Tag Archives: reconciliation

Mod 4, Post 2 – Ignored to death – Brian Sinclair

This is the second story (or might have been the first one, I can’t remember) that sparked my interest in learning more about discrimination and racism in health care and how this happens.  While I’m not an emergency room nurse, and never have been, I still find it disheartening that this still happens in today’s world. It’s disgusting and discouraging.  It wasn’t even a health care professional that discovered this man dead in the waiting room chairs, it was a visitor.

His death was so easily preventable, if only someone had actually assessed him or even spoken to him to find out why he was there, instead of just making erroneous assumptions.

It is especially discouraging to hear that this happened in an area that services a large population of Indigenous people. Is this assumption so ingrained in our system that this can happen, and continues to happen? Unfortunately, this is a story that continues to happen even today.

 

Geary, A. (2017, September 18). Ignored to death: Brian Sinclair’s death caused by racism, inquest inadequate, group says. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-brian-sinclair-report-1.4295996

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-brian-sinclair-report-1.4295996

 

Mod 3, Post 5: In plain sight

This document, In plain sight: Addressing Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination in BC health care is an important document that all health care providers in BC should read, and should be expanded for use in the rest of Canada. There is a content warning at the beginning that the document may contain subjects that could trigger an emotional response in people, as well as some resources for people so affected.

This is a message of hope, in that this has happened and continues to happen, but there are things that can be done to educate and inform all health care professionals.

I also like the way the introduction discusses ‘willful ignorance’.  This concept is prevalent through our society today.  There is so much available out there to listen to, to hear, and try to understand, that there is really no excuse to not be educated about Indigenous issues and context.

This report is a right step – if only it could be more emphasized in main stream health care and with all health care professionals. Making it easier to find and more pronounced on the bc gov website would be a further step forward.

 

White-Hill, E., & desLibris – Documents. (2021). In plain sight: Addressing indigenous-specific racism and discrimination in B.C. health care. Camosun College

https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/613/2020/11/In-Plain-Sight-Summary-Report.pdf

Module 3: Post 3 – First Peoples: A guide for newcomers

The city of Vancouver has various documents that outline many of the resources and services that can be found in Vancouver.  From Parks and Recreation to City Council to Housing to Businesses, there is a wide gamut of information available. This booklet was developed by the city of Vancouver for new immigrants and people new to Canada.

While I don’t know the second author, Jane Henderson, I am familiar with Kori Wilson. Kori is an Indigenous lawyer living on the Musqeum reserve in Vancouver.  She has a wealth of knowledge about many things Indigenous, the colonizer history in British Columbia and Canada and has family members who are residential school survivors.  She knows what she is talking about, and I am glad that she authored this booklet with the City of Vancouver, so it is imbued with her Indigenous perspective.  It is informative, though I’m not sure how the information is received by newcomers to BC.  It is a pdf document buried on the City of Vancouver website, and is not immediately apparent when looking at the website. It should be featured more prominently on the website and be easier to access.  You have to have a certain amount of knowledge to be able to research (in English) and find the document on the website.  There is also the literacy factor that requires a certain level of reading and comprehension, again in English, to understand the information presented.  There is a great ‘myths vs facts’ section, but again, if it’s not accessible on the website, the information gets lost.

It is an interesting read, for sure!

 

 

Wilson, K., & Henderson, J. (2013, March 3). First peoples: A guide for newcomers. Vancouver.Ca. https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/First-Peoples-A-Guide-for-Newcomers.pdf

//vancouver.ca

MODULE 4-ENTRY 5: Revitalizing Indigenous languages is key to reconciliation

Revitalizing Indigenous languages is key to reconciliation

This article points out in many ways why Canadian indegenous languages are disappearing. Based on these reflections and checks, the government is preparing various legal policies to revitalize indigenous languages at the government level as well as calling for reconsideration of the current government’s approach to legislation and policy thinking. The article emphasizes that Prime Minister Trudeau should faithfully fulfill his commitment to financial support for the revitalization of indigenous languages.

 

M4, P5: The Role Educators Play Towards Reconciliation

The First Peoples Principle of Learning, “Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge” highlights the importance of us as educators making sure we educate ourselves first when it comes to Indigenous knowledge before trying to integrate Indigenous perspectives and content in our teaching practices. Jo Chrona (2016), who is the Curriculum Manager for the First Nations Education Steering Committee, when explaining the significance of this principle, states that there needs to be a “willingness of educators to see themselves as learners, and seek to develop their own understandings first.” I think taking this course, for me, is one way I can do that, as well as through my own research, but that is not enough. I realize this learning continues. I found that there is a free 6-week MOOC available through UBC on Reconciliation through Indigenous Education, which seems to offer much value through the course description. I see there are also similar courses offered at other universities in Canada as well.

Have any of you taken this course or a similar MOOC—if so, how did you find it?

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

Reconciliation through Indigenous Education. (2021). Reconciliation MOOC. UBC. https://pdce.educ.ubc.ca/reconciliation/

Module 4 – Post 4 – Reconciliation Activities for Children

This resource provides reconciliation activities for children that educators can do with their class. This guide starts off with introducing reconciliation, the definition, how to learn from Indigenous people, some protocols for inviting Elders into the classroom, how to communicate with parents, a sample letter for educators to send home to parents, and the activity outline that has five activities.

