I wanted to draw your attention to this particular article, however, because I have yet to find a elementary/high school resource that covers the same material (though perhaps my Western Canadian readers know of some) and because I found it full of important information.

The Slaughter of the Bison and the Reversal of Fortunes on the Great Plains is written by Feir, Gillezeau, & Jones who are associated with the Economics department at the University of Victoria.

What I found useful:

The Abstract, Introduction, Background, and Conclusion sections which specifically highlight:

• Some information about the ways which First Nations peoples hunted the Bison, how different parts of the animal were used, how this process contributed into how their societies were organized, and the impact on their health and standard of living.

  • For instance, the paper states “Historical and anthropometric evidence suggests that these bison-dependent societies were once the richest in North America, with living standards comparable or better than their average European contemporaries” (p. 1). That is not a fact that I feel is well known. I find that the assumption that Indigenous peoples were just surviving on the Plains is often used as an argument in favor of colonization.

• A well-researched historical record of the different factors which led to the decline of Bison populations in North America after Europeans arrived.

• The impact the relative wealth of Indigenous peoples who were fully or partially dependent on the Bison for their livelihood, into the present time.

• A decent analysis of the compounding circumstances which have prevented these First Nations from succeeding economically including government sanctions, restrictions on freedoms, etc.

If you teach history or economics in High School, this article is a natural fit. If you do not, but think some of the information might be useful for your teaching, I suggest diving in and skimming through any parts that are irrelevant to you and your students.

Let me know what you think!

The Four Volumes

The Atlas is split into four volumes, one each for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit, and a slightly larger volume which contains maps and general information.

These maps of what we now call Canada cover Indigenous languages, Treaties and unsettled land claims, First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities, and Residential Schools among other markers. Seeing all this information compiled helped me to finally piece together knowledge I had gained from other sources and make connections I had missed. I forgot how much I love maps and atlases!

The volume also contains a large section about Terminology, and information about Residential Schools and Truth and Reconciliation, including well-organized timelines to keep track of important dates.

My personal favorite component is the essay “De-Indigenizing and Re-Indigenizing Our Territory by Metis scholar Adam Gaudry who writes about the political nature of mapping, how mapping has been weaponized against Indigenous peoples, and the importance of re-drawing maps to recognize Indigenous ways of knowing. I love speaking with students about the critical questions about power and how it can be communicated through things we might otherwise think are neutral like laws, place names, historic sites, and maps.

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis

The volumes on First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples are so full of information that I still have not read them right to the end. They each cover a wide variety of topics in articles by prominent writers, storytellers, scholars, and knowledge holders from those Nations, as well as contain timelines, terminology, and images. I think they are a perfect resource for students to turn to for accurate information - I can just imagine the variety of future inquiry and research projects which use them as a foundational text!

As an instructor, I feel particular drawn to the volumes on the Métis and Inuit peoples because I have been exposed to more resources focused on First Nations. It is amazing to have this amount of information that I trust in one place. I highly recommend that you consider purchasing a copy for your library, your classroom, or your own personal collection!

I can understand this fear. Two weeks ago I was asked by The Mabin School to speak to grade 6 students about privilege and intersectionality, and I was definitely nervous about whether they would be able to grasp the concepts I was sharing, and whether they would find them interesting and relevant. Even though I worked hard to plan a lesson with a variety of engagement strategies and included a compelling “hook” at the beginning, I still felt tremendous relief when the students latched on to the material and dug in deep. (A huge thank you to the folks at Mabin for inviting me in and for recognizing the importance of this work in your school!)

What I learned from that experience and other educators that I have worked with is that, the fear or resistance I feel most often does not correspond to the reality of what my students are interested in and capable of. I personally find that my fear is highest when I am speaking about a topic I never learned about when I was in elementary or high school, which I know is true for many of us when it comes to accurate content about Indigenous peoples, communities and histories. I have also learned that if the students do not immediately see the relevance to a topic, it is up to me as educators to not declare it unsuccessful, but rather to find a way in that my group finds meaningful.

Sometimes, the way in is as simple as sharing the news with students, and letting them take the lead. A few weeks ago I posted about the situation in Kashechewan First Nation where the young people are calling for the government to build a proper elementary school building in their community. A week later I received an email from Emily Brotman, who was looking for a way to make Orange Shirt Day more meaningful to her students and decided this story was the answer.

After reading my post, Emily brought information about Kashechewan into her grade 7 classroom and shared the following about her students:

“I could tell they were really affected by what they heard/read, sensed the immediacy of the situation, and felt connected to what was happening to their peers in Kashechewan.”

The students took up the cause by writing letters to the Prime Minister and their local Members of Parliament, letters which Emily then received permission for me to share from parents and the Vice Principal of the Alexander Muir/Gladstone Avenue School in Toronto. Thank you to Kaitlyn, Maurice, Marco, Livia, Sam, Moonnina, Giovanna, Simon, Ruby, Georgia, and all of Emily’s amazing grade 7 students for your advocacy and for connecting this issue to the concept of privilege and power! I hope by sharing your letters here you inspire others to take action!

I invite you to take a few minutes and scroll through their letters below!

Prior to their visit to the Capital, MP Charlie Angus went to the community to raise awareness about the situation. On his Twitter account he posted images and video from the community, exposing the conditions in the temporary portables. If you fast forward to two minutes into the video below, you can see Mr. Angus inspect the foundations of the portables.

This video was posted by Charlie Angus on YouTube., September 14, 2018

On September 17th, two busloads of young people arrived in Ottawa to speak to members of the government including Minister of Indigenous Services Jane Philpott. They also spoke to the media and held a rally on Parliament Hill.

A temporary solution is now in place where the 400 elementary students will now use space in the high school (which houses an additional 200 students) in shifts. However, the people of Kashechewan still want a proper elementary school building for their young people.

This week as I was teaching about Residential Schools, my teacher candidates stated over and over “we can never let this happen again in the future.” To me, the horrible conditions found in many schools located on reserve, and the persistent under funding of First Nations education is absolutely a continuation of the devaluing of Indigenous people through schooling in the PRESENT. This week, I am going to share these resources with my students, and challenge them to think of practical ways they can contribute to raising awareness of this issue. I hope you might join me in spreading the word in your schools and classrooms.

You can find out more about the situation in Kashechewan using the following links:

Kashechewan students travel to Ottawa with message for government (APTN)

I want to be treated like other kids in Canada (CBC KIDS NEWS)

Kashechewan kids lobby Ontario for new school (CBC)

Kashechewan Chiefs declares status of emergency as school portables deemed unsafe for students (CBC)

You can find out more about the history of Kashechewan First Nation at the following links:

Kashechewan First Nation (Wikipedia)

What you need to know about Kashechewan (CTV)

Inside Kashechewan (The Walrus)

Produced by Canada's History Magazine, this issue employed a number of Indigenous authors and artists, and was guest edited by Cynthia Bird (Wabi Benais Mistatim Equay) of Peguis First Nation who works with the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba. 

