Assessment Philosophy:

 As an educator, I recognize that creating, addressing and reflecting upon my assessment practices is a responsibility that I must obtain; not only am I obligated to stay up-to-date with detailed and informative assessment results to my employer, but I owe it to my students to provide assessment results that are meaningful. Assessment is essential in the classroom because collected data determines whether the goals, objectives, and aims of the Saskatchewan Curriculum have been met. Assessment should not simply be considered the act of putting a grade on the academic success of a student. Rather, my assessment philosophy is centralized around the idea that assessing students should be used for the purpose of improving teaching strategies, redirecting materials and gaging an understanding of interest/participation level.

During assessment practices, I believe that a teacher’s role is to be engaged with, as well as observant of the process of learning that is taking place for each individual student. Authentic learning takes place in the process of inquiring, questioning, exploring and discovering. Authentic assessment lies in the ability of an educator to communicate with, inform and encourage future growth in learning.

I will format my understanding of assessment practices in the following points:

Self Assessment is used as a valuable learning tool which enables students to engage with, and take control of, their learning. When self-assessment is conducted with a purpose, the teacher has co-created criteria and expectations with the class and has provided a demonstration. Students are given time to reflect on their own learning while being considerate of expectations. Students need to be given the opportunity to practice this as it takes experience to learn how to analyze. Rather than self-assessment being used solely to reflect upon completed projects, the practice should be integrated throughout the learning and used periodically. Through this process, students will gain many positive skills. Responsive Classroom: Self-Assessment and Goal Setting Go Hand in Hand demonstrates why using self-assessment is beneficial for the holistic growth of students.

Students learn:

• To develop critical thinking skills
• To reflect and monitor their learning
• To develop a growth mindset
• To build resistance and to further consider how to tackle a challenge
• To develop problem-solving skills
• To become autonomous learners

Throughout the learning process, the teacher needs to collect evidence of learning to add to the student’s portfolio. Teachers should use the triangulation method (a combination of conversations, products, and observations) to ensure their evidence is reliable and valid. One assessment textbook, called “Making Classroom Assessment Work” written by Anne Davies demonstrates the open possibilities for evidence. Some ideas include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Presentations
• Pamphlets
• Informal videos, commercials
• Student-demonstrations
• Etc.

Students should be given a choice and allowed the opportunity to propose their own ideas!

Formative Assessment is a process used for students and teachers alike to consider learning, areas of growth and future transformative practices that may take place. While students engage in formative assessment, they are informing the teacher on what they have learned, what they do not yet understand, possible confusions and areas of understanding. It is important to take this time to help students navigate through mistakes and to guide students in the process of creating goals. Teachers should take this knowledge and transfer it to their planning processes. During this time a teacher may consider:

• How can I better serve this student?
• What learning style helps this student to succeed?
• What areas do I need to reteach?
• Are the students prepared to progress to the next stage of learning?
• Am I peaking new interest – should I redirect my focus to allow my students the option to inquire?

Students require meaningful feedback to prompt them in furthering their learning. I understand that creating this feedback will help build relationships, strengthen self-esteem and help the students focus on their next challenge.  Students must be built up in order for them to gain the confidence needed to continue their learning.

Summative Assessment occurs at the ‘end’ of a unit. Summative assessment is used for the teacher to measure what the students have learned, how they view the information as applicable and perhaps what new information they found through the process of inquiry. Summative assessment provides an understanding to the teacher of how the student has grasped curriculum requirements. Teachers will take this information to plan for, and adjust, the next unit of study. 

The summative assessment looks different for different students. Differentiation in instruction and assessment is required to allow students to show what they know, in a manner which makes them feel comfortable and supported.

