Educators respect and value the history of First Nations, Inuit and Metis in Canada and the impact of the past on present and the future. Educators contribute towards truth, reconciliation and healing. Educators foster a deeper understanding of ways of knowing and being, histories, and cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Metis.

In May of 2021, during my 490 practicum experience, the discovery of the remains of 215 indigenous children who had attended the Kamloops Residential School was announced. It was a Saturday when I became aware of this situation, and I remember that I was completely horrified. Filled with a sense of loss for the families and all First Peoples, I also experienced a sense of urgency. I had to address this on Monday. I felt personally convicted to make sure that this information, as terrible as it was, was not kept from my students in the same way that I felt it had been kept from me as a student. I did not know how I was going to do it, but I knew that it was of the utmost importance to convey to all my students that this matters. Even though residential schools are closed, they are not in the past; the issues and impact of residential schools continue today and affects many, if not all, people in our country. In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, I had to try my best.

Luckily, I was not alone in this feeling of urgency and conviction. I called my Coaching Teacher, and met her at the school where I had the privilege of joining several concerned and active educators and students. Display boards went up, a flag lowering and smudging ceremony was arranged, and they provided me with extensive materials to choose from to help in teaching my class. I was able to use a combination of contemporary art, primary and secondary sources to create an engaging lesson.

Cassidy Dankochik Photo – Quesnel Cariboo Observer

When Monday arrived, I was fully prepared, if still a bit nervous. However, once I got into the classroom and began talking to the learners, they surprised me with their compassion and willingness to learn. They attended the flag lowering and smudging ceremony with utmost respect, and had several questions. What had initially been planned for one day ended up taking two, because the students were immersed and interested in knowing what they could do to enact the tenets of Truth and Reconciliation. If you are interested, check out the link for the lesson hook I used: Lesson Hook with Kent Monkman painting “The Scream”, to teach this portion my practicum.

As a future educator, I feel like this experience prepared me to teach First Peoples content in a respectful and genuine manner. It also helped me to understand the importance and impact of addressing events and issues as soon as they come up. It still bothers me that it took such a horrific event for the importance of Truth and Reconciliation to make the news, and that the issues of additional remains being discovered across the country seems to have been put on the back-burner by the media, but I am glad for the healing that was able to take place within my classroom. I am proud of the small group of young people who I trust to keep asking questions and taking steps to further the cause of Truth and Reconciliation.

References:

BC Teachers’ Council. (2019, June 19). Professional Standards for BC Educators. Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teacher-regulation/standards-for-educators/edu_standards_poster-11×17.pdf.

Dankochik, C. (2021, May 31). Quesnel school District calls on community to join in mourning residential School grave site. Quesnel Cariboo Observer. https://www.quesnelobserver.com/news/quesnel-school-district-calls-on-community-to-join-in-mourning-residential-school-grave-site/.

Monkman, K. (2017). The Scream [Acrylic on canvas, 84×132] Art Museum of the University of Toronto and Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Charlottetown, circulating. Canada; Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Ontario Arts Council.

Smith, J. (2020, August 6). In Shame and Prejudice, Kent Monkman paints missing Indigenous images into history. The Georgia Straight. https://www.straight.com/arts/in-shame-and-prejudice-kent-monkman-paints-missing-indigenous-images-into-history.