Week 4: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC)

• Why is it important that as educators we understand the critical importance of the tragic history of Aboriginal children in Canada?

I feel so fortunate that Canada is open with the truth of reconciliation, many people in Japan never heard of Nanking Massacre till they study abroad, as a Canadian we are open to it's part of our history, we have to learn from our mistakes so the history will not repeat itself. Most of us are immigrants from outside of Canada and the land belongs to Aboriginal people, we need to be learn those tragic history so the students they will respect and appreciate the land, culture, people, those are what they built before us. It's part of Canadian history we have to learn and as a citizen in the future, we must know the truth, as in many other countries still fighting for the truth since a lot of country history has been rewrite for national pride.

• Why must you know about Ontario’s Aboriginal Education Strategy even if you and your students are non-Aboriginal?

As in the environmental conference, Sandra Churchill, Pete Johnson from Nonquon outdoor environmental education mentioned that in the western world we assess students with facts (tests...) but with indigenous learning it's about sense. If we don't know aboriginal's thinking and culture we will be teaching one way of learning instead for all learners, who learns in all different ways.

• Why are YOU going to do about it? What is YOUR plan of action for teaching and learning?

I was born in Taiwan, most of people from Taiwan are immigrants from China and there are 9 tribes aboriginals in Taiwan originally, many of them killed during the Chiang Kai-shek's time when Kuomintang lose the war and escape to Taiwan, we claimed us "Taiwanese," not until 10 years ago I saw the changes in government to promote individuality and indigenous culture, which I am not sure if it's just a propaganda to proclaim so called "independence" and separate from being a "Chinese." I felt a strong connection with the same issue as aboriginals in Canada, that's why I feel it's so important to teach the children who they are, and what's the history that we don't own the land, this land formed from many sweat and blood.

1. make a month of aboriginal month during school year

2. language: positive and negative languages, understand culture through stories, read books about indigenous history http://www.cbc.ca/parents/learning/view/10-beautiful-indigenous-children-books-to-add-to-your-library

3.. music and dance: learn traditional dance, flute playing...

https://illuminate.ualberta.ca/content/weaving-indigenous-culture-elementary-music-curriculum

4. social study: indigenous culture, metis culture, even cook some metis recipes, history of European explores conflict with aboriginal people, residential schools

5. Math: PATTERNS AND THE MÉTIS SASH

6. Health: holistic medicine and medicine wheel

7. Art: Indigenous art painting, analyze

8.Technology: using technology to design inclusive community spaces

Resources:

https://cdn.we.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/INDIGENOUS_Guide_20161018_FINAL_V4_Nov_15_WEB.pdf

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/aboriginal/Guide_Toolkit2009.pdf

https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1302868012055/1302868605384

https://guides.library.ualberta.ca/first-nations-metis-inuit-contexts-in-education/teacher-resources