Please watch the following video to gain a glimpse of how I used summative assessment in a kindergarten classroom while learning about capacity in math:

Working with the Kinders: Week 7 Reflection

Hello! I have now completed my seventh full day in the kindergarten classroom. Today was an awesome day! My teaching partner, Ayla, and I had the opportunity to both teach two lessons. Having the extra time to interact with the students was awesome! Please keep reading to hear how they went:

1. In the morning I taught a math lesson. Today’s lesson was called, “Counting Fun with Sand Gloves.” We used plastic gloves filled with sand to model finger counting- this lesson worked well for my students because it helped them to visualize how the fingers move and how to represent numerals. Using this ‘math tool’ helped the students gain a concrete understanding of finger counting in a fun and interactive way. Plus, as an added bonus, these math tools were a great sensory item- this helped many of my students stay engaged during the math center! Please click on this link to view my lesson plan: November 28th Lesson Plan: (Math)

 

 

Please refer to the following ‘PD form’ to see my comments from my cooperative teacher. The goal for this lesson was:

• classroom management/engagement: awareness and responsiveness (withitness)

2.  In the afternoon Ayla and I co-taught our first lesson relating to the Treaty Education curriculum. I am very excited about this experience but I also acknowledge that during my three-week block I need to make the effort required to include Treaty Education outcomes in the majority of my lessons. Treaty Ed should not be segregated by rather integrated into all subjects.

Our lesson this week was titled, “An Introduction to Language and Culture”. Please click this link to view our co-written lesson: “Introduction to Language and Culture”.

We began the lesson by saying hello in the languages of our students: “Hello! Bonjour! Tanisi! Namaste! Marhaba! Āssālam Alaykum! Привет!”

Ayla and I then paraphrased the book “The Fiddle Dancer”. We asked students to share their cultures, focusing on language and traditions.

 

 

After our class discussion, we listened to the story in Mitchif and listened to some Fiddler music. This part of the lesson was great because it got the students to become actively engaged and excited!

Next, we made representations of a sash to represent us, who we are, and how we want to be seen. Take a look:

 

 

I created my own PD goal for this lesson. My goal was:

1. To respect and encourage students to share their understanding of their world and their identity
2. Create an inclusive environment where students are comfortable sharing

Please refer to the following ‘PD form’ to see my comments from my cooperative teacher.

Until next time,

Ms. Munro

Working with the Kinders: Week 6 Reflection

Hello! I have now completed the sixth full day of my pre-internship field placement. This week we had the wonderful opportunity of attending Agribition as a  class- this was a fun-filled experience! The kindergarteners loved being out of the classroom and working with, touching and exploring the farming world. For many of our ESL students, this was their first experience seeing farm animals, such as cows and horses, in real life! I know that this experience was extremely beneficial as it gave students the foundation needed to make personal connections.

Please click this link to gain an overview of what was offered this year at the Regina Agribition 2018

As a class we had the opportunity to experience the following:

• Calving Simulator
• Milking Demonstration
• Family Ag Pavillion
• Indigenous Pavillion
  • Pow-Step interactive demonstration
  • Buffalo Hide demonstration

Please browse the following photos to gain a glimpse of our day:

Scraping Buffalo Hide

Until next time,

Ms. Munro

Working with the Kinders: Week 5 Reflection

Hello! I have now completed my fifth full day in a kindergarten classroom – this experience has absolutely flown by! Yesterday we had two ‘special occasions’ in our kindergarten classroom.

1. We experienced our first fire drill! This was a very hectic and chaotic experience – I am so glad that we were able to witness the action plan first hand! My cooperative teacher had a great plan in place that the students were able to easily follow. Many of our students knew what to do independently (great!) while others needed simple reminders.
2. We had a pair of nursing students come into the classroom to give a presentation on the benefits of exercise. The students loved having the opportunity to meet new people and to learn. The most wonderful part of this experience was hearing the students make connections to themselves such as, “Oh! we exercise when we do those just dance videos in class” or “My dad and I go skateboarding in the summertime. I am really fast!”.

In addition to these activities, my partner teacher and I dressed up for the spirit dress up day. Our prompt was: dress as a character from a movie/book/tv show or a video game. Ayla and I dressed up as the mouse and the cookie from the novel ‘If You Give a Mouse a Cookie’ written by Laura Numeroff.

This week my students used ‘main idea’ bags as a basic introductory to making connections and seeing the main idea in literacy. I have linked my lesson plan here: November 14th, 2018. We discussed that the main idea is the ‘big picture’ that connects items together. I created these bags using a variety of items from home and from the local dollar store. The bags I created were:

1. ocean animals
2. winter
3. school supplies
4. baking supplies
5. insects
6. hair styling products

The students worked in partners and rotated bags. This was a great idea because it allowed every student to be hands-on in the activity.