It begins by exploring the different understandings of treaty held by First Nations and Settler peoples. It then goes on to explain the different eras of treaty making, beginning with a great description of the Royal Proclamation of 1763. I appreciated the graphic-novel feeling of this issue, and think that many students will relate to its content.

Funding for the project came from the Government of Canada, the Hudson's Bay Company, and TD Bank.

I mention this because, while I appreciate this resource and am excited to share it with you, I do think it contains some limitations that we can think critically about with our students, and which shed light on what types of additional resources we also need to consult. 

Here are some limitations/invitations to further research that I found:

(1) The magazine focuses on the relationship between First Nations and Settlers, and includes little to no mention of pre-contact treaties made between Indigenous Nations. I think it is important to learn about pre-contact treaties because they shed light on Indigenous diplomacy and to many Indigenous people, still apply and inform their relationship to each other and the land they were enacted upon. 

(2)The early images in the magazine are beautiful, but feel stereotypical to me in that they depict pre-contact Indigenous peoples as indistinguishable from one another,  and engaged in simple activities. Contrast that with the first image of a Settler, King George III on page 7, who appears in full royal dress. How can we create a full and complex picture for our students of Indigenous Nations prior to Europeans arriving on Turtle Island?

(3) Finally, I'm concerned that in some places, the text reinforces old narratives and glosses over important details about how the Settlers and later the Canadian government treated First Nations people, including during treaty making.

For instance, consider this summary statement on page 11 about relations prior to 1812

"First Nations were important partners in business and war. They taught the European newcomers how to hunt, fish and survive." 

What I feel is missing here is at least some indication of the violence of colonization prior to 1812. I and many educators I know have explored this information with students as young as grade 3/4, with great results.

There is also no mention of the trickery carried out by representatives of the Canadian government during treaty making. Some of this activity is described in Alanis Obomsawin’s documentary Trick or Treaty which focuses on Treaty 9. You can view it for free at the National Film Board website.

I also wondered at this statement on page 13:

"As the bison disappeared due to overhunting and his people began to starve, he (Chief Mistahimaskwa)  finally agreed to the Treaty in 1882 and his people settled on reserve land in Saskatchewan."

While I understand space must have been limited, this glosses over the impact the presence of Settlers had made on the Cree, including the introduction of alcohol, disease, and the fur trade, which then precipitated the overhunting and led to starvation. It also oversimplifies the resistance of Chief Mistahimaskwa (Big Bear) and his clashes with the North West Mounted Police.

There is great information in this version of Kayak Magazine, and I hope you will consider using it as one resource about treaties. I also hope you will consider exploring other resources with your students in order to develop their critical thinking about the treaty making process. For more information on this topic, see my post from last May about teaching treaties.

What if parents object to me teaching about Indigenous topics?

Despite what some may assume, this question is not just on the minds of  teachers who find themselves in rural or remote contexts. I have also been asked this question by teachers from neighborhoods across the city of Toronto and other urban centres. I should note that I have only heard of one instance in the past year where a group of parents came together to vocally oppose teaching about Indigenous communities and perspectives on histories and current events. 

I can empathize with fears you may have about teaching Indigenous content. They seem similar to the fears many teacher candidates express to me about teaching any issue that fall under the umbrella of social justice. The question that propels me forward in this work is: 

How do we weigh the (potential) objections of parents against our responsibility as teachers to educate against the racism and systemic injustice faced by Indigenous people in our society? 

I worry that by staying silent due to concern about parent objections will delay justice, and continue to implicate the education system in the harm done against Indigenous people. By finding ways to educate students, I  believe that this generation of educators will be helping to ensure that the next generation does not face such backlash, perceived or real.

The following quotation below from Justice Murray Sinclair helped me to understand what is at the root of the issue: 

"This is a Canadian problem. Because at the same time that aboriginal people were being demeaned in the schools and their culture and language were being taken away from them and they were being told that they were inferior, they were pagans, that they were heathens and savages and that they were unworthy of being respected — that very same message was being given to the non-aboriginal children in the public schools as well."

 – Justice Murray Sinclair quoted in the Ottawa Citizen

Whether families have been here for many generations or are newcomers to this land, the majority of people in our school community have been under-educated and mis-educated about Indigenous peoples. As educators in the system that has perpetuated this, I think we need to extend what we view as our responsibility towards public education on this topic. 

The question I encourage you and your school community to explore is:  

How can we bring parents and the greater school community into this learning?

If you find you are concerned about parent reaction to the extent that is preventing you from deepening your teaching about Indigenous perspectives, I urge you to reach out for support and to find other allies. Which of your colleagues are also interested in this work? Which administrators, board consultants, or coaches might be able to provide support? 

Here are other questions that I urge folks to ask themselves as they approach this work:

- How can I use the curriculum and other policy documents to support my teaching of this content? 

- What other key documents like the TRC's Calls to Action or the Ontario Human Rights Code or the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples support my teaching?

The good news is that with the release of the newest version of the Social Studies and History curriculum, and the latest policies coming from the Ontario Ministry of Education, not to mention new policies and curriculum documents emerging across Canada, there is now more than ever plenty to support your efforts in this teaching. 

Wanting more support? Get in contact to learn more about my coaching practice to see if it's a fit for you! 

Call to Action 62 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission singles out treaties specifically when laying out next steps towards Education for Reconciliation:

 62. We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, in consultation and collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal peoples, and educators, to: i. Make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for Kindergarten to Grade Twelve students.

I have collected a few resources appropriate for use with your students. However, before we jump to the how, I think its important to reflect on another question, WHY should we teach about treaties?

For me, the answer to that question lies in the understanding of the foundation treaties created for our current understanding of Canada and in the injustices against Indigenous peoples perpetuated by the crown and later the government of Canada that occurred while treaties were being negotiated and signed. Injustices which continue today as Indigenous peoples and those allied with them argue that the spirit and intent of the treaties are not being honoured by the government. 

Starting points to ground our teaching

(1) There are many different ways to categorize treaties, including those made between Indigenous Nations pre- and post-contact, and those made between Indigenous Nations and Settler people pre- and post-Confederation. 

(2) In the Royal Proclamation of 1763, Indigenous Nations were recognized as sovereign on this land, meaning that treaties are nation-to-nation agreements. The Royal Proclamation is affirmed in Section 25 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. (In the last federal election, the Liberal Party of Canada adopted the nation-to-nation phrasing already in use by many grassroots people, and which again, has been affirmed in the Royal Proclamation and in the Charter.)

(3) Each treaty must be studied with consideration to the context within which they were signed. What were the circumstances and conditions experienced by either side at the time?  Which side held the balance of power? How did all this affect the outcome/final agreement?

(4) In many cases of treaties made between Indigenous and Settler peoples, the different parties came away with very different ideas of what was agreed upon. This makes treaties a great opportunity to compare and contrast the worldviews of either side. 

Critical questions to consider in your learning and teaching

• How were treaties viewed by First Nations people? How were they viewed by the Settlers negotiating them? How were they recorded and remembered by each group? Where is knowledge about treaties held now?

• Who held the balance of power during the negotiating and signing of this treaty? How do we know?

• How can I ensure that Indigenous accounts of what occurred at treaty making are central and given at least equal weight to government interpretations of what was promised between parties?

