Below I have included some of the forum posts I have made throughout my semester in my ECS 101 class.

Becoming a Teacher:
“To be a professional means to be a responsible leader and the best version of ourselves that we can possibly be. Whether it is inside or outside of the classroom, our professionalism is illustrated through all aspects of ourselves and our lives. We must, as educators, do our due diligence to go above and beyond in supporting our peers, coworkers, students, and all others that we may cross paths with. A quote that exemplifies this previous statement can be found within the STF document where it states the importance of our relationships with others, stating “effective professional relationships are essential to the teaching practice and teachers share the responsibility for the quality of these relationships”. To be professional as a teacher means we must secure our relationships with others for the safety of knowledge and education for all. 

“Am I a teacher 24 hours a day?” is a question that encapsulates our profession as educators. Not only do we educate students within the classroom, we must also educate others outside the walls of our schools. It is important for us as teachers to teach, educate, and spread knowledge to all we meet to ensure a better future for all. Additionally, one of the quotes from the STF document that resonates personally in regards to this question is “the public trusts professional teachers because they have the qualifications, including specialized knowledge, skills and judgment, to serve students’ educational needs”. The keyword for me within this statement is “public”. It is not just the codes and regulations within the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Association we must uphold, but also the trust and respect we receive from all members within our communities. Speaking ethically, it is also important that we as teachers will educate all members within our communities, and that is why we are truly teachers 24 hours a day.

My responsibility as a student in the Faculty of Education is to ensure that I learn and understand the tools I receive from my classes and implement them in both my daily life and in my classroom. I am also responsible for acknowledging the hardships of others so that I may better understand the world and what it means to be a teacher. Lastly, it is important that I make certain I follow the “Commitments to Teaching and Learning”, as illustrated in the STF document. To be a student is to learn from our peers and educators, and in turn, educate our peers in a way that is respectful and educational.”

Harold Johnson (Rights, Responsibilities, and Relationships)

“Harold Johnson is a courageous leader because he is so freely and fearlessly himself. He does not sugarcoat where he came from, rather he shares his story openly with all who are willing to listen. Additionally, Harold Johnson is a strong individual in that he takes fierce initiative and is very driven. This is so evident through his discussion of his upbringing, and his understanding of the “two worlds”, with one being colonized Canada and the other being his indigenous community. Law influenced his life and leadership because he refused to allow anyone the ability to tell him he could not do something. His passion and drive pushed him to do and be better than he thought he was, so he went to law school and got a degree from Harvard. One of the most beautiful quotes he said during the video was “you are seeing the story that you tell yourself”, and he pushed forward and changed the story he told himself. This quote, in my opinion, represents his strength and courage as a leader. He did not like his situation, so he changed it. Being able to go forward and create change within one’s life is no small feat. His willingness to take his knowledge as a leader and willingness to go out into communities and share his light beautifully illustrates how law has influenced him, his life, and his role as a leader. 

Harold teaches us a lot about the relationship between law and justice. His stories regarding the way in which alcoholism and the law interact were fantastic, especially since they drew attention to the importance of addressing the issue of alcoholism in indigenous communities and how jail serves as a transitional means of rehabilitation. He also brought forth the truth about why alcoholics and homeless people go to prison. It is not so they can be punished for their crimes, but so they are warm, fed, off the streets, and alcohol free. Harold’s line between law and justice showcases the difference between the two, because they truly do not go hand in hand. Indigenous people going to prison is not justice, they need professional aid and assistance. Sending children with FASD to Juvenile Detention Centres for their actions will not improve their livelihood, nor will it aid them later on in life. Harold’s honesty and truth regarding both law and justice was incredibly inspiring, and I am personally beyond grateful that he is raising awareness and advocating for change regarding these issues. 

Colonial solutions have failed our Indigenous communities in every way possible simply because they do not address issues facing our indigenous communities to begin with. To reiterate, colonial solutions are white washed solutions that are being used to solve issues they do not address. Issues such as intergenerational trauma, substance abuse and dependency, homelessness, and poverty are all issues that did not exist in Canada until it was colonized, hence why all “solutions” fail. It is absolutely illogical for a bunch of colonizers and settlers to believe they have the correct solution when they clearly lack the basic understanding of the issues at hand. 

Harold’s story is so relevant to me as a teacher because his story encourages further discussion. It is not enough to listen to Harold speak. We as educators must take his stories and share them with our students in order to create change. By providing our students with the knowledge and tools they need, we can work together to lift up and support our Indigenous communities in order to reduce alcoholism and make our communities better for all. Talking about Harold’s story also encourages us to make friends and build relationships with all of those around us, all while highlighting the importance of communication between all members of society. Lastly, we must work together and get along for this to work. By implementing all of these vital components into our classrooms, we will create a better world for all, a world in which Indigenous communities are able to be heard in society instead of being shut down by colonizer voices. We must take Harold’s story and use it to end the cycle.”