The five activities that are provided in this resource are the medicine wheel, the blanket exercise, memories, keeping promises, and Shannon’s dream. I like how these activities are laid out with an introduction, objectives, information about the activity and why it is important, what the teacher needs to prepare for the activity, alternatives to the activity and how to do it, and even a handout to send to parents. These would be excellent activities to do with my Kindergarten class as they would be able to learn about reconciliation, residential schools, Indigenous spirituality and culture, the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, learning about treaties, and about the inequalities in education.

Module 4 – Post 3 – Honouring Indigenous Languages

This is such a great resource for honouring Indigenous languages. In this guide, educators can share some Indigenous languages such as Cree, Inuktitut, Lunaapeew, Michif, Mohawk, Ojibwe, and Oji-Cree. For each language, the guide tells you what the word or phrase is in English, then the Indigenous language, along with the pronunciation. The words and phrases that are taught in these languages are welcome, hello, goodbye, thank you, I’m sorry, how are you?, let’s play, and my name is.

This is such a great resource as it allows educators, such as myself, to help revitalize Indigenous languages that have been lost. We can have a significant role in reconciliation and it can be as simple as teaching our students how to say these words and phrases in Indigenous languages. It would also be very powerful for educators to invite Elders in to speak and share their Indigenous language.

I will definitely be implementing this tool into the classroom in the fall. Below is an example of how we can honour the Cree language.

Module 4 – Post 2 – COPA’s 10 Short Animated Films

COPA’s 10 short animated films are used to help educators start conversations with their students, other educators, and their communities. These films have been modified and adapted from COPA’s A Circle of Caring project with images and content that was guided by Indigenous educators and peoples. They are for educators, schools, and families.

The ten short films focus on a variety of subjects and are titled as cultural pride, equity and diversity in schools and communities, safe/inclusive/accepting schools, nurturing kindness and empathy, positive role modelling, believing in children’s success, a telephone call from school, storytelling and reading with our children, everyday success at home, creating a space for study, working together and learning from each other, parent-teacher meeting, joining school council, supporting and not blaming, listening carefully, problem-solving together, bullying hurts, support for a child who is being bulled, who has witnessed bullying, who is bullying others, and approaching the school.

I really appreciate how these short films are offered in 8 languages (English, Cree, Inuktitut, Michif, Mohawk, Ojibway, Oji-Cree, and Oneida). It would also be powerful to play these films in a language other than English. This would allow students to learn words in one of seven Indigenous languages that are provided. Beside each video, there is a guide for educators to use to help with follow up questions after watching each film.

I absolutely love how this film guide from COPA’s short animated films provides the cast of characters and supplies a short write up about them. Below are screenshots from the guide. I would definitely be using these short films in the classroom with my Kindergarten students. In this guide, there are all the lesson guides that go with each of the short films.

Module 4 – Post 1 – Joining the Circle: Guide for Educators

Joining the Circle is a guide for educators that can used for students and educators of all ages; to increase the “confidence and sensitivity in education practices” to aid in facilitating the growth of Metis, Inuit, and First Nations students; to introduce schools and communities to the languages, history, perspectives, and culture of  Metis, Inuit, and First Nations; and to “support our individual capacity and help create systemic change for safe, strong and free school communities with and for Indigenous students and families” (COPA, 2016, p. 9). This guide discusses the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the Indigenous Education Strategy, the role as an educator, describes Metis, Inuit, and First Nations peoples, and the terminology that is used throughout this guide.

This guide focuses on the barriers faced by Metis, Inuit, and First Nations. Some barriers that are faced are their culture and identity, spoken language, their spirituality, the contributions they made to Canada (aka: Kanata), land, treaties, relocations, the Indian Act, Residential Schools, intergenerational trauma, racism and discrimination in students’ lives, racism and bullying, suicide, lateral violence, internalized racism, the missing and murdered indigenous women, marginalization, Indigenous youth and children that are in care, students had to study away from their home, working in reserve communities, and children having parents in prison. Yes, there are TONS of barriers faced by Indigenous peoples. It is not only residential schools.

This is such a good read for educators to educate themselves and to also find a starting point for teaching students about the different barriers faced by Indigenous peoples.

Reference

COPA. (2016). Joining the circle: Guide for educators. Retrieved from http://copahabitat.ca/sites/default/files/educatorsguide_en.pdf

Module 3 – Post 5 – Reconciliation Garden

The Reconciliation Garden can help promote and encourage an understanding of the significance of place and connection to this country, alone with knowledge around native plants and bush food. This could be a reconciliation project that the entire school could become apart. Student would be able to understand the value in collaboration in achieving an outcome, like this project. As well, students would get to understand environmental importances, along with the place in shaping stories, histories, and identities. Three inquiry questions that come with this project would be “How can each student help out with completing the reconciliation garden? What can we learn from our reconciliation garden about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures? How can we use the reconciliation garden as a place for ongoing learning once it is built?”

With a project like this, I like how you can do a KWL chart where teachers can see how much the students actually know about reconciliation. First, teachers would check in to see what they know and why reconciliation is important, then how they feel about it and how reconciliation can be part of their story, and finally what they could do to make reconciliation better and how we can get involved.

You can learn more about this project by going to this website, however you will have to sign up to gain access. It is free though! I have to add that it is also from Australia which is still fine as we could try to do something like this in our schools.

If interested, there are tons more projects, learning resources, and lessons that can be found here from early learning all the way up to secondary students.