• What are the similarities and differences between the pre-contact and post-contact treaties?

• In what ways have either side of the treaty I am learning about upheld their side of the treaty?

• How does the government view/interpret the treaties today?

• Why do some First Nation communities hold Treaty Day? What happens during that day?

• Which Indigenous Nations across Canada have not signed a treaty? Why not? In those cases, how does the government of Canada view their relationship with that Nation? How does that Nation see themselves with respect to their relationship with the Canadian state?

Selected Resources

Under One Sun - This series produced by Nelson Publishing focuses on Treaty education, beginning at the Kindergarten level. I have previously written about their leveled readers, and their approach to introducing concepts integral to understanding Treaties. 

Trick or Treaty (NFB - 1:24:51) - I highly recommend everyone teaching about Treaties watch this documentary by Alanis Obomsawin which is available for free personal viewing on the National Film Board website. In it, Obomsawin takes a specific look at Treaty 9, and the work Indigenous leaders are doing to have the agreement considered seriously by the government of Canada. Of note is the research which revealed the extent to which government negotiators engaged in trickery, and did not partner in good faith. 

Treaties and the Treaty Relationship Webinar Series - a series of six webinars produced by Canada's History Society and the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, which aims to present diverse perspectives on treaties. Topics include the significance of the Royal Proclamation and the relationship between treaties and the Indian Act. 

Map of Ontario Treaties and reserves - A new resource from the province of Ontario. Input your city, address, or postal code to find out which treaties between the government and Indigenous Nations were made on the land you are on.  

Treaties - A new resource from the province of Ontario which provides information on all of the Treaties made between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people within the boundaries of the province. The site includes teacher resources, books for students, and academic resources.

Goodminds.com - A link to the collection of books and resources sold on Goodsminds.com that appear when you search the word "Treaties".

Below you will find assorted resources containing information about Mi'kmaq histories, ways of knowing, and contemporary successes.  

Mi’kmawe’l Tan Teli-kina’muemk (Teaching About the Mi'kmaq) - A K to 9 curriculum, a separate document of supplementary material for educators, and a number of additional resources which highlight Mi'kmaq territory and language. All by Mi'kmaq educators! 

Finding their Roots - This is a beautifully composed photo documentary about the revitalization of Birch Bark canoe making recently released by the CBC. It features large historical and contemporary images, and clearly demonstrates why Indigenous people are often the first to witness and understand the impacts of climate change.

Four Directions Teachings (English/French) - The creators of this site are Indigenous, and have done careful work approaching traditional teachers in a respectful way. Along with the videos that share traditional teachings, you will find lesson plans for each grade that accompany the videos. Click on the Mi'kmaq icon on the far right of the screen to hear teachings from hereditary chief Stephen Augustine. Transcripts from the teachings and additional biographical information about Stephen is also available on the site.

The following are two contemporary news stories about how Mi'kmaq people have been able to dramatically improve education outcomes by creating their own curriculum. They are included because it is important to me to teach about the success that the Mi'kmaq are experiencing in shaping their own school system, and the ripple effects on the entire community. 

Native high school graduate rates continue to soar in Nova Scotia - An article from 2013 from the CBC which documents the amazing success educators have had in changing education outcomes for Mi'kmaq students. 

First Nations Schools are taking students back to the land - 2018 article from the Globe and Mail on the success of land-based teaching. 

In the same spirit of finding contemporary portraits of Indigenous young people telling their own story in resources great for the classroom, I want to turn your attention to the AMAZING music videos whose creation was facilitated by N'we Jinan, a non-profit from Quebec.  

Initiated by David Hodges and Joshua Iserhoff, N'we Jinan travels to Indigenous communities across Canada to provide music education to young people. The end product is a video which showcase the community, and features a song written and preformed by the youth.

I love how in each video, the performers seem invested in sharing the strengths and the struggles of their lives and share immense pride in their home. The videos all offer important messages about connection to culture and dedication to community, and the lyrics are rich and honest takes on the everyday experiences of the youth. 

How can you incorporate these videos into your classroom?

If you scroll down this page on the website, you can find a map of the communities that N'we Jinan has worked with. You might choose to show the video from the community closest to where you teach, or nearby a specific issue or history you are teaching about. Or, you could watch a number of the videos to see if any touch on a topic or theme which you are covering in your class. Better yet, take an inquiry approach, and see what questions your students have after viewing. 

See below for a small selection of videos, and my descriptions. 

This song from the youth of Kitsumkalum First Nation, British Columbia is about the infamous highway in Canada where many Indigenous women and men have gone missing or have been murdered.

In this video youth from Klemtu, BC, speak about their connection to their traditions, including the teachings connected to the Spirit Bear.

The middle of Many Paths by youth from Kawacatoose First Nation in SK, features a story about a young boy who feels devastated after his grandmother passes away.

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Not My Girl

From the same authors of fatty legs, Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, Not My Girl turns towards difficult subject matter in an accessible story for young readers. This story centers on Olemaun (Margaret) the same character in fatty legs who is inspired by co-author Pokiak-Fenton.

Not My Girl begins after Olemaun returns to her family after two years of Residential School, and follows her tumultuous journey to reintegrate into their daily lives. Olemaun is excited to see her family but when they are reunited, she finds that she is barely recognizable to them and does not have the skills to contribute to their daily routines.

Slowly over the course of the story, Olemaun reconnects with her parents, siblings, their dogs, and the land that they belong to.  Without downplaying her struggle, readers and left with a sense of hope at the end of the book as she again finds her place at home. 

Purchase Not My Girl from Indigenous bookseller Goodminds.com

 Sweetest Kulu

Sweetest Kulu is a beautifully written and illustrated book from author Celina Kalluk, an Inuit women from Resolute Bay, Nunavut with images by Alexandria Neonakis.

The story follows a young child, referred to as Kulu (a term of endearment for little ones in Inuktitut) as they meet different arctic animals who impart gifts, wisdom and teachings one by one. Through each encounter, Kulu learns how they are strong, supported, and loved by family, but also by the land, animals, and plants of the arctic.

Purchase Sweetest Kulu in English or in French from Goodminds.com

Sila and the Land

I am excited to support this book which was written by a team of three Indigenous authors, Shelby Angalik (Inuit), Ariana Roundpoint (Kanien'kehakah) and Lindsay DuPre (Métis) and illustrated by Halie Finney (Métis heritage). Together they spoke to Indigenous youth from across Canada to learn about their relationship with land and infused those insights into this book.

Sila and the Land follows Sila who at the urging of her grandmother, departs from her home in the North and travels in all the four directions. Along the way she meets animals and plants  who share teachings about the good life with her. At the end, Sila returns home to her grandmother, who is proud of her learning and adventures. 

Sila and the Land can be purchased on Amazon.

This is part three in a series on land acknowledgement in schools. Previous posts in this series include: How Can I Make the Land Acknowledgement Meaningful?, and Deepening Our Relationship with the Land Acknowledgement.

In this post, I want to share a concept that Kai Butterfield, who is studying Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Waterloo, introduced me to: land acknowledgement as an invitation to inquiry. 

