Tag Archives: stories

Module 3 – Post 3 – Truth and Reconciliation

I came across this article that focuses on truth and reconciliation from K-12. This article discusses how teachers can become an ally. There were a couple of things that stood out to me. Firstly, I thought it was extremely useful and helpful that there was a complete list of books from K-12 that teachers can use and read in their classrooms to teach students about reconciliation. I appreciate that there are two books for each grade, however I wish there were more than just two. Hopefully in the near future there will be tons more books available that we can use in the classroom. Below are the books for primary classes.

Another section of this article that grabbed my attention was The Sacred Circle. This circle could help educators learn how to become an ally through the spiritual, physical, emotional, and intellectual teaching. According to this article by Dr. Pamela Rose Toulouse (2018),

“The spiritual invites the educator to examine all the opportunities that their lessons, field trips and experiential learning activities offer to link students to each other, their communities and the globe. This aspect of holism in teaching/learning places emphasis on activities that develop deep and meaningful connections with a purpose “greater than the self.”
The physical refers to the classroom space/s where learning takes place and encourages differentiated practices outdoors and in the community. This aspect of holism encourages teaching/learning at sites that make connections to local events, people, places and movements
The emotional concerns the inclusion of Elders, Métis Senators, Cultural Resource People, families and non-human experiences as foundational to the classroom and school year. This aspect of holism values the knowledge that “other teachers” bring to the shared world of education.
The intellectual refers to the provincial/territorial mandated curriculum that the educator is entrusted with delivering to the students. This aspect of holism calls upon the educator to factor in inquiry, curiosity and differentiated evaluation as critical to meaningful student experiences in school” (para. 12).

The more we know, the more we can do. It starts with us, as educators, to have a role to play in this learning process and journey towards truth and reconciliation.

Module 2: Post 4 – Thalit Sqwelqwel Stories of Truth

Thalit Sqwelqwel Stories of Truth has teacher resources from K-12. Since I teach primary students, I wanted to focus on resources suitable for K-3 students . There are four sections: Xwexwa’ls Xwe’Ilsolem precontact, Staleta Skwul Residental Schools, Shxwyayametel Reconciliation, and Shxwi’Aylexw Saliwes Worldviews.

When you click Xwexwa’ls Xwe’Ilsolem precontact there are areas that educators can explore with their classroom. In this section there is the Skwolkwelt Sememlat anchor resources, Kwoles Ye Selyolexwe elder’s corner, and the Lhe’a Kw’e Slilsleqalqel tour. In this area, there is an inquiry question (What are the many ways we can acknowledge the history and knowledge of the land pre-contact and work to share the knowledge with each other?) that educators can pose to their students and open the floor for discussion. Then there are videos of storytelling that can be watched, audios that can be heard, and a visual tour of Lhe’a Kw’e Slilsleqalqel. There are also five digital resources that teachers can use to to learn about different Indigenous cultures.

When you click Staleta Skwul Residental Schools, there are also anchor resources, an elder’s corner, and a tour. Educators can learn and teacher their students about residential schools by starting with an inquiry question (What are the many ways we can acknowledge Mission’s own part in the residential school experience by giving voice to our Elders and members of our community?), using lesson plans that are provided, listening to an elder’s experience at residential schools, and then there is a tour of a residential school.

When you click Shxwyayametel Reconciliation, there are anchor resources and an elder’s corner. The inquiry question in this area is What are authentic ways we can honour the reconciliation process in our hearts, thoughts and deeds? Students can then watch videos of students who participated in acts of Reconciliation at a site of a residential school. There are also lesson plans that teachers can use for Orange Shirt Day for K-12 students. Then in the elder’s corner, an elder discusses how Reconciliation occurs today and how Sq’ewlets are learning about their history, their own people, and their significance to the Sto:lo People.

 

Finally, when you click Shxwi’Aylexw Saliwes Worldviews, there are anchor resources and the elder’s corner. The inquiry question is How can our exploration of Aboriginal values across the globe promote change and create a positive learning environment for ourselves, our students, our families and our land? Teachers can show their students two videos: one is a documentary of Sto:lo Peoples in the past and present and the Seven Sacred Teachings. In the elder’s corner, elder’s share their stories, knowledge, and advice with youth.

This resource would be a great addition to add to the content I teach students each year.

Module 2: Post 2 – Cultural Videos

While exploring more about Carolyn Roberts, I discovered some cultural videos on her website. These cultural videos can provide educators with resources that come straight from different Indigenous communities. It can be hard sometimes to get elders to come into the classroom and speak to the class. However, by having access to local cultures, it can be easy to share it with your students. On this website, you will find stories told from different nations, cedar hat weaving, canoe pulling, etc. There are also videos from Indigenous elders that touch on many topics, such as displacement, carving, the river, cultural knowledge, plants, canoes, fish smoking, hunting, environmental impacts, and cedar harvesting. These videos would allow educators and students to learn straight from different Indigenous cultures, providing an authentic opportunity to be present in your classroom.

Source: https://www.carolynroberts.net/cultural-videos

 

M2 P1: Are myths really myths?

I found this video on YouTube and was intrigued by the title.  She presents the point about researchers who only talk with aboriginal people as information givers, not as experts themselves. The story she talks about really illustrates the point that the knowledge that is sought is there in the people that have been living on the land for 50, 000 years. We just need to listen, not just ask questions to elicit information, but just listen to the stories, legends and place based knowledge of the people who know it best, and that most myths and legends do have a basis in fact.

 

Koolmatrie, J. [TEDxAdelaide]. (2018, January 26). The myth of aboriginal stories being myths [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/aUIgkbExn6I

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 4 – Authentic Indigenous Voices

Are you a fan of CBCs Cross Country Checkup? You may recall a lively conversation they had a few years back about treaties, reconciliation and Indigenous history in Canada (CBC, 2017). There’s concern about Indigenous knowledge being lost and many myths are out there about Indigenous people. It is important that authentic Indigenous voices be heard. One way of doing this is by bringing guest speakers into the classroom. They need the opportunities to share their stories. As an educator, I briefly touched on Indigenous history in class. The conversation was very superficial and lacked meaning. Fortunately we had a wonderful guest speaker join us who was able to make the history come alive. Suddenly the knowledge had more meaning and purpose.

Reference:

CBC. (2017 April, 26). Treaties, reconciliation and Indigenous history in Canada [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9KJM3pjvKg