Response to TRC
I chose call to action number 62, and will be using examples for a grade 2 class. I have a lot of ideas for things I would like to implement into my classroom to teach my students about Indigenous issues. The first and biggest thing for me is books. I would want to have a lot of picture books written by Indigenous people to share with my students during read-alouds, as well as for them to read on their own during silent reading. I think these picture books would be a great way to initiate discussions about many different topics, and I think it’s very important for my students to hear stories about people who are different from them, but also similar to them! I would also want to make sure to highlight for my students that these books were written by Indigenous authors.
A lesson that I’ve found that I would love to implement into my class is the one found on page 12 of this document from projectofheart.ca. The lesson is called “Introducing Attawapiskat”, and it begins by having the teacher discuss with students which rights they think children should have, and where in the world they think children might not have these rights. Then the teacher describes the community of Attawapiskat and the challenges there (such as lack of drinkable water and adequate housing), and students will guess where they think this community is. After revealing that this community is in Canada, students can write or talk about how this revelation makes them feel. I think this lesson would be a great way to introduce students to the idea of implicit biases, and to the fact that not everyone in Canada is treated equally or is as privileged as we may be.
I want to teach my students about different kids and teens who are standing up for what they believe in throughout the school year, and will definitely be including Autumn Peltier, an Anishinaabe girl from Ontario who is an internationally known clean water advocate. My hope is to inspire my students to look up to kids like Autumn and view them as role models!
Citation:
Project of Heart. (n.d.). Education for reconciliation and social justice: Bringing the Shannen’s Dream, Jordan’s Principle and I am a witness campaigns into the classroom. Retrieved from https://projectofheart.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Education-Resources_K_2_FINAL.pdf
This assignment is also from my Theoretical Frameworks of Education class. It is my response to the call to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Here I outline some of the ways I hope to highlight Indigenous culture, and educate students on the importance of Indigenous history and community.