On Friday February 11, 2018, Kai gave a land acknowledgement to open an event about the Black Experience Project - a research study focused on the lived experiences of the Black community in the Greater Toronto Area. What struck me about this acknowledgement was that Kai wove historically accurate and specific information about the land where the gathering was being held, along with questions to inspire further thinking by the audience. These questions were grounded in the particular identities of the attendees, namely Black Canadians living on Turtle Island. 

In her acknowledgement, Kai asks several questions, beginning with: 

As we engage in dialogue today about what it means to be Black in Canada, it is also our responsibility to ask - what does it mean to be a Black Canadian who steps beyond this land acknowledgement and stands in solidarity with Indigenous communities?

Kai goes on to ask: "Is it enough to work for recognition and equity within the structures of settler colonialism if they
were founded on the dispossession of Indigenous land? What does it mean for our narratives of survival -
if each story speaks to the deep resilience of Black Canadians, but erases the elimination of Indigenous
people that has allowed for our settlement? And finally, what does it mean for our hearts - if we know what
it is to face death at the hands of a colonial state, but leave Indigenous death unchallenged in our works?"

This acknowledgement is a powerful demonstration and example of groups coming together around shared identities - identities that have also been marginalized and the target of violence, while at the same time sorting through what it all means within the context of living on stolne and occupied Indigenous land. Kai's words in particular are a reminder to me about the solidarity work that many Black people are engaged in and/or moving towards. 

What struck me about Kai's approach is it's a true reflection of where many of us are at with this work: framing our questions, inviting others to sit with them, and allowing our thinking to inform our present and future work.   

This acknowledgement also reminds us that we each have different relationships to the land that we live on, depending on our ancestry, and where we sit in relationship to the struggles for justice occurring on this land. In this way, the land acknowledgement Kai gave connects closely to the one offered by Michael White. Both Michael and Kai see the acknowledgement as more than a listing of whose territory we are on, but rather using the moment to identity themselves and their relationship to the land. 

Connections to Schools

Watching Kai give her land acknowledgement got me thinking: what if, rather than a rote repetition of the land acknowledgement each morning, a student was invited to share a question they had about their own identify, Indigenous communities, Indigenous-Canadian relationships, Reconciliation etc? On a rotating basis, that could be the focus of the school each week or each month.

What other ways can you take the learnings from this land acknowledgement into your classroom and school community?

View Kai's full land acknowledgement here.

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Last month my friends at Natural Curiosity released the second edition of their educator resource entitled The Importance of Indigenous Perspectives in Children's Environmental Inquiry and I'm very excited to share it with you! While designed for K to 6 classrooms, I can see the insights provided in this edition being helpful for passionate environmental and science educators in the higher grades as well. Full disclosure, I served on the Advisory Board for this new edition, and was asked to contribute an endorsement for the publication. Here's what I wrote:

The second edition of Natural Curiosity feels like an invitation and a gift. The text invites me to respect the relationships and ways of knowing that Indigenous peoples have had with this land since time immemorial. It is also an invitation to deeply understand that as a guest on Turtle Island, my role is to listen and learn. The gift is that of responsibility - now that this knowledge has been shared with me, how will I take it up with my students? From its first pages, this resource invites non-Indigenous teachers to welcome these understandings in our teaching with humility. Thank you to (author) Doug and the entire team for this important work.

I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that as I read the four Indigenous lens sections which accompany each branch of Inquiry in the new edition I became very emotional, feeling intense gratitude for the wisdom shared in the writing of Doug Anderson (Metis) and his advisers. It is impossible to summarize what has been written here, other than to say that the information contained within this text completely turns Western/European notions of environment and environmental education on its head. The writing offers a life-affirming view into teachings that sustained Indigenous Nations on this land, and offers the same to non-Indigenous folks if we can be humble and turn towards them.

For teachers wondering how to implement the Natural Curiosity inquiry model and the Indigenous lenses new to this edition, the resource also contains new and updated educator stories based on real classrooms in a variety of contexts, with helpful images of student work and sample transcripts taken from conversations between teacher and students. 

Perhaps the strongest thing this edition does is address teacher concerns about incorporating in the Indigenous lenses into their work, while providing an urgent argument for the responsibility to take it up:

The most vital reason for educators to understand Indigenous perspectives is this: it already is – and increasingly will be – Indigenous peoples around the world who are the first and most effective in standing up to prevent our current wholesale destruction of life in Mother Earth. The perspectives driving this broad trend need to be understood and supported by our children and youth. And we have to move fast.  (Natural Curiosity p. 10)

Finally, after attending a winter session held by the Ontario Ministry of Education, I noted that the inquiry focus of this resource falls in line with the inquiry-based approach that teachers are being encouraged to take with the increased Indigenous content in the upcoming changes to the Social Studies and History curriculum. This highlights an important shift in thinking which I've advocated for on this blog before, the positioning of (non-Indigenous) teachers as learners alongside their students while learning about Indigenous histories, current perspectives, and ways of knowing. Being guided by the questions of our students, we can set aside any concerns we have about our own knowledge and levels of confidence, and embark on this necessary learning towards justice and ultimately (hopefully) reconcilitation. 

Last week during the Listen & Learn workshop, we facilitators were asked by one educator how they could bring a balance to the images that their students were developing about contemporary Indigenous communities. There are so many injustices that are being perpetrated against Indigenous folks, and I've heard that some educators are at a loss for where to find materials that highlight daily life in the community in a way that brings attention to all the amazing ways young people are thriving.

My colleague Nancy Steele recommended the video series Raven's Quest from TVO, and I am excited to share it with you!

Each mini-documentary focuses on a specific young person, and over the course of 7 minutes highlights their identity, where they from, and what they enjoy doing on a daily basis. The twenty videos feature young people from a variety of different contexts across Canada, demonstrating to your students that there is no one way to be Indigenous and that Indigenous people live and belong everywhere.

The videos also highlights aspects of culture that each child participates in, implicitly teaching the diversity of Indigenous nations to your students. I can see these videos acting as a springboard for discussion in your classroom about what cultural and familial practices your students are engaged in.

One of my favorite videos features twin sisters Jaylene and Jolene from the Cree Nation of Eastmain. They are shown having fun playing in the park, rollerblading around the community, playing with dolls, and chatting about the traditional goose hunt that their community participates in and the importance of their Cree Culture Day. 

Toronto resident Jacob who is Cree and Ojibwe is also featured. He loves lacrosse and parkour, attends a pow wow in the city with his family, and teaches the audience to say "I'm from Toronto!" in Ojibway:  Toronto, nidonjibah!

 These videos provide a great opportunity to allow student questions and interests to form the basis for inquiry, including into the particular nations/communities that each is set in. For instance, with Jacob being from Toronto, a group of students might want to research all the many Indigenous businesses, community centers, landmarks, and services in the city. 

If you do use the videos in your classroom, I invite you to get in contact with me and share how you used them!

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I am excited to share some of my learning with you about the land acknowlegement, which has been on my mind since I wrote my post addressing the question "How can I make the Land Acknowledgement meaningful?" 

