ECS 210 Blog

Blog #7

I believe that Treaty Education should be taught in every school and every classroom. It should not be secluded only to schools that First Nations, Indigenous, Métis and/or Inuit students attend. This does not mean cooking bannock a few times per year, building a teepee without further explanation, or having the odd book or picture hanging around the classroom. It means learning about the culture and it’s history, truly engaging in the material and knowledge. It is important to teach Treaty Education to bring attention to Canada’s history and the mistakes of the past to hopefully bring reconciliation to the people impacted by colonization and residential schooling. As teachers, we not only have to teach our students about the history of treaties but also what was unjust about them. It is so important to teach the students that the First Nations peoples did not give up their land, they wanted to share it.

We are all Treaty People. We are all living and teaching on Treaty land. Large majorities of people in Canada have European or Indigenous ancestors that were part of the creation of the Treaties. Regardless of whether we do or not, living in Saskatchewan on treaty land means that we are part of the treaty relationship. Before university, I never knew what Treaties were or what they entailed, which is another reason to support teaching Treaty Education to children from a young age, so that they can continue learning about it as they grow. As teachers, it is our jobs to teach about the treaties to all students, as it is part of the curriculum and it is so important. However, even if we tell students that they are all treaty people, we may not be able to convince each child that they are. It is our job to teach about it in hopes to improve the relationship between First Nations and non-First Nations peoples, but the students have to learn what being a treaty person means to them independently.

Blog #6

The article states that the First Nations peoples see the land something sacred. They believe that it is more than something just used for its resources. They believe that it is a “complex being” that needs to be treated on all levels with respect. I believe that this is a perfect example of reinhabitation because they identify the land as places that can provide us with what we need to live in our environment. Another example of reinhabitation from the article is when they brought elders and youths transfer knowledge and stories. In order for the idea of reinhabitation to be continued, it is crucial that new generations are taught to be respectful of the land and that the beliefs are handed down.

However, colonization is demonstrated in the article when it mentions that the government and mining companies want to extract minerals from the Ring of Fire, which would disturb the land. To enable the land to be treated with respect, decolonization is necessary.

As a teacher, I will incorporate decolonization into all of my subjects. I will teach my students what happened to the First Nations peoples when the Europeans first landed in Canada. I will take my students outside and let them experience learning in and from the land, in hopes to build respect for the environment. From a young age, students should be aware of the effects of human development and colonization on the environment and that some of the damage is irreversible. As teachers, we can have a huge impact on students and creating generations of people that can make a positive change in and for the world.

Blog #5

I believe that curriculum is developed by different groups of individuals coming together. I believe that teachers, community, school board leaders and the provincial government join together to come up with the curriculum and its elements. From there, it is reviewed by a number of people and then published.

The article backs up my belief that curriculum is created by many groups of people coming together. I did not realize that experts in the fields of each subject gave their input to become part of the curriculum. I understand why these experts are approached, but I also feel like their expertise may be too advanced for students learning. I feel that experienced teachers who have practiced a subject for many years contribute more valuable information, as they can relate to the students and understand their learning needs in each subject. Teachers work with the students every day and see their progress. I believe that teachers should have the most input into the development of the curriculum.

Blog #4

According to commonsense, a “good” student listens attentively and follows directions. They are rule followers and they take turns while speaking. A “good” student is one who does exactly what the teacher expects from them and learns exactly what the curriculum states. The “good” students who are privileged by this definition are the ones who are able to learn and thrive in a traditional classroom setting.

The commonsense idea of what a “good” student is and how they should act in class is very limiting for those who do not learn well in traditional classrooms. Some students need high structured activities and others respond better to activities that have less structure. Sometimes less structure (or flexibility on the teacher’s part) is needed for students to be able to express themselves freely through their work. Not all students can learn material the exact same way and teachers shouldn’t expect them to.

I believe that one of the most important things to take away from this article is that a student shouldn’t be labeled as “bad” just because they have trouble obeying the classroom rules or with completing structured tasks. They are simply reacting to their environment and trying to ask for the help they need. Some teachers may find these students challenging, but it is important to look past the “bad” and realize where they are coming from. Encouragement can go a long way and students should be recognized for their good ideas, even if they stray away from those ideas of the “good” students.

Blog #3

“What matters today… is not how much our students know, but what they can do with what they know.” – Tony Wagner

I believe that this quote relates to my view on curriculum. It says that education isn’t just about grades and memorizing every detail you learn. It is about engaging in the classroom and using your knowledge from experiences to gain an understanding of the world around you. School is about so much more than the marks you receive, it is about learning through experience to grow as an individual.

To follow this quote as a teacher in the field, one would have to include a lot of engaging projects. The teacher would not expect the students to memorize countless facts through lectures, but would engage them through valuable hands-on learning experiences. I believe that knowledge is a lot about learning from past mistakes and achievements. This type of thinking would enable students to focus on making progress and excelling, rather than cramming in random facts that they will probably forget shortly after and never use again. In classrooms, students are often asked to memorize information (not truly learning/retaining anything) for tests, which can lead to high levels of stress and anxiety, which can often halt learning.

If testing and memorizing facts were to not be such huge portion of education, students would be able to enter the classroom with an open-mind and hopefully a willingness to learn in a low-stress environment. The only negative with this theory that crosses my mind is that is tests aren’t a part of assessment, it may not prepare students for university or college, where exams are usually given.

Blog #2

The Tyler Rationale related to my schooling because 90 percent of teachers had one main goal in mind. Teachers wanted all the students to get the best test scores possible and focus on the end goal rather than taking the time to make sure all of the students knew the material. The same 90 percent followed the 4 steps (objectives, content, organization, and assessment).

Some limitations are that it does not allow students to express their creativity. It only focuses on how well students can write a test. It forces students to all be the same and do everything the same way rather than letting them express themselves in their own way.

Some potential benefits about the Tyler Rationale is that it gives teachers a way to evaluate their students to get an idea of how much they have learned and retained throughout the year/semester, however; teachers should not depend on the results of the tests because not every student is a good test taker and may struggle with it. Just because they get a poor mark on a test does not mean they did not learn anything. This rationale can also benefit students by allowing them to learn how to take instructions and apply it to their work. This is something that can be used in the real world.

Blog #1

Kumashiro defines common sense as something everyone should know, however; everyone’s common sense may vary depending on where you live in the world. Kumashiro says it should focus more on observing and questioning rather than something that should only influence education or the curriculum. It is important to pay attention to common sense because everyone defines it differently. Just because what you and I think is common sense that does not mean everyone else thinks it is. We cannot assume everything is common sense because the majority of people know it. As a teacher, we have to understand that the classroom is a diverse place and every student brings a different set of knowledge depending on where they are from and other influential factors.