Will they learn more about the history?
I received this very thoughtful question: What do you see as the role of schools in making sure that all Canadian students understand Canada’s history with regards to Indigenous peoples? What would you do to support the Calls to Action of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission? I was pleased to see that the issue was on the radar - it was also brought forward by some very engaging students.
My Response
I spent more than a decade doing research and teaching in First Nations communities in Northern Quebec and I feel a very strong personal connection to indigenous education. I am deeply saddened by the apparent lack of concern by the provincial government for this issue as indicated by the cancelling a working group into improving indigenous education in Ontario.
This is particularly incongruous with federal direction in this regard; we have finally, as a nation and society, started to take meaningful strides towards truth and reconciliation - or maybe not here in Ontario. I would be a vocal advocate on the board for the enhancement of indigenous education and for the enlightenment of our children as to the history of Indigenous peoples within the Canadian context. I would need to explore in depth what steps have been taken thus far by the Board and what directions have been proposed moving forward in order to be more specific concerning my specific next steps.
I would like to add to this point that from a curriculum perspective, I would like to see a greater emphasis in Canadian history pedagogy on the impact of the various waves of immigration that have happened throughout the history of our nation as well. I think it is important that we have a stronger sense of who we truly are as Canadians and that identity has been derived from the contribution of many peoples who came to this country under a variety of circumstances. I would like my children to understand the influence of people and not just the succession of events that provide the timeline of our country.
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