Last week, I attended the launch of the second edition of Natural Curiosity, which was opened by Michael White, who is Bear Clan of the Anishnaabek Nation. Michael has given me permission to reprint his words that he offered while acknowledging the land that night:

In terms of the land acknowledgement you might be accustomed to, the ones that are written and recited before events, they are a beginning but they don't connect with the speakers' relationship to the land. People have become indifferent to prepared statements or written ones because they don't really have a connection to the speaker, its something that people (in the audience) just wait to be concluded.

When I give words and acknowledge my relationship to this land, I'm making connections to the ancestors that have led to the life that I have. I give thanks for my ancestors, the ones that have started off here that moved on to Manitoulin Island, that traveled the great waters of this territory, for all the many generations that have been connected here, for those that in more contemporary times chose this place to live. Those ones that have passed on that have become the earth that helps to nourish the food and the animals, and that has become part of the air. And when we are talking about the land, we are very much talking about the ancestors that have come before us, physically becoming the lands that we are in.

You might be wondering, especially if you are not familiar with thinking about your own relationship to land, about how this might apply to you.  

What I have learned from my own relationship to Indigenous folks and from being in Indigenous spaces is that we all have a relationship to the land, and that learning more and sharing what that means to me is an important way to identify myself, honour those that have come before me, and tell others something about who I am and what histories and perspectives inform me.  

Michael shares that he encourages folks "to speak of their personal story of acknowledging the lands." Based on what Michael has shared, if I were called on to give a land acknowledgement, I would begin with my name, share where my ancestors are from, and how and when they came to Toronto. It might sound like "My name is Angela Giuseppina Nardozi, and both sides of my family originate in Italy. One generation of my ancestors were here in Toronto before me, on my mother's side. On my father's side, I am the first generation to be born on this territory."

I  would then proceed to name and honour the Nations who were the original caretakers of this land. I also very much appreciate the way that Michael speaks about these Nations: 

In terms of those ancestors who have come before, we acknowledge the Huron, the Petun, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe, and the Mississauga peoples, and the nations beyond number whose names we no longer remember because of colonialism. As we move forward, I hope that every time we get together we acknowledge all those that have come before us because they are our ancestors.

Taken together, Michael's words give us a profound insight into his way of knowing and seeing the land that we call Toronto. They are a reminder about the cycles of life, how the land connects us to not just our human ancestors, but to all of our non-human relatives. For me, they represent a profoundly different understanding of land and the natural world than I am accustomed to. 

Questions for consideration:

What if the land acknowledgement was an invitation for us, our students, and school to learn more about our own relationship with land? 

Who are our families? Who lives in our community? How did we get here? Who was here before us?

What if we as educators were to see the land acknowledgement as an invitation for our school community to learn more about the land the school is located on?

 What specific Nations lived on this land? What are their histories? How far can we trace the history back? What waterways are near our school?  What animals and plants do we observe from our school yard? What animals and plants used to live in this area? 

I would like to acknowledgement and thank Michael White for his generous sharing and insights. 

I interpret these inquiries as indication of a strong discomfort, the lack of sustained response from the Church on the topic, and that not enough dialogue is occurring in some boards. I also have experienced that discomfort and even fear when faced with bringing these topics up in a religious context. 

I know of great examples of teachers who are doing bold and honest work in this realm, and so I want to begin there!

When I interviewed Catholic High School educator Laryssa Gorecki for this blog, I asked her specifically about teaching about Residential Schools in her English classroom and the concerns some express about a perceived conflict. Her response really resonated with me. She said,

"Actually this is the perfect thing to teach in the Catholic system because we are an embodiment of social justice, of equality and forgiveness and peacemaking and so we need to teach that."

If you  listen to my interview with Laryssa posted here, you can hear more about how she made the topics of Residential School and colonization relevant and compelling to her class of largely newcomer students. 

I have also been invited into classrooms to speak to students about what I learned from my time working in Indigenous communities, and the teachers in Catholic schools have always been enthusiastic about me speaking about understanding how some current issues and stereotypes have their source in the Residential School system. Never have I heard of any issue taken with the material I presented. I also know that most teachers had prepared their students with information about Residential Schools beforehand and debriefed with them after I left. 

One thing of relevance to this discussion is the current position of the Catholic Church. I am disappointed in the lack of action and response that the Church has put out since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as compared with other Christian denominations who have developed vocal campaigns and concrete actions. In The Inconvenient Indian, author Thomas King reports that by 1932, there were more than 80 operational Residential Schools in Canada, with sixty percent run by the Catholic Church, which to me signals the disproportionate responsibility of the Church and its members to reveal the truth of what happened, make any amends possible and wanted by Survivors. However, it is still true that the Catholic Church is the only denomination involved in the Residential Schools that has not issued a formal apology.

Call to Action #58 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission reads

While it is true that this apology still has not been issued, in 2009 Pope Benedict did formally express his "his sorrow at the anguish caused by the deplorable conduct of some members of the Church and he offered his sympathy and prayerful solidarity. " I believe this statement can be used as the doorway to speak about the injustices and trauma perpetuated by clergy and staff at the schools. 

If you teach in a Catholic context, or even a Christian or context, I would love to know more about what you are doing, or feel you can't do in your classroom. Let's keep talking about this.

Thank you for reading! If you appreciated this post, consider supporting Listen & Learn on Patreon!

What I am taking from the pre-publication document is that examples and prompts regarding First Nation. Métis, and Inuit will now be an integral part of the expectations. I also appreciate how they include context, dates, names, and events local to Ontario, in addition to content regarding the wider Canadian content. Actually I was super excited to see that the document contained so much new information about events in this province that I had not yet previously encountered in my reading! 

Two things stood out to me at the implementation day:

• There was a large emphasis on a key strategy we have been discussing on this blog: the importance of teachers situating themselves as learners alongside their students while engaging with these topics, histories, and current events. To that end, the focus of the activities that were shared were inquiry-based with an emphasis on photo and video provocations. 
• We (and I include myself in this) need to ensure that the Métis and Inuit are not left out of our learning and teaching as educators. On a personal note, much of my work has been alongside First Nations communities, and so I am so much more familiar with First Nation issues, the history of particular Nations, etc. My own knowledge (and subsequently the information on this blog) is lacking when it comes to Métis and Inuit topics and communities, and I am going to continue to think about why this is and how I can learn and share more in the coming months. 

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Whether considered sacred or not, many consider it disrespectful to refer to Indigenous oral stories as legends or myths because these stories use metaphor to refer to truths about what non-Indigenous peoples would consider history, the natural world (including scientific observations), law and policy, and international relations. 

You might notice that we never, for instance, hear Bible stories, or stories from other religious or sacred texts, referred to as "myths" in popular culture, because of the connotations of the words.  Therefore, why refer to Indigenous stories as myths or legends? Doing so denies the truths that are carried within, whether sacred or otherwise. However, I also want to acknowledge the difference between religious texts that might be considered to be "doctrine" while Indigenous oral traditions may not be considered as dogmatic. I have also learned that stories are sometimes told differently depending on the speaker or community that holds them.  

