The following is a response to the Truth and Reconciliation of Canada. It is important to note how important integrating this is into the classroom, basing lessons and educating students on it is. 

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. 

As Teacher Candidates (TC’s) implementing age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal people’s historical and contemporary contributions to Canada is something that all TC’s and Educators should be doing. It is important to educate students on the Indigenous peoples’ because it is our job to take responsibility for Canadian history, actions, and make sure that we are educating people on injustices and hardship that Indigenous peoples’ have experienced.

 This will be implemented in a variety of ways in my future classroom with social justice as the goal! An example for implementation in a grade two classroom will be to approach Indigenous culture, history, and education in a way that does not traumatize the students, but leaves that feeling informed and educated on the Indigenous peoples’ in Canada on residential schools, Treaties and Aboriginal peoples’. I will use local language in the classroom (First voices), introducing new words weekly, and make sure the students recognize the traditional land they are residing on. Lessons will be structured around students understanding what treaties are, where they are, and how to be respectful and considerate of them. These forms of implementation and lesson will help students gain perspective on residential schools, Treaties, Aboriginal Peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada. It is important for me to note that providing different perspectives in the classroom is important, it will encourage students to see a variety of experiences and reach for social justice. With this being said, I will try my best to get Elders to come in and speak, maybe even parents who want to share with the class. The overreaching goal as a TC is to educate students on the injustices, and to work toward reconciliation with Indigenous peoples’.

References

Fpcc. (n.d.). FirstVoices. Retrieved from https://www.firstvoices.com/ 

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015, June). Truth and ReconciliationCommission of Canada: Calls to Action.