wanted to share their learning with others by making a video. Students brainstormed what they would include in their video, created a background that included some of the pic- ture books they had been reading and wrote a script. We filmed the video and shared it with the community on social media, ampli- fying the learning far beyond the four walls of the classroom and calling others to action as well. It was amazing to see the community and school response.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER
Tere are powerful possibilities for develop- ing a strong foundation for knowledge, skills, and understanding about truth and reconcil- iation with students in Kindergarten and the early years. Justice Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, points to education as the key to reconcilia- tion, stating, “Education got us into this mess and education will get us out of it.” Teaching and learning about truth and reconciliation must begin with our earliest learners – in Kindergarten. Tey are not too young to engage in learning and make a difference by taking action towards change. What has been most impactful to me as
an educator-researcher has been applying my learning in the classroom with students and co-learning beside them. We have been able to learn about treaties, residential schools, en- gage in land-based education with traditional teachings, and participate in campaigns by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society such as Have a Heart Day (in addi- tion to days of significance such as Orange Shirt Day and Indigenous History Month). Teaching and learning about truth and rec- onciliation is a core part of our classroom community and my practice as an educator. It has also been amazing to be in conversa- tion and community with other early years educators, demonstrating that this work is possible in contexts across the province. Although we might turn to picture books as one way to support this work, there are so many other ways that kindergarten stu- dents, who are “competent, capable of com- plex thinking, curious and rich in potential and experience,” as described in the Ontario Kindergarten Program document (2016), can engage in this work. What will your next step be in teaching and learning about truth and reconciliation with your students? n
Michelle McKay is a member of the Peel Elementary Teachers’ Local.
10 QUESTIONS 1. What next step will I take in my practice?
2. How do my identity (social location and positionality), prior knowledge and lived experiences impact how I approach this work?
3. How will teaching and learning about truth and reconciliation be responsive to the students and community in which I teach?
4. What resources am I currently using to support this teaching? Who are the author(s) – whose voice is centred or missing? What new resources can support me in doing this work in my practice?
5. How can I engage in learning about truth and reconciliation throughout the school year, beyond days of significance (e.g., Orange Shirt Day)?
6. How can I building authentic relationships with local Indigenous Peoples and engage in this work in community?
7. How can I support students to take action towards positive change?
8. How can I continue to engage in learning (and unlearning), both professionally and personally, related to truth and reconciliation?
9. How can I call others to action and support them in teaching and learning about truth and reconciliation with the students they teach?
10. How do I anticipate overcoming or addressing obstacles or challenges that I may encounter in doing this work?
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT TEACHING AND LEARNING ABOUT TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN THE EARLY YEARS 1. ETFO First Nations, Métis & Inuit Education Resources (
etfofnmi.ca)
2. Spirit Bear Virtual School by First Nations Child & Family Caring Society (
fncaringsociety.com/spirit-bear/spirit-bear-virtual-school)
3. Walking Forward: Learning from Place by Heidi Wood and Gillian Judson (
educationthatinspires.ca/files/2022/05/Walking-Forward-Wood-Judson-2022.pdf)
4. Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies: An Act for Reconciliation and Anti-Racist Edu- cation by Jo Chrona (Portage & Main press) (
portageandmainpress.com/Books/W/ Wayi-Wah!-Indigenous-Pedagogies)
5. Natural Curiosity: Te Importance of Indigenous Perspectives in Children’s Envi- ronmental Inquiry (
naturalcuriosity.ca)
TO ASK YOURSELF ABOUT
TEACHING AND LEARNING ABOUT TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN THE EARLY YEARS
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO 17
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