What is the purpose of teaching Treaty Ed (specifically) or First Nations, Metis, and Inuit (FNMI) Content and Perspectives (generally) where there are few or no First Nations, Metis, Inuit peoples? What does it mean for your understanding of curriculum that “We are all treaty people”?
Claire highlights in her introduction video and the Q&A that the importance of teaching treaty education isn’t to single-out Indigenous students by primarily teaching about the history of their people, it’s about teaching the history of Canada. I admire that she states the importance to teach Treaty Education to primarily white-settler students because it’s because of white settlers that Residential schools among other atrocities happened to the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit community. I also really enjoyed that Claire emphasizes that the colonial viewpoints and mentality isn’t gone, therefore signifying the importance of being truthful and honest about Canada’s past — even if some topics are uncomfortable. Children can comprehend topics that are continuously being taught to them and reflected upon. Not only will I be teaching content of about FNMI but I will display great importance on reflection towards a life-long process of creating a better future. I’m certain I will make mistakes initially as a teacher when teaching Treaty education but I’m confident and dedicated to teaching the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada as well as teaching Indigenous ways of teaching and knowing. Using ethical relationality, working together by bringing elders in the classroom, educating ourselves and others about Canadian history and Treaty Education, and doing projects based on Indigenous practices can be a reward for students to receive further insight towards forming reconciliation in our community.
In my experience, I didn’t learn much about Residential schools or the history of Indigenous peoples until university which baffles me. I had been taught vaguely about Residential schools, Louis Riel’s “Red River Rebellion” and I made bannock, dream catchers, and medicine wheels — otherwise I knew nothing about Indigenous education. A huge piece that I reflect and teach my peers is intergenerational trauma, I’ve heard countless times “Residential schools are in the past, FNMI people need to get over it because they never attended a residential school”, many people aren’t aware that the last Residential school didn’t close until 1996 and it was in Saskatchewan; Claire also notes in her video that many FNMI peoples still lack proper housing resources and clean drinking water. I am grateful that Treaty Ed is mandatory in the curriculum and I’m excited for children to learn more about Treaty Ed and Indigenous education at a much younger age rather than only a small amount of people in Canada to learn about the truth of Indigenous education in post-secondary. It’s time to honour Treaty and work together towards reconciliation by honouring the FNMI nation.
I added a link about Gordon’s Residential School which was located in Saskatchewan below, I will warn that there are some sorrowful accounts of the school’s history.