Here are some examples of Indigenous oral stories holding truths that have then been confirmed by outside sources that you may want to explore with your class: 

• How Science and First Nations oral traditions are converging (CBC)
• Franklin find proves 'Inuit oral history is strong:' Louis Kamookak (CBC) 
• Lasting effects of trauma reaches across generations through DNA (CBC)

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]]>Angela NardoziTue, 06 Feb 2018 14:31:24 +0000https://www.angelanardozi.com/listenandlearn/2018/2/2/interview-with-an-educator-ryan-neepin58483d9be3df288584a8863b:58484521725e25e4e0d46db3:5a74a6228165f5dc661561d4I'd like to give a HUGE thank you to all of Listen & Learn's supporters on Patreon who made this interview possible! Listen and Learn is committed to valuing Indigenous folks for their knowledge and expertise. 

Please allow a moment for the interview to load!

This month's interview is with educator Ryan Neepin (Fox Lake Cree Nation). Ryan is about to finish his Master of Teaching from the University of Toronto, and at the same time has been guest lecturing in the program alongside Nancy Steele to bring Indigenous pedagogies and content to teacher candidates.

Ryan advises non-Indigenous teachers to "join your students in the circle and become a co-learner."

Ryan generously shared his story of coming  back to and remembering his families Cree teachings and lived history in his adulthood after the passing of his grandmother, and what this has meant for his teaching practice. He is a strong advocate for other Indigenous people to enter the teaching profession. 

For all teachers he suggests:

• Using memoirs and autobiographies as a way to enter into relationship with Indigenous peoples in the classroom.
• Reaching out and fostering long-term relationships with Indigenous neighbours in your school community as an end in itself, rather than as a specific, short-term goal such as securing guest speakers.

Here are some resources that Ryan recommends:

• The Mishomis Book: The Voice of the Ojibway by Edward Benton-Benai
• They Called Me Number One: Secrets and Survival at Indian Residential School by Bev Sellars
• The Truth About Stories by Thomas King (Audio of these lectures available from CBC) 
• CBC's 8th Fire (documentary)

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Have a Heart Day is always the first campaign that comes to my mind when teachers ask me about actions they can take with their students. This campaign is designed to bring awareness to the under funding of education and child services for First Nations children in Canada, and to bring all students in across the country together to speak out against those injustices.

It is organized by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, which is headed by Cindy Blackstock (Gitxsan). Each year it takes place on February 14, and the campaign suggests actions that schools and students can take on their website such as sending Valentine cards in support of Have a Heart Day to the Prime Minister or your local MP (remember, postage to these folks is free!), hosting a party to raise awareness, viewing documentaries or other related resources with your students, and using their social media hashtags #HaveaHeartDay #JourneeAyezUnCoeur to bring awareness to the campaign. Explore the website to find more templates, suggestions, and information! 

If you are in the Ottawa area - you can also join other students and organizers on Parliament Hill to rally for the equal funding of Indigenous education and child welfare in Canada. If you are thinking of going with  your students, you can click here to learn about the timing, see a map of washrooms for your students, and learn about weather precautions that are in place. If you plan on attending, tell the organizers by contacting Daxton at: drhead@fncaringsociety.com

EXCITING UPDATE! The Minister of Indigenous Services recently announced plans to immediately increase funding to child welfare services - an important development you can speak to your students about! With your students consider: how can the government be kept accountable to this promise? How will the Canadian public know that they are fulfilling the promise? What other steps need to be taken by the government? By communities?

The first part of my work with educators most often focuses on dismantling the stereotypes that they have heard and/or internalized about Indigenous peoples. This post is part of a series addressing the most common questions I get asked by educators about their OWN learning. 

I do not think I have ever left a workshop without being asked the question "Do Indigenous people pay taxes?" When I put the question to the room most folks who live in Canada, whether they grew up here or whether they are new to the country, have heard or hold the belief that all Indigenous people pay no taxes at all.

Indeed, once a child in grade three asked me this question. Grade three. I'm pretty sure he wasn't paying any taxes at the time, but I digress.

As a Settler on this land, I am happy that audiences feel comfortable sharing this query with me, because it is better voiced and dispelled, not hidden unquestioned under the guise of politeness. My fear is that when folks don't ask the questions really weighing on them, then any biases that stem from the beliefs might stop them from teaching this material, or that this inaccurate information and racist myths might continue to permeate the school system. 

To think about taxes, you first need to remember that according to the Federal Government there are three groups of Indigenous people in Canada, the First Nations, the Métis, and the Inuit.

The Métis and Inuit pay all taxes.  

First Nations is further broken down by government as people who qualify as Status Indians and the rest who are then labeled Non-Status Indians.

Non-Status Indians also do not receive any tax exemptions. 

So we are left with Status Indians as defined and identified by the Federal Government. 

There are two tax exemptions that apply to Status Indians -

(1) exemption from the PST portion of the HST (in Ontario) for goods and services on reserve and being used on reserve, and

(2) exception from income tax if you are living and working on reserve.

To contextualize the income tax exception, I was able to find information from 2005* that stated that median income on reserve for First Nations people aged 25 to 64 was $14,000 a year, whereas the median income of a Canadian working full-time that same year was $41,401.  Many Status Indians do not make enough to qualify to pay income taxes even if the exemption did not exist. 

It is also important to note that according to Statistics Canada, that 50% of Status Indians live off reserve, and so this exemption would not apply to them. 

There are some intricacies to these laws that I do not go into here. To read more in-depth about who these exceptions apply to and under what conditions click here, here or here. 

*I welcome the return of the long form census and more up to date information! 

Thank you for reading! If you appreciated this post, consider supporting Listen & Learn on Patreon!

This week, I had the opportunity to again work alongside Indigenous colleagues at OISE/UT and deliver presentations to teacher candidates. Since I began this work in 2011, my colleagues have most often begun our workshops by lighting traditional medicines in an abalone shell and bringing the smudge around the room, inviting teacher candidates to bring the smoke over their bodies and as I have been taught, come together in a good way.  

As we went around the circle afterwards, many teacher candidates expressed their gratitude for being invited to participate and their interest in learning more. In the past, some have asked whether they could now bring the smudge into their classroom, and so I felt compelled to share my own approach and thoughts on this. 

I want to begin by saying that this is not a "Dos and Don'ts" list. I won't and I can't speak for all non-Indigenous people, because I do not know their story, and I don't know their relationship to the smudge, to traditional medicines, to the land, and the Indigenous folks in their lives. 

I estimate that I have personally participated in over two hundred smudges in the past ten years. I have had the privilege of hearing teachings and of listening to prayers that are offered before and after. I have been gifted medicines from friends and individuals I have worked with. One of my colleagues, who I have sat in circle with for over six years sometimes asks me to bring the smudge around when we teach together. 

And still with all this, I do not bring the smudge to groups I work with (mainly comprised of other non-Indigenous teachers and teacher candidates).

There are two main reasons of why this is a practice that I do not take up. 