The themes worked well for my specific students! I used their interests to create bags that they would have prior knowledge of and life experience with. The students had a lot of fun exploring the bags and guessing the different themes. During this activity, we also discussed that we could come up with more than one answer and that multiple answers are all correct.

ie. while exploring the ocean themed bag one student said “the main idea is an ocean because they all live there!” and another student responded by saying, “the main idea is an aquarium because I saw all of these in Vancouver in the summer.” I was SO impressed by the student’s personal connections!

This lesson was great!

After the completion of my lesson, I had the opportunity to sit down with my cooperating teacher and discuss the strengths/ areas I would like to see development in. Please refer to the following ‘PD form’ to see my comments from my cooperative teacher. This week’s professional development goal was:

• classroom management/ engagement: awareness and responsiveness (withitness)

 

in terms of where I would like to see growth:

• working in partners was great this week! I would like to work on this further by creating partners that challenge/ strengthen one another. I’d like to continue to work with the students on helping one another and asking for help from our peers! I strongly believe that our students have valuable knowledge to share and can teach each other.

until next time,

Jodie Munro

 

Working with the Kinders: Week 4 Reflection

Hello!

I have now completed four full days in my kindergarten classroom! I am very excited about the relationships that I have built with the kinders – each child is unique is a special addition to our classroom community.

My third individual lesson plan was a hit with the children! This week I taught Mathematics, focusing on outcome NK.3 indicator (c) of the Saskatchewan Curriculum: we practiced holding up the appropriate amount of fingers for a given numeral. To meet this indicator I connected this lesson to a mathematical concept the students are beginning to grasp, subitizing. This lesson is called “Subitize up to 5: Using our Fingers”. Please follow this link to see my lesson plan: October 31st, 2018 lesson plan.

Set:

1. the students ‘reminded’ me how to count to 10. The first time using only words and the second time also incorporating the skill of ‘counting with fingers’.
2. I reintroduced the concept of subitizing (soo-bih-tize) – to recognize a number at a glance. We then discussed the different ways a number could be represented: pictorial representation using objects, dots, a 10 frame, the digit number, and the written word.
3. we practiced subitizing at a slow/moderate pace using both foam die and flash cards with dots.

Development:

1. we watched the video Subitize Up to 5 and used our skill of ‘counting with fingers’ to stay engaged and interact.

* the video was a HIT with the students! This was a good choice to make the mathematics center fun. To keep my students controlled and have their attention fully engaged we used the ‘song lyric time’ to dance and get our wiggles out! This was wonderful because it gave the students a little ‘break’ in between sets. An added bonus- exercise helps the brain think more effectively!

2. After the video, the students and I sat in a circle on the carpet and rolled two dice (taking turns)- we then practiced subitizing numbers 1-12 to increase the difficulty and challenge ourselves! We did this as a large group activity to ensure every student had the change to participate and that I was able to give help when necessary.

Closure:

1. we talked about what we learned in today’s lesson: ‘friends, do we remember what soo-bi-tize means?’, ‘can we all repeat this word?’
2. I congratulated all my students and told each student, individually, to give themselves ‘two pats’.
3. We cleaned up materials and lined up at the door for the next center

* this activity was conducted during center time and I had approximately 6-7 students per group – this is the perfect number of students at once! Working in centers allows for me, as the teacher, to work with and address every student individually – which is so important for documentation and relationship building purposes!

After the completion of my lesson, I had the opportunity to sit down with my cooperating teacher and discuss the strengths/ areas I would like to see development in. Please refer to the following ‘PD form’ to see my comments from my cooperative teacher. This week’s professional development goal was:

• giving directions- to give clear directions so that all students understand what the tasks are and what is expected of them.

in terms of where I would like to see growth:

1. The students were very energetic today because of our lesson landing on Halloween – due to this some of the students were running in the lobby (smart board area). I would like to work on my classroom management strategies further to set a clear line/ expectation between ‘getting our wiggles out’ and becoming disruptive/ distracting to our peers.

Overall, I am very impressed with this week! The students are learning so quickly – I have already seen growth in the short time I have been in the classroom.

Until next time,

Ms. Munro

Working with the Kinders: Week 3 Reflection

Hello!

