This week we had many different resources provided in order to gain a deeper understanding of Treaty Education. I have many points to bring up in regards to Dwayne’s challenge with Treaty Education and to the supplementary questions.
There were many points brought up in the reading We are all Treaty People that stand to reason the importance of teaching Treaty Education. The reading talks about the importance of hearing other people’s stories. There was a powerful statement that stated how the treaties are OUR story: what was shared, and also what was lost (Chambers, 29). It is important for students, and families, to hear not only their stories but also stories from other people. Having a different perspective on the same topic can be a powerful tool for deeper learning. Chambers also mentions in the reading how we are all treaty people and how that means we have the opportunity to live differently than our ancestors (Chambers, 35). When we are aware of the treaties and how we can uphold them, we will be able to create better relationships and deeper connections for the future to come.
Going forward with a positive relationship also means looking at the past. In the video On What Terms Can we Speak? Dwayne Donald highlights the importance of looking at the past, present and future. This point shows the great importance of Treaty Education. We cannot build solid relationships without knowing the past and how to change the future. Donald also talked about how relationships can be hindered between ‘Canadian, Canadians’ and Indigenous people due to preconceived notions on culture. There is a thought that Indigenous people have a lot of culture and that ‘Canadian, Canadians’ have none. By being able to crush this stereotype of culture, relationships can be renewed and created stronger because of it.
By viewing the supplementary videos with Claire Kreuger, it gave me a better sense of what treaty education looked like in the classroom. I found it reassuring and humbling to know that as educators we are continually learning about Treaty Education and how to implement it in the classroom. For me as a pre-service teacher I sometimes find it intimidating when I feel like I need to know everything in order to teach Treaty Education. I liked Kreuger’s point on how we are going to make mistakes, however, through those mistakes, we are able to learn and grow.
In regards to Dwayne’s challenge I would say he should use these resources in order to help his students, their families and the cooperating teacher understand the importance of Treaty Education. As Claire stated in her videos, Treaty Education is a required component of the curriculum (and for good reason). I would also say that Dwayne should be respectful of people’s comfort levels but that shouldn’t stop him from educating his students on important, relevant topics such as Treaty Education.