I am concerned about appropriation, and modelling this to my mostly non-Indigenous audiences. Personally, I am not in a place right now where I feel I have a strong enough relationship with the smudge that I can bring it to others.  While I have heard some teachings, I do not yet feel that I "hold" these teachings about the smudge, or about the medicines used (however, I personally do try to follow the teachings I have heard about the medicines that have been gifted to me). 

I understand that the smudge is not just a pedagogy or a classroom management tool. I have been taught that it is a sacred practice and it should be treated as such, and I am concerned that if teacher candidates were to see me as a non-Indigenous person leading one, they might not understand the context from which it emerges.

Again, I am not passing judgement on other Settler folks who might have a different relationship with the smudge than I do. I offer these thoughts to you as where I am right now.

Thank you for reading! If you appreciated this post, consider supporting this  blog on Patreon!

A few weeks ago I posted about what Reconciliation might look like in your classroom, with reference to this post by Crystal Fraser and Sara Komarnisky featured on the Active History site. 

Due to its popularity, Active History has just released a corresponding poster series, with artwork and design by Yukon artist Lianne Marie Leda Charlie who is Tagé Cho Hudän. 

Click here to visit their site and purchase the posters for your classroom!

Thank you for reading! Support this  blog on Patreon!

Blackflies by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Jay Odjick

There has been a lot of buzz (see what I did there?) around Blackflies, Robert Munsch's first book set on reserve, specifically located in Northern Alberta. The illustrations were done by Jay Odjick, who is Algonquian from Kitigan Zibi First Nation.

Mr. Odjick told me that he took the project "To try to open doors for other Indigenous creators and to try to show Indigenous kids a positive representation of themselves as drawn by one of their own."

• Read about Jay Odjick's experience illustrating the story from Windspeaker News, an Indigenous news source. 
• Listen to a quick (6 min) interview with artist Jay Odjick
• Check out Jay's website  or follow him on twitter

Munsch is not an Indigenous author, and so you may be wondering if this is a case of appropriation. There are many reasons why I feel comfortable putting forward this resource:

• Munsch has always been clear about his identity.
• This is not a re-telling of a teaching or a sacred story. 
• The author is clear where the idea originated.

Mr. Odjick agreed: "While Robert is non-native, there is a First Nation creator on the book in myself; and in truth this presents a unique opportunity to show that there IS a market for First Nation content that would surpass say, just me writing and drawing as Robert is a HUGE name in the field."

 

Questions to Consider

• How can I highlight Indigenous artists in my classroom? 
• How do these artists want to be identified?
• How can these artists become a starting point to learn more about their communities? 

Don't forget to sign up to receive my free monthly newsletter and never miss a post! 

I have a free copy of The Water Walker (signed by both Joanne Robertson and Grandmother Josephine Manadamin) to give away! Details at the end of the post! 

Have you heard about Grandmother Josephine Manadamin and her water walks?

Josephine and her helpers have walked over                   20 000km, including around all the Great Lakes, on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, and from each of the salt water bodies surrounding North America to the centre of the continent to conduct ceremony and raise awareness about protecting water. 

(If you are unfamiliar with the story I highly recommend listening to her speak either in person or on Youtube. The documentary Water Journey followed her walk across North America.) 

Joanne Roberston (Anishnaabe) wrote and illustrated Water Walker, a picture book which tells the story of Grandmother Josephine, and her determined efforts to bring attention to the pollution and suffering of water is experiencing.  The book has fun illustrations which recount Josephine's journey, from her initial thoughts and dreams, to the conclusion of her walk across Turtle Island. It ends with a message to readers, calling them to take up the work of protecting water.

I first heard the story in The Water Walker on September 26, at the book launch of The Water Walker at A Different Booklist here in Toronto. Junior level students from four different schools in the city were in attendance, and their questions for Joanne and Josephine demonstrated a deep interest in the story, in the issues surrounding water, and their enthusiasm to make a difference. 

Joanne and Second Story Press have generously given me a hardcover copy of the book, and Joanne and Josephine have both signed it! On January 12th I will draw a name and give the copy away to one lucky teacher!

To enter the draw, please contact me by January 11th at midnight (EST) with your name, email address, the school you teach at/grade, and answer this question. Who illustrated The Water Walker? This contest is open to all teachers in Canada, regardless of their grade. 

Why this ask now

I believe the next step in this work is to bring other voices into the fold.

I want to interview more current teachers about the lessons they are developing, and their learnings from their experiments in the classroom. I want to approach my Indigenous colleagues and friends, and center their voices in this conversation.

And I am committed to pay people (especially Indigenous people) generously for their time and knowledge.  

I also want educators to have access to a diversity of voices and experience on questions like "How can I make the territorial acknowledgement meaningful for my students?" and "How do I overcome my lack of confidence in teaching this material?" 
 

The Ask

To continue to grow the work, I have decided to begin a Patreon account!

Patreon is an online platform that helps artists and creators get paid directly by their audience. You can learn more about it here.

If you find Listen & Learn, my blog posts, or my interviews helpful, please consider contributing! If most Listen & Learn readers contribute $5 per month, I will be able to give an honorarium to my interviewees, pay for the equipment to record, the travel costs to meet them, and for some of my time. Your pledge will be charged each month. Contact me with your questions! 

Thank you for reading, and for your support - whatever form it takes! - Angela

I am a big proponent of inviting Indigenous community members, Elders, and artists into your schools.

I am an even bigger proponent of giving fair honorariums to these folks that value their knowledges and skills, and of creating sustainable, medium to long term relationships between them and your school community. 

The Ontario Arts Council gives grant money to schools wanting to partner with Indigenous artists and provides a list of local arts organizations if you do not yet have anyone in mind. 

I chatted with Anishinaabe musician and media artist Melody McKiver (@m_melody) who offered the following:

 I'd encourage educators to support Indigenous artists through the grant writing process. 

 What I learned from Melody is that teachers or others at the school assisting with the writing is crucial, as these applications can be long and onerous on the artist. 

To me, working in collaboration with the artists and providing writing and editing support can be an important way to forge and sustain meaningful relationships. 

The 2017 deadline was May 10, but it is never too early to start thinking about your 2018 application. Here is the link to the information!

One question that I get over and over from the teachers I meet and the teacher candidates I teach is about they can make the land acknowledgement meaningful for their students.

The concern I've heard ever since the Toronto District School Board made the territory acknowledgement a regular part of their morning opening in 2016, is that students in many parts of the city are not listening respectfully when it comes on the announcements.

Indeed, this morning in a classroom I watched as students chatted away as they settled into class, took out their books, and didn't pay much attention. Contrast that to the silence, standing and, singing of the Canadian national anthem which came immediately after, and I couldn’t help but note the difference.

From what I observed this morning, if the goal is solely to make students stop and listen, having a chime, music, or some distinguishing sound at the beginning of the announcement might help direct their attention.

However, I believe this question is about  more than just attention. Most teachers I speak to are wanting the students to feel the weight of the words of the acknowledgement and to perhaps spend the moment in reflection.

When I began attending events held or co-hosted by Indigenous communities and organizations in Toronto, the territory acknowledgement was usually offered right after everyone's attention had been called and people sat in silence and listened. For me personally, hearing it for the first time was uncomfortable (good!) and invoked three things:

It was a wake-up call - there is a history and a present to this land that I was not aware of!