I have now completed three full days in my kindergarten classroom – I am very excited about what has occurred so far, as well as what is yet to come in the upcoming weeks!

The kindergarteners had a lot of energy today because our placement landed on a full moon! Each child had extra exuberance to channel which was wonderful! We combatted this by allowing the students to be out of their desks as much as possible and by doubling our normal allocated time for body breaks.

My second individual lesson plan worked very well, the students were excited about the material being presented and loved being active in their learning! I am also very excited about how this lesson played out. This week I taught an English Language Arts Lesson for my first time. Please see the attached document to take a look at my lesson: Jodie Munro, October 24th lesson plan

This week the kindergarteners and I worked on outcome CRK.4 indicator (h) of the Kindergarten Saskatchewan Curriculum: we worked on creating a play based scenario from a basic understanding of a story text. This lesson is called, “The Three Little Pigs: Popsicle Puppet Reenactment”. My lesson was conducted in three parts:

1. the students watched a visual reenactment (animated video) of the Three Little Pigs during their morning snack.
2. the students and I worked together to retell the story using felt puppets. While we retold the story we talked about the major events (and corresponding emotions/actions) in the story.
3.  I assigned roles for the reenactment; the students then used their popsicle stick masks to create a dramatized representation of the story.  *the students used the carpet during this portion of the lesson to ensure that they had ample room to explore the environment, ‘build’ the houses/move and collaborate together.

*this activity was conducted in small groups during ‘center time’. Working with approx. 6 students at a time I was able to scaffold each individual student as needed. Because the story only has 4 characters, the wolf + the 3 pigs, two students per group had to ‘double up’ with a buddy. I created the doubling pairs based on which students needed further assistance and confidence to complete this task.

While the students were creating their play based situations I scaffold them by asking some of the following questions:

• “okay, can my three little piggies begin building their houses?”
• “________, what are we building our house out of? Do we think that this material is strong?
• “how does the wolf blow?”

please check out the following photos:

 

 

 

 

 

After the completion of my lesson, I had the opportunity to sit down with my cooperating teacher and discuss the strengths/ areas I would like to see development in. Please refer to the following ‘PD form’ to see my comments from my cooperative teacher. This week’s professional development goal was:

• set- to focus students at the beginning of the lesson
• development- to focus on developing a meaningful
• closure- to have a relevant closure with students

in terms of where I would like to see growth:

1. again, writing observations is difficult during a quick 15-minute lesson. This week I filmed one group on the ‘seesaw’ app which was wonderful as I was able to go back and rewatch specific students- I would like to continue using this method of observation.
2. I would like to continue to work on my classroom management strategies. The students had more energy than normal today, but I would like to work with them to identify our ‘level of voices’.

Overall, this week was great! The students were engaged and had fun. I left the masks at my placement to be used further during the ‘dramatic play’ center- I am hoping my students will continue to use the masks to reenact and create more stories.

Until next time,

Ms. Munro

Working with the Kinders: Week 2 Reflection

Hello!

I have now completed two full days in a kindergarten classroom. I am very lucky to have a wonderful cooperating teacher and a supportive pre-intern partner to accompany me through this journey! Pre-internship is a stressful, busy, engaging and beneficial experience and I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to learn in the field. Working with students, families and staff members reminds me that teaching is an intellectually stimulating profession that has the potential to change lives – and this confirms my reason for loving what I do.

The students are so worth every moment of planning, prepping and working. The kindergarteners amaze me with every lesson they are taught, every moment that they are learning through play and while I am observing their interactions with one another – it is such a humbling experience to realize how important and knowledgeable each individual child is entering the classroom. When I hear a student make an inquiry, connect to personal experience or state their understanding I feel such awe in these little humans – teaching is a calling.

This all being said, I would like to take a moment to debrief on my experiences thus far:

1. On Wednesday, October 10th my partner, Ayla, and I co-taught our first lesson.
2. On Wednesday, October 17th I taught my first individual lesson.

