For over 160 years, the Canadian government established church-run schools with a focus on stripping Indigenous youth from their cultures and “civiliz[ing]” them into Euro-Canadian society (Miller, 2012). The children struggled with many mental health impacts including intergenerational trauma and various levels of depression and anxiety (Khan, 2008; Menzies, 2020; Richardson et al., 2021). As an aspiring teacher, it is my duty to have a clear understanding about this tragedy and our collective response to it (Canadian Teachers’ Federation, n.d.). This essay describes my journey of self-growth over the years as I have been learning about the various aspects of this human catastrophe. The first part of the essay summarizes background information related to the history of the Canadian Residential Schools, highlighting the living conditions, mental health issues, the healing process, and the public apology. The second part of the essay focuses on learning how to approach and teach this emotional topic, my volunteer activities to support social justice, and lifelong learning as part of my commitment to truth and reconciliation. The third part of the essay describes my aesthetic representation as related to the recently found unmarked graves. The entire essay is based on course material and peer reviewed sources.

I have known about the Canadian Residential Schools through courses in native studies, social studies, and history during my K-12 years. Recently, I completed an assignment focusing on the historical background of this tragedy. In essence, there were a total of 140 schools, operating between 1831 and 1996, and enrolling 150,000 Indigenous youth across the country (Fontaine, 2017). The students were abducted by policemen and forcefully put in the residential schools (Fontaine, 2017). The children were usually 5 to 18 years old and did not have access to adequate heating and ventilation systems, and good quality food was not always available. Furthermore, the students were forced to perform labor work which consisted of woodworking and agriculture (Hanson, 2009). If these duties were unfinished, they would experience many forms of physical and sexual abuse which made them vulnerable to numerous mental health issues (Miller, 2012; Richardson et al., 2021).

The most common problem has been intergenerational trauma, that is, the process of sending an oppressive or disturbing event down to the next generation (Hacket et al., 2016; Menzies, 2020; Sanders, n.d.). For example, Mrs. Winnie Peterson has lacked pride in her culture because she was bullied by her classmates and whipped whenever she spoke her Native language. This trauma has passed onto her granddaughter, and the two ladies reconcile through public storytelling and writing comic books about their experiences (Shorty, 2018). Likewise, depression has existed throughout Ms. Angelina Ayoungman’s life because the teachers banned her from speaking with siblings and classmates. Her healing process involves visiting the site of her school to relive the past because it makes her feel at home (The Witness Blanket, n.d.). A similar problem is anxiety of socializing, as faced by Mr. Harold Gatensby because his teachers used to make racist comments about him. Currently, he reconciles by understanding the truth about these schools as a form of learning and living (The Witness Blanket, n.d.).

In addition to individual healing, the survivors and their families came together, urging the government to acknowledge their suffering at the schools and to give compensation for their pain (Miller, 2012). The federal government provided a $1.9 billion compensation package to the families in 2005. Furthermore, on June 11th, 2008, the Prime Minister publicly apologized to them (Miller, 2012). The financial support and the public apology are not long-term solutions to the trauma, depression, and anxiety that the former students experienced. Therefore, we should learn from this historical mistake to prevent similar events from happening again.

From my teachers, I am starting to learn how to approach and teach this emotional topic. I believe that the best way is to continually acknowledge the victims of this disaster, which can be done during school assemblies, social gatherings, and in the classroom (Bearhead, 2016). I will promote this topic within my future classroom by assigning students with incentives and group work. These methods are useful to build a community with my future students. Collectively learning about our role in reconciliation will enable us to improve throughout our journeys as students and teachers.

My dedication to this noble cause is clear from my volunteering activities promoting social justice. Like so many other Canadians, I wear an orange shirt on September 30th as part of the “Orange Shirt Day” to increase awareness that everyone matters (ATA News, 2018). Similarly, I volunteer with the Muslim Aid of Saskatchewan by preparing and distributing food hampers for those in need. The drive focuses on downtown Regina to provide easy access to everybody, especially Indigenous peoples. Similarly, my recent field work took place in a low-income area of the city with a sizeable population of Indigenous residents. I joined the “Books and Bannock” event to give away meals and create a sense of belonging while engaging students and parents in the learning process. Sharing is a powerful tool because it gives everyone equal opportunities.

As part of my “Call to Action,” I am always seeking lifelong learning opportunities geared towards indigenization. Next semester, I look forward to the Cree language and multilingualism courses to develop written and oral communication skills and learn methods for fostering hospitable classrooms. Likewise, the “4 Seasons of Reconciliation” training will teach me how the treaties were formed and the timeline and impacts of the residential schools (Reconciliation Education, n.d.). I also plan to attend the “Whisperings of the Land” presentation to learn more about Indigenous traditions and connections to land.

My sorrows go out to the Indigenous families who lost their children at the residential schools (Garcha et al., 2022). When this news broke out last year, I was outraged as I pictured myself in the shoes of such students. For my aesthetic representation, I decided to draw the Saskatchewan Legislative building and the shoes that were placed on its front staircase. In this building, a vigil was hosted by Indigenous elders and community leaders to pay tribute to the unmarked tombs that were found near the sites of several residential schools (Mandes, 2021). I utilized drawing to symbolize my love for art because I believe this is the best way to reflect on my own culture and beliefs. For example, I am a person of color and a mirror reflection to visible minority students. Therefore, I want to build bridges with those children who face challenges similar to mine.

In conclusion, my journey towards reconciliation is far from complete, because I am constantly learning new things. Understanding the background information about the Canadian Residential Schools was an important baseline for this project because I was able to put myself in the former students’ shoes and relive the past. My research on teaching methods was critical because I am now ready have conversations with my Indigenous friends about this tragedy and answer questions from my future students. Identifying my community involvement responsibilities were significant because they enabled me to think deeply and pay attention to my personal growth. This essay is only the spark in my learning journey. As I continue, I will strive to cultivate safe learning spaces for all students.