It was a call to action - where and how can I learn more?

It was a call to reflection - what does this mean for how I behave, who I consult, and who I consider when I do my work?

I cannot offer you one magic ticket lesson plan that will make your students understand the importance. Instead I think this is a process.  What I can offer is some questions to consider in that process, and some suggestions based on what I and other teachers I know have tried!

 (1) Take a moment and consider: what do you know about the acknowledgement? Why do you think it is meaningful?

I ask that not to center your own interpretation, but rather to push you along on your learning journey.

I suggest you start by reading Beyond territorial acknowledgements by Chelsea Vowel. Ms. Vowel is a Métis author and educator, and this blog post takes a closer look at the purpose and history of the acknowledgement.

(2) What do you know about the history of the land your school is on?

I’m not talking in general (Canada, the US, Ontario, etc) I’m talking in the city, town, or even the neighborhood you are teaching in. 

For instance, do you teach near Baby Point in Toronto? Have you heard about Teiaiaigon - a Seneca village on that exact spot?

There are many other examples of local history, and many places to read more. Torontoist has posted some well-researched blog posts about the Indigenous history of the city, and you might find this post or this post helpful!

You might also find First Story Toronto, an organization dedicated to the Indigenous history of Toronto informative. They have a blog, an app, and run tours of various parts of the city for the public.

(3) Most acknowledgements that I have heard are specific to the particular Nations whose traditional territories a school or board is on.

What do you know about those Nations? What information about them do you include in your curriculum? There are many resources out available, and try your best to include and center those authored, contributed to, or published by members of those Nations.  

My favorite, especially if your school falls on Ojibwe, Mohawk, Mi’kmaq, Cree or Blackfoot territories is Four Directions Teachings (and check out their lesson plans too!)  

(4) Finally, one of the strategies that I have attempted and that I have seen other teachers implement is referring back to the territory acknowledgement whenever a topic, perspective, event or issue comes up in class related to Indigenous peoples or Canada’s relationship with them.

During that same observational trip that I mentioned earlier in the post, a teacher asked her grade 8 students to reflect on when Canada has made mistakes or committed atrocities. When the answer of Residential Schools came up, she deftly connected the importance of learning about and remembering what happened to the importance of knowing and remembering whose land we are on every morning on the announcements.  I think it is through moments like these, where we weave the acknowledgement throughout our teaching, that help reinforce the many layers of meaning that can be found in it.

The newness of the territorial acknowledgement in many of the schools in this province is an exciting opportunity to innovate new ideas and new strategies. If you are trying out an idea in your classroom related to the acknowledgement, get in contact! 

A HUGE thank you to Ms. Vowel for permission to link to her post! Check out her amazing blog here! 

Sign up for my newsletter to receive my free guide -

Seven Ideas to Make the Land Acknowledgement Meaningful

I love working with staff teams, parent groups, students and community groups, but I wanted to do a quick post just to clarify what I do and what I do not do.

If you are looking for someone to speak about ceremonies, give first hand testimony about residential schools, or speak about something to do with sacred items, or any form of Indigenous arts, you definitely want to invite an Indigenous guest speaker into your class. 

This is sometimes possible through your school board! If you are in Ontario, each board is supposed to have an "Aboriginal Advisory Council" which they may have now renamed "Indigenous Advisory Council."  You probably also have a First Nations, Métis and Inuit consultant at your school board, who might have connections with community members available to come to your class. Some boards I've worked with even keep lists of Indigenous traditional teachers who they recommended to teachers. 

If you have a budget to bring in guest speakers and those options haven't worked out for you, another option is to get in contact with me, and I can attempt to put you in touch with community members whom I have relationships with and are available to do the work. 

What I love speaking to classes and teachers about is our responsibility as Canadians to listen and learn from Indigenous peoples, to understand history that we might have not been taught like the Indian Act, the importance of the Royal Proclamation, what colonization actually looked like, the history of Residential schools (and the resistance, or lack thereof from the general Canadian population), and a variety of other historical and contemporary topics. I also speak about debunking stereotypes, terminology, incorporating the TRC's Calls to Action, and practical ideas and lesson plans about how you can introduce these topics to your students, what resources to use, etc.

And I do all of this from my position as a Settler on Turtle Island, modelling that we all have roles and responsibilities in this work.

Finally, I've facilitated conversations and workshops among staff teams, including a visioning process to map Indigenous content throughout a school's entire curriculum. 

Questions? Feel free to get in contact!  

Until October 14th, the Toronto Public Library is offering unlimited e-borrows of Unsettling Canada: A National Wake-Up Call by Arthur Manuel and Ronald M. Derrickson.* I have just finished the first few chapters and wanted to post this quickly, in case there are any readers out there looking for something to dig into this long weekend. 

The first few chapters of this book offer a comprehensive look at historical relations between Indigenous peoples on the west coast of what is now Canada, and the successive waves of Settlers to the area. The story weaves together historical details and the memories of the late Arthur Manuel, who followed in his father George Manuel's community-focused footsteps, and carved his own path asan important grassroots organizer for his people.

The result is a compelling story, which I found hard to put down. The information is particular to Manuel's life and the West Coast, but places the events in the wider Canadian, and even North American context. 

If you are looking for an introductory text for yourself or for your intermediate/senior students this is a great place to start. Specifically, it can be used as a text to examine the progression of colonization from first contact on the West Coast to resistance movements today, and as an Indigenous counter point to texts that echo the mainstream Canadian perspective on land rights, the Calder Case, the White Paper and many more!

If you do pick up a copy, I would love to hear what you or your students think!  

*Thanks to my good friend and editor Gerri Lutaaya for the heads up! 

At one of my recent presentations, I was asked for ways that teachers could bring Reconciliation into their classroom. There is so much to be said on this topic from the ways you approach and teach yourself about Indigenous topics, to the content you choose, and the pedagogies you enact. Really, this entire blog and my newsletter is aimed to assist you towards this goal.

One resource that circulated on social media this summer might both be useful to you in your classroom, and will also demonstrate the many ways individuals and groups can contribute to Reconciliation. In August, 2017, Crystal Fraser (Gwichya Gwich’in from Inuvik and Dachan Choo Gèhnjik, Northwest Territories) and Sara Komarnisky (Ukrainian settler heritage) posted a blog entitled "150 Acts of Reconciliation for the Last 150 Days of Canada’s 150" on Active History.ca. In it, there are a number of suggestions that you might be able to bring into your classroom. 

Here are some that immediately stood out to me as classroom projects:

• #8 & # 9 "Find out if there was a residential school where you live. Memorize its name and visit its former site."
• #11 "Choose one plant or flower in your area and learn how Indigenous people use(d) it."
• #57 "Be aware that Indigenous people were restricted from voting in federal elections until 1960."
• #68 "Support the rights of Indigenous nations to exercise their sovereignty. For example, learn about the Haudenosaunee Confederacy passport."

These are just five of the suggestions, put the actual post has many more. I hope you will take a look!