My first individual lesson was a success! (YAY) and I am already beginning to feel more confident, capable and considerate in the classroom. This week my kinders and I worked on outcome NK.3 indicator (a) of the Saskatchewan Kindergarten Curriculum: we practiced constructing a set of objects that correspond to a given numeral. This lesson is called, “Monster Dice Game” – the students were asked to roll the dice, count the number rolled on the dice and then proceed to place the corresponding number of googly eyes on their monster template. The students refined their skills of subsidizing, creating a visual representation and counting using strategies such as verbal counting and counting fingers for numbers 1-10. Check out a student’s representation:

 

This activity was so fun! The students became very engaged and loved creating their monsters – math is fun! Please follow this link to see my first lesson plan: Jodie Munro, October 17th lesson plan (1)

After the completion of my lesson, I had the opportunity to sit down with my cooperating teacher and speak about the strengths of my lesson as well as the areas that I would like to see growth in during my placement. Having the opportunity to learn to be critically aware is so important – I am learning to constantly receive and create constructive criticism for my teachings and to apply them to my understandings of the profession.

Please refer the following ‘PD form’ to see my comments from my cooperating teacher. This week’s Professional Development goal was: communication – to develop strong verbal and nonverbal communication skills

in terms of what I would like to see growth (general):

1. I would like to bring in the student’s voices when teaching. I strongly believe that a classroom should consist of the teacher and student learning together and being seen as partners in the learning. I hope to relate to my student’s experiences and to validate their voices in my upcoming lessons!
2. writing in-depth observations about each individual student has proven to be harder than I had anticipated – I need to refine my skills of writing/thinking fast and noticing each individual student while they are working. In kindergarten our lessons are only 15 minutes – this moves by quickly!
3. creating stronger connections with the students. I am beginning to break through with many of my students but I know I need to work on strategies to relate to all of my students – I am excited to continue to build relationships with these wonderful children!

I am very happy with how I was able to ‘go with the flow’ of my lesson – as always, unexpected things occurred during my teachings and I worked with my students to engage in these moments, positively, and to realize that these moments could be used as ‘teachable moments’. It is a wonderful thing to laugh and to enjoy your students and their knowledge!

until next time,

Ms. Munro

 

My Miskâsowin Understanding

Hi everyone- please follow this link my miskâsowin understanding to view my final project for ECCU 400. This final project had two components; a video and a visual representation.

In addition to this, please view the visual representation that I created and read my artist notes– this project held deep meaning to me as it enrichened my understandings and further supported how I envision my role as a Treaty Person and Partner.

artist notes: 

• connection to nature in relation to treaties. 
• realizing ‘wild’ or ‘uncivilized’ nature is not necessarily bad– further rethinking colonialism stories.. why have we (colonial white settlers) been taught to fear the unknown? 
• (ESCI 302) – attempting to rethink and relearn my pre-composed impressions and ideas 
• once you begin to learn about treaties and the act of colonization + the everlasting effects you (metaphorically) begin to step off of the shore and slowly sink further into the mud and muck of the river. 
• rivers + water symbolize life, substance and constant renewal 
• this also connects to the treaties – “as long as the rivers flow” — represents our constant renewed commitment to treaties
• waves + the current represent sudden obstacles and challenges that I must work to overcome 
• beneath the surface, the rocks + jagged edges represent the pains and failures that I will encounter during this journey 
• the fish and biodiversity, also below the surface, represent the environment I must work to create + the interactions with myself, others and the community that will occur during my process
• the green/dirty colors represent that sometimes the journey is gross or undesirable (but this does not change the path of the river or the beauty of the course) 
• brown dirt & mud- the path/journey through the river is not clean, clear or simple. Metaphorically, you have to get dirty because this is not an easy journey. 
• the color gold is associated with love, compassion, courage, and wisdom– qualities I hope to gain through my process of self-discovery and the act of taking responsibility. 
• the river does not show the ‘end’ or represent a finish place — the journey doesn’t end, it is a constant process. The current will both advance me and set me back, depending on the situation and the outcome associated. Regardless, the water will continue to move and so must I.
• interweaving colors + design used to represent the crazy, confusing and complicated journey of becoming educated.
• I must conquer different aspects + situations and life experiences 
• the depths of the water representing the layers of understanding + knowledge 
• I will gradually become stronger and better but I will never reach an end destination so I will never become ‘all-knowing’ or an expert. 

