As a student, I often heard other students say, “Why are we learning this?” One of the most common places to here this was in history; I understand why some students view history as a pointless subject, as the past is in the past. However, this logic is flawed. It is important for us as Canadians to understand the relevance of the past and the impacts the past has on the present and will continue to have on the future. Treaty education is vital for the future of Canada. It is important that we acknowledge the lands we live on and the history of colonization in Canada. Reflecting on the history of our nation is a major step toward decolonization.
I believe it is essential to identify the “why” when teaching any subject. For students to develop an understanding of new concepts, they must understand why they are learning said concepts. Treaty Education is a wonderful example of this; in the case of a community having few Indigenous peoples, students will inevitably ask, “Why are we learning this?” So, before introducing students to Treaty Education, educators should identify the significance of treaties to Canada and the history of the treaties, relationships built off of treaties, and the efforts to decolonize Canada. Teachers should also continue to learn and grow their knowledge about Treaty Education and decolonization to provide greater knowledge to students.
“We are all treaty people.” This quote inspires the discussion of Treaty Education. We, as Canadians in Saskatchewan, all live on treaty land. Saskatchewan is in Treaty 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 territories, and by acknowledging and understanding what these treaties mean, we as students, educators, and Canadian citizens can begin to work in collaboration with Indigenous and Metis nations to decolonize Canada. From my understanding, “We are all treaty people” means that we all interact based on the treaties made throughout the history of Canada. Treaties affect all Canadians, not only Indigenous peoples, and identifying this can help students and teachers alike connect with the idea of decolonizing. Acknowledging the treaties and the ways treaties affect lives in Canada works toward building relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Hi Cameron, I found your blog post to be super great. I enjoyed how you made it personal while still connecting it back to the ideas you have learned this past week. If I was to critique anything I wish you relayed more knowledge on how you would have responded to the intern’s email prompt. Only because I feel as though you would have connected some great thoughts and would have made a very successful prompt. All in all I look forward to reading more of your work in the future.
I like that you emphasized the significance of teaching the “why” when teaching. I would watch out for repetition and grammar in future blog posts. I also wanted to say that I admire your passion towards acknowledging all peoples and the importance of building relationships.