporate Indigenous content and Indigenous authors into your classroom, give this book and website a try!

CBC Books. (2017, July 07). The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/books/the-marrow-thieves-1.4195121

Dimaline, C. (2017). The Marrow Thieves. Cormorant Books.

M1, P1: All My Relations Podcast—A Must-Hear!

All My Relations Logo by @ArtByCiara

When the Covid pandemic began in 2020, I, like many others I am sure, found myself spending more time alone. To deal with the stress of the pandemic, I started going on nature walks and because I went for walks alone, I decided to start listening to podcasts as I walked through trails. Through listening to digital stories, I no longer felt alone. Instead, it felt as though I was listening to people tell me about their experience, their culture, their joy and their pain. I was engaged with the power of digital storytelling.

As I searched for which podcasts to listen to, I really wanted to learn stories about Indigenous people. There were a couple of reasons for this: First, I needed to hear about the experiences of Indigenous people from Indigenous people rather than the stories I have read by non-Indigenous people. Second, I really needed to educate myself on the issues that are important to Indigenous people so I can become more aware and sensitive as a non-Indigenous person. Third, through finding podcasts created and hosted by Indigenous people, I could also bring those digital stories into my English classroom. It is important for me to include diverse texts into my courses to illustrate diverse perspectives, rather than the current western or white-male dominated views we have in the stories available in the book rooms at our school.

When I found the All My Relations podcast through the Apple Podcasts app on my phone, I was intrigued by the name. I have heard this phrase many times and I will be honest that I wasn’t quite sure what it really meant (I have since gotten to understand it to mean that we are all connected). I gave this podcast a click to find out more. A quick read and scroll through the list enticed me to select one of the first podcasts “Native Mascots: Really, Still?” This podcast episode, through academic research, activists and psychologists and the hosts’ own experiences, really focussed on the harms that are caused by the imagery, stereotypes, and racist wording used by sports teams against Indigenous people. It was really disturbing to think that teams, like the Washington Football Team, using racial slurs aligned with a Native mascot would be deemed acceptable to have at all (let alone since 1960 and it not be removed until 2020)! After listening to this podcast, I felt very sheltered and naïve. I needed to increase my awareness, and I really needed to understand more. I clicked on the next episode and then the next.

This podcast is now into its third season, and it is still so powerful and engaging. The hosts, Matika Wilbur, Adrienne Keene, and Desi Small-Rodriguez are such intelligent and passionate Indigenous women who really care about Indigenous issues. They really make this podcast so powerful. They also make sure to bring in knowledgeable experts on the topics they cover and really make sure their voices and perspectives are heard. To give you some ideas on the topics covered, season 1 included topics such as Native appropriation, Indigenous feminism, food sovereignty, sacredness and more. Season 2 really introduced me to various Indigenous artists and activists and the current Season 3 has been diving into topics about love and protecting Indigenous women. I really encourage you to take a listen to this podcast.

Since starting this course, I decided to learn more about the podcast and its creators and hosts, hence adding this to the blog. Check out their website to learn more.

All My Relations Podcast (2019-present). All My Relations [Audio podcast]. https://www.allmyrelationspodcast.com/