Process:

• medium: acrylic 
• style: acrylic art pouring 
• well preparing you are not able to determine the outcome 
• you can add components and hope, but the outcome cannot be explicitly designed and created 
• the mess of the process is a learning opportunity — this relates to my journey as a Treaty Person and Partner. 

Script:

Hi everyone!

My name is Jodie Munro. I am a third year pre-service teacher at the University of Regina.

This spring I have been a student in the ECCU 400 class: living treaties in education.

 

This course has been challenging; at times the process daunting, but overall it has been immensely beneficial. I do wish to note though, before explaining my miskâsowin journey, that I did not gain all of the knowledge I initially believed that I would gain through this course.. Though, I gained the ability to begin to think in a critical manner, aware of colonialism narratives and of the Canadian society predisposed rebuttals.

 

Before this spring course started, I expected to learn, precisely, how to teach treaty education and how to be a beneficial teacher for all my students.

 

Although I had spoken to Audrey in relation to this class before it had begun, I truly did think that somehow in two short months that I would come out of this course with the confidence and knowledge needed to tackle treaty education in the classroom.

 

This did not occur.

 

But, throughout the process of the semester I have learnt more than I anticipated; I learnt about myself in relation to my personal understanding, thought process, goals and in a wider view, I have had the continuous opportunity to reflect on my personal growth.

 

Growing up, I was raised on an acreage outside of Tisdale, Saskatchewan. I lived in Eldersley, a tiny hamlet that is stationed around a grain elevator.

Attach photo.

The town, and the people, are provided through the industry of farming

I find that since moving away from a rural Saskatchewan community I am able to notice the racism that is simply accepted in the area.

 

Non-hidden, publicly exposed, racism.

 

I grew up in a community to which I thought the separation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous (White) citizens was fine because it was just how society worked.

 

I grew up with a neighboring reserve, Kinistin Saulteaux Nation. The Indigenous students transferred to my school, Tisdale Middle and Secondary School, in the ninth grade. I did not understand that we shared the land; I had a basic, ethnocentric understanding of how we lived together, yet, I knew nothing of Indigenous culture, peoples or of the truth of our nation.

 

All students, Indigenous students deserved more.

We, white students, also needed to know the truth of the land, the people and the country.

Indigenous knowledge was and is valuable. It needs representation.

 

Fast forward two years and I sat in ECCU 400.

During these years I grew, gradually, to understand that white people, and their knowledge, was not the only important way of knowing.

I began to learn about, and reflect upon, my white privilege.

I realized that treaty education was not being taught, effectively, in Saskatchewan although it is mandatory.

I considered my identity and further labeled myself as a white settler Canadian on treaty land.

 

BUT

 

I did not consider just how uneducated I was, how my learning journey was still just in the preliminary stages and how my ethnocentric understanding and worldview were still very prevalent.

 

Though, I was excited and eager to learn more. I was willing to be vulnerable. I was fully ready to commit to new knowledge:

I was ready to feel tension, confusion, frustration and disappointment.

 

I took the jump into the stream, in a metaphorical sense. I took a plunge into deep water. Learning new, shocking, heart wrenching information as I tread the tides.

Show the visual representation.

 

I could not, and would not, go back to shore after learning this new knowledge because I have come to realize that gaining more knowledge and educating myself and others was my responsibility.

 

Though, I am only just learning how to teach others while not being an expert. In a way, I suppose this is my sense of self; I am not an expert, though I  am a Canadian citizen who strongly believes in my responsibility to educate, to critique and to question. I value the treaties and the responsibilities that are allied with them.

 

I did not anticipate the knowledge to be as emotional as it is– but as Pam Palmer stated in her ted talk, reconciliation is not easy.

The tides of learning, feeling and accepting are rough.

I am accepting, for my sense of self, my understanding of my relation to others and to sharing the land that truth needs to be told, widely represented and accounted for.

 

As a white educator and citizen, I am not always right. I do not own all knowledge. I will question my knowledge, constantly, but that is good because continuous education is needed. I am going to struggle to continue to understand myself, my origin and my place in this, in Canada. I will make mistakes as I did in my beginning teachings, such as presenting The Faceless Doll Project. I need to be cautious of triggers, of emotions and difficult conversations and learnings.

 

Yet, I must maneuver through the stream to stay afloat.

I will learn through my various circumstances– constantly becoming stronger.

