Tag Archives: Residential school

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 4 – Residential School Survivor Stories

This website provides stories of those individuals who were survivors in residential schools. These videos would be beneficial to share with your students as they are real stories from their time in these schools. Even though there are storybooks and videos that we can share with our students, having an individual speak about their trauma can have more of an impact, I believe. Even if you believe that your students are not ready to listen to these stories, it would be extremely beneficial for us, as educators, to listen to these real-life stories so that we can have a fuller picture of what exactly happened in these schools. These stories will allow us to understand the trauma that was faced during their time at these school, and to help us educate our students. I am not saying to tell their stories, as they are not our stories to tell, but to have more of an understanding so that we will be able to have deep conversations with our students to allow them to comprehend their Canadian history. Many of these videos were hard to listen to as their feelings are still extremely raw, however, it will be powerful for you to have a listen.

Module 3 – Post 1 – The Secret Path

 

Gord Downie’s The Secret Path is an animated film with music that visually describes Chanie Wenjack’s story escaping residential school. Chanie does not make it home as he dies while attempting to walk over 400 miles to his family. Depending on the students in your class, you could show this if you believe it to be suitable. From 2:38 – 46:12 this film can be shown all at once or in chapters depending on the age of the students and their ability to sit still. This film can show students the story and experience of one child who was forced into the residential school system. This film is even beneficial for adults who are unaware of what children faced during their time at residential schools. Lesson plans on The Secret Path film can help to engage students and teachers in Reconciliation.

This website has lesson plans for primary, intermediate, and high school students. For my classroom, I would use the two lesson plans (When We Are Alone and The Best Part of Me) as I usually teach Kindergarten and Grade 1. With these lessons, students do not have to watch the film if  you believe it would not be suitable for them, however, there are pictures that can be viewed instead or you could pause the film at any point to discuss what they see.

As well, in addition or even separate from watching the film, teachers could describe Chanie’s Life Journey through an interactive story map which describes who Chanie was, a short Heritage Minute of Chanie’s story by Historica Canada, an interactive map of where his home and school were, and clips from the The Secret Path film.

Additional information of The Secret Path can be found on this website.

MODULE 1-ENTRY 1: Remains of 215 children found buried at former B.C. residential school in Kamloops

Image source: CBC NEWs

Image source: CBC NEWs

 

“The news that remains were found at the former Kamloops residential school breaks my heart – it is a painful reminder of that dark and shameful chapter of our country’s history. I am thinking about everyone affected by this distressing news. We are here for you.”

– Justin Trudeau (2021, May 30th)-

 

Reference

Dickson, C, & Watson, B.(2021, May 27). Remains of 215 children found buried at former B.C. residential school, First Nation says. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/tk-eml%C3%BAps-te-secw%C3%A9pemc-215-children-former-kamloops-indian-residential-school-1.6043778

Module 2: Post 1 – Carolyn Roberts – Reconciliation

In this TED talk, Carolyn Roberts talks about some of the Indigenous history, culture, and how to move forward in Reconciliation.

Roberts discusses the history of her family and how her three sisters and her mom went to residential schools. Her mom is unable to speak any of the languages from where she is from as she was unable to practice her language. Her mother became so shut down that she has never hugged anyone in her life. This made me extremely sad because the residential school robbed her from everything and anything. Even though residential schools are not in session today, Roberts talks about how Indigenous children are still being taken from their families. I did not want to believe it to be true but it is happening TODAY. Indigenous children are being taken from their families and put into the FOSTER CARE system and being placed into non-Indigenous homes. Roberts was put into foster care once she was born. She states that “60% of the children in foster care are Indigenous children” (TED, 2018, 6:52). Wow. Indigenous children are STILL being taken from their families. Roberts also states that “50% of Indigenous people living on reserves live in poverty [and that] 60 reservations across Canada live in boil water advisory, some have been for over 20 years” (TED, 2018, 7:54).

