How will you live (& teach) the spirit & intent of Treaties (kihci-asotamâtowin; miyo-wîcêhtowin)?
As I begin to engage within my own classroom as a student educator, I will be sure to stress the importance of the spirit and intent of treaties. In doing so I will need to remember that I must live and teach this spirit and intent within everything I do throughout the day. I need to conduct myself in a respected manner and lead myself as an educator in a way that embodies the beautiful spirit and intent of treaty making. I need to be sure that I am being honest and upfront with my students and ensuring that the best interests of all involved are being reached and respected. When I make agreements, I need to be sure that I am following through and staying true to the promises I make. As an educator, I also need to be responsible in the promises I make and be sure that I am not making agreements that I cannot stay true to. I also need to not expect so much from my students that they feel as though they will not succeed.
The spirit and intent of treaties embraces the formal agreement of a promise and engages within the meaningfulness for each person involved. As an educator, I must live and teach my own beliefs and understandings of treaty making. When having the conversation with my students, I will be honest and engaged in answering any questions they may have. Being honest about the process of treaty-making and why the First Nations peoples and the settlers took part in the treaty making promise in the first place will help to stress the importance of such agreements and the effects they have on each party. My students will know the facts, they will learn all of the history of Canada, from the perspective of the First Nations peoples and they will asked to evaluate the ceremonies of treaty-making that they shared with the settlers.
As an educator I will embody what it means to be a treaty-person in every day life. I hope to embrace my surroundings and invite my students to do the same. Taking my students outside during class time will invite them to respect the land we live on and to better understand why the First Nations peoples agreed to share the land with us. I will embody the spirit and intent of treaties by being honest and respectful with my whole body. My mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual intents must be fully engaged to make the most meaningful representation of what it means to be a treaty person.