I must continue to persevere.

 

My process of learning and living Treaties, of being a Treaty citizen and taking up my personal responsibility will only be fulfilled through growth, My growth is a process, not a destination. My sense of self is developed by my understanding of being a Treaty person– the responsibilities that are aligned with that and how I will learn to tackle challenges to own up to my responsibilities; as a teacher, and as a Treaty Person.

Miskâsowin: How Do I Envision Myself in Treaty Education?

Earlier last week my class and I co-created a Treaty Event at the University of Regina. For the event, we were each asked to invite a participant- I brought my boyfriend, Noah. This event taught me that conversations surrounding Treaty Education is hard. The conversations did not, at times, flow easily– at times, we, the students, had to actively attempt to engage the participant. My classmates and I had to go out of our comfort zones in order to begin discussions. Personally, I realized that it was a lot harder for me to be vulnerable for discussion when I wasn’t speaking with my peers.  ..why? Because I was unsure of the guest’s prior knowledge, their emotions + experiences and how they may or may not react to my prompts. Emotions such as feeling tense and/or awkward did occur. This event taught me further that the ‘Canadian story’, common rebuttals and so forth are deeply engrained within our society– and one event cannot change this fact.

BUT

The event can begin to deepen understands (or create the beginning foundation); as well, the event can be used to ignite interest, generate questions and give the participating citizens desire to understand more. In my opinion, the participants were willing to learn new knowledge- this was an extremely positive experience.

Many of the people who attended the group seminar that Josh, Maddy, Jen and I created were interested. Interest is good- it is the foundation of learning knowledge.

At times throughout the event, I noticed that I did not know how to respond; this learning experience was crucial for me to experience as it taught me that conversations do not always play out as I had scripted in my imagination or preplanning sessions.

Moving forward, I believe that events such as this (perhaps with revisions) would be largely beneficial for the school and wider community. I do not only believe that young school-age students need this knowledge, all citizens of Canada need to learn about treaties and how the implications of these treaties apply to them. So, stating this, I believe it is my responsibility as an educator and as a Treaty Person to host activities for the community to be involved in; children, teenagers, adults and elderly people all need to learn. As shown through our event, individuals of all ages can learn if they are willing to accept the knowledge being brought forth– people of a certain age can learn new material, they are not ‘lost causes’ and using age as an excuse is not acceptable. It will be harder for us, the teachers, to educate others but we must find ways and strategies to be effective and to teach treaty education in a public context.

The truth needs to be told, regardless of the struggles we as teachers will face. It is my responsibility to learn from my mistakes, constantly generate new knowledge and to adapt to how situations flow.

 

The Reprocussion of Treaties: Seminar 3 + 4 Reflection

I believe that this weeks seminar presentation, group 3 and 4, were very well portrayed; in particular, I really appreciated having the opportunity to sit outside, in a non-ethnocentric learning environment, and learn in a realistic, honest environment about the truth and struggles of our society.

To me, my most profound learning experience from this was participating in the improve drama scenario representing a teacher responding to her students.. this was a difficult and daunting struggle for me. Although this was only a mock reenactment, it taught me that talking about Treaties in education, and beyond, is difficult. 

I have always understood the concept that it is my responsibility to teach Treaty Education and to have difficult conversations, BUT I had never actually participated in these prior to this opportunity. Rather, I had only ever created mock scenarios in my head about how conversations would go (smoothly) and how I would simply lead the conversation to have a successful, impactful message. I quickly realized that I needed this reality check.

Speaking in front of my peers I was nervous, anxious and I felt uncomfortable about the content, the truth, that I was speaking. I consistently was questioning what I was saying and my reactions although I barely had time to formulate my answer– this taught me that I have not pushed myself far enough out of my comfort zone to truly learn how to be an effective, helpful Treaty Education teacher, let alone a Treaty Person. I felt flustered and confused after my interaction.

Upon further reflection, these feelings were good because I was and am continuing to work through my own misunderstandings, confusion and feels of being insecure. This learning is a process– not only is my learning journey related to what treaties are, how they molded our society (including the misconceptions) but also how to react to conversations and how to approach these difficult conversations in an educational context.

This journey is difficult but rewarding– I am not only changing as an educator but as an individual.