I chose ‘Sixties Scoop’ and ‘foster care’ as keywords to search for educational history-related documents in British Columbia, where I currently live, and found the following collection:”

This collection helps us understand the educational history of the Indigenous foster care system, which was mandated by child welfare authorities for Indigenous families between 1965 and 1984. The first document provides an overview of the Sixties Scoop, starting with the definition of the term itself. The second document offers a deeper historical context through timelines, highlighting key historical moments and decisions leading up to today’s truth and reconciliation efforts.

These two documents illustrate how Indigenous children and families were represented and treated within the educational history of our region, and how government policies and authorities misinterpreted education—forcing children away from their languages, traditions, and communities in the name of education. I believe this collection holds significant value in understanding the history and role of education, offering deeper and broader historical, regional, and cultural perspectives on the teaching profession.

During my research, I was particularly interested in exploring how Indigenous children and families were misrepresented and treated in the context of education. After several attempts to find resources, I realized that I had been approaching the search by primarily viewing Indigenous people as victims. I then decided to change my keyword to survivors and discovered some insightful and meaningful Indigenous survivor voices, including a children’s book:

Written by a survivor of the Sixties Scoop, this book helps make foster care less frightening for young readers by addressing a range of emotions and encouraging them to find their voice. The book itself is a meaningful work that demonstrates the resilience of Indigenous survivors, actively contributing to truth and reconciliation by empowering young children.

Through this research, I realized that well-intended and carefully chosen keywords can significantly shape research outcomes. While it is crucial to address the experiences of victims, I also recognize the importance of acknowledging and uplifting the voices of survivors. In my role as a designer and developer of educational resources in higher education, I aim to shift the focus and emphasize this important aspect, inviting learners to engage in truth and reconciliation moving forward.