Roberts tells us a story about a coyote searching for his bone needle. An owl comes down to help the coyote. Owl goes in the sky to see if he can find this bone needle but can’t. Owl asks coyote, who was searching near the fire, where he had it last and he points to the bushes which was away from where he was searching. Coyote was searching by the fire because that is the only place that the fire was providing him light to see. Roberts then says, “as Canadians, what we see by the fire are the effects of our colonial system and the effects we see are the alcoholism, the drug abuse, and all that the colonial system has done to our people. We are starting to see a little more language come back but that is the easy thing that we can see by the fire. What’s going to take courage and time is to look over by the bone needle by the bushes there is a thousand piece puzzle that is made up of all that has happened in order to get to where we are today, of what we see the effects of. If I were to go over to this puzzle and take just one piece of the puzzle out. That one small piece would be the residential school system. There are 999 other pieces to this puzzle that we still need to learn about, and that we still need to educate about in order to be able to move forward in Reconciliation” (TED, 2018, 10:30). This made so much sense and it makes me want to discover what else am I unaware of. It is time to get more educated about the other 999 pieces of this puzzle.

Reference

TED. (2018, March 20). Reconciliation in your community [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x0gIYhnCPA

Module 1: Post 5 – Gladys We Never Knew (10 lessons)

While exploring the BCTF website to see what they had on Indigenous Education, I came across Gladys We Never Knew: The Life of a Child in a BC Indian Residential School. This resource consists of ten lesson plans that educators can do with their students. These lessons will allow students to understand the life and story of this one Indigenous student’s life. Students will be able to understand who and why Gladys is important to us, traditional approaches, comparing Gladys’ and our life today, historical relationships, to connect to Gladys’ experience of going away to Residential school, what was faced at school for Gladys and other children, for students to appreciate their school experience from those who went to residential schools, to understand the importance of Dr. P. H. Bryce, to have students recognize when to speak up when something is wrong, to understand the injustices of the Indian Residential School system, and finally to understand the need for Reconciliation. I plan to use this lesson plan package in my classroom.

Module 1: Post 3 – Project of Heart

Source: Project of Heart (2015)

Project of Heart shares the hidden history of residential schools. It is important for us as educators to understand and share the truth about residential schools to students so that the healing can start and continue to be recognized. As a student growing up in Vancouver, I did not learn about residential schools until University. That is not OK. This has to and must change.

There is history that is shared, stories from elders describing their experience, and explaining the Project of Heart. This project allowed elders to come into schools to tell their experience of being in residential schools. Students were given wooden tiles to draw what they had learned, paid tribute to those children who had died, and to also honour those survivors. Those tiles were then collected to be used in a large piece of art which became a powerful healing piece. Tsleil-Waututh carver, Derrick George, created a canoe which was where those wooden titles were placed. This piece is called the Project of Heart Commemoration Canoe which can now be found in Alert Bay at the U’mista Cultural Centre. This piece is absolutely beautiful, touching, and powerful. Below is a screenshot from the PDF that is linked to this post.

Source: Project of Heart (2015)

This resource also discusses “heart gardens” for residential school survivors. This is a project that I believe all schools should be doing each year to honour survivors and to let the healing begin and continue on.

Teacher’s wear orange to bring awareness to Kamloops residential school

Module 2 – Entry 1 – Tyler Ohashi

This morning, I was reading CBC as I usually do and I read this article about school across BC are going to have their flags at hast mast from May 31 to June 4 and teachers are going to wear orange to help bring awareness to the atrocities that happened at a Kamloops residential school.

Image source: CBC News

The article was very impactful because it made me think of our responsibility as teachers to our students. We are a safe person for our students, someone they can come to if they need help, someone to look up to NOT someone they fear. I cannot imagine being fearful of school.

The horrors the students of these residential schools faced every day, left lifelong scares. Rich Joe, a member of the Chilliwack school district puts it like this,

“Joe’s traditional name is Skalúlalus and he is member of the Lil’wat Nation. He says he has family members who attended Kamloops Indian Residential School where the remains of 215 children were discovered this past week.

“I’m still dealing with it,” he said upon learning the news on Friday.

“I attended Indian Day School, so I’m a survivor as well and my grandmother attended that school … and I believe my grandfather did as well and I was devastated. I cried probably about 10 times yesterday.” (Pawson – CBC News, 2021).

Having found the remains of 215 children buried around the residential school in Kamloops residential school is a confirmation that students of this school had a real reason to fear school.

Hate is a strong word, but I hate that these students had to endure such a poor environment.

Reference:

Pawson, C. (2021, May 29). Teachers in B.C. to wear orange, hold special ceremonies over discovery of children’s remains | CBC News. CBCnews. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/teachers-in-b-c-to-wear-orange-hold-special-ceremonies-over-discovery-of-children-s-remains-1.6045964.