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I really enjoyed being a part of the inner circle today and hearing everyone's perspective. Robert I appreciate how you were prodding us to continue to dig a little deeper with each of our points of discussion.

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Rebecca you really struck a cord with me, with your point about white settlers teaching Indigenous knowledge not being enough. It is still a colonial way of teaching. We need to bring in Indigenous people and there needs to be space for Indigenous peoples to learn it and teach that knowledge.

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I like that Rebeca pointed out that the history of Indigenous shouldn't be perceived as something that just happen to "other" people long time ago. It's the history of Canada and the people that live with us today and they are still enduring the consequences of the events that happened before. The history is alive and is still happening. GC

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I like that Rebeca pointed out that the history of Indigenous shouldn't be perceived as something that just happen to "other" people long time ago. It's the history of Canada and the people that live with us today and they are still enduring the consequences of the events that happened before. The history is alive and is still happening. GC

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Robert's point about it not being the curriculum, but rather the induvidual teaching it really struck me. It is so true. We can take things from the curriculum and tweak them to include the land more or include elders knowledge. It is ultimetly up to us as teachers to teach this knowledge in a proper way. As teachers we can create oppourtunities to educate children about Indigenous cultures, we just have to make the effort to do it, and do it properly. The term properly for me in this context means telling our students we are not experts and we need to honour the knowledge of experts.

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I agree with what Carrie about the use of two texts to explain both histories. This is a great way to start while also understanding that we also need to teach the material. Eventually the texts will be able to meld together into one text. As Rob said this all depends on the person teaching and what they decide to discuss and teach with the class and their students. 

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I agree with what Carrie about the use of two texts to explain both histories. This is a great way to start while also understanding that we also need to teach the material. Eventually the texts will be able to meld together into one text. As Rob said this all depends on the person teaching and what they decide to discuss and teach with the class and their students. 

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I love the idea of fostering wonder into the FPP. It could connect students back to the land and their community through wonder and relatability. Creating opportunities for experiences during learning can make a lesson that much more understandable.

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Rebecca, I agree with your wonder about connecting to the land and space in a city context. It is also something I have wondered, especially since I have worked at a private school downtown Victoria. Being downtown there was no grass, it was all fences and brick buildings. However, although there is cost involved, maybe field trips are a great way to involve nature if you're in a city school!

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I agree with Carrie's comment about how children may feel disconnected in the classroom. We as teachers should be able to engage and form connections with the students. G.C

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I agree with Carrie's comment about how children may feel disconnected in the classroom. We as teachers should be able to engage and form connections with the students. G.C

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I agree with the group about putting an end to the "us vs. them" perspective. We need to understand that we are all connected and related to one another. We need to stop portraying Indigenous peoples as the "others" or the "outsiders". I think Bailey made a good point about acknowledging our lands. Until we do not acknowledge and understand who's land we are on we will not make the space to learn and understand. Another point that Bailey made was that the perspective a teacher brings into the classroom is so important because that becomes the lens through which children will view and learn from. Therefore, as teachers we are responsible for bringing an Indigenous perspective into the classroom and promoting children to look at the world from more than one lens.

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Robert raises an excellent point about it being a shared responsibility to bring Indigenous perspectives into our future classrooms. Bailey, I really appreciate your comment about bringing many aspects of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into the classroom and the importance of relating to the student's every day lives. This is a really important way to move away from the Perfect Stranger.

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Bailey mentioned a good point that teachers look at Indigenous people as "others" or "different" because they don't know enough about their history and culture. The two separate cultures are very distinct and not together, something that needs to change. Teachers need to teach in a way that weaves the two cultures together. We need to make space for Indigenous lenses and let their voices be heard. Rebecca made a good point that we had to take a geography course to get into this program and in that course it had history of Canada but only focused on the colonization of it and not the Indigenous people that were here before them. Chelsea brought up a good point that when people are designing curriculum they don't have an Indigenous perspective at all.

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Rebecca's story about university literature that still disregards indigenous history is astounding. But this makes the need for indigenous stories told by indigenous elders or knowledge keeper is crucial to allow our students to learn about this shared histories. I think it's very important that we have a shared investment into these relationships. They cannot be one way, we need to give just as much as we get. We need to walk into these spaces together, in order to change things for the better.

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I agree with Bailey when she said Indigenous people are seen as "different" and through a "us vs. them" lens. Also, Chelsea mentioned how we need to look at their history as OUR history. We are all interconnected and we need to acknowledge them together... not think "how can WE be there for THEM" but instead "what can WE do together to address our history". When we learn about others history, struggles or injustices, we tend to look at it as outsiders but if we were to hold the same attitude we have for our families or friends in which we are there for them and share their pains as our own we should be doing the same for all of humanity. Only then could we progress forward.

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I agree with both Bailey and Jake's comments regarding that as a teacher we need to look at Indigenous people and the education as part of 'us' rather than 'them'. We are not a separate society but rather we are part of them and we need to incorporate that into our teaching by having real conversations and not erasing the history.

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*"How do we uplift Indigenous education in the classroom?"*
I appreciated the thoughtful points about bringing a balance of Canadian and Indigenous education in the classroom. It is vital for us to be educated and to educate students from a holistic perspective. It makes me critically reflect on how I hope to incorporate Indigenous education in my future classroom.

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The group brings up an important point that we should be focusing on the perspective and not the us vs. them perspectives through bridging the gap. As educators we are responsible for bringing in perspectives, like Chelsea said, we can't change history. Bailey brings up a good point about acknowledging the land that we are on, it opens up the conversation and the perspectives of the Indigenous peoples by creating a foundation of respect for the land that we are on.
Rebecca brings up a good point of how can we incorporate the knowledge of the land and nature when working in a school in the middle of the city. Many schools are limited to the resources they have and the neighborhoods they are in. How can we give an enriching experience that incorporates the nature around us when we are restricted?

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I appreciated what Jake shared about us as settlers understanding our limitations within Indigenous knowledge. Also his point about knowing you have Indigenous knowledge you need to learn, and taking the time to learn it. Also Bailey's point about understanding and awknowledging the land that we are on as important to teaching Indigenous subject matter in an appropriate decolonial way. And how to we teach this piece "beyond" the classroom. I think teaching from an Indigenous perspective must go beyond the superficial.

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Bailey's idea that "teachers often see Indigenous children as 'others'" and that they approach their Indigenous students as 'us' vs 'them' resonated with me. It makes me think of how prevalent the tokenization of Indigenous cultures is in schools, where teachers are just trying to 'check the box' of Indigenous education and move on. Teachers have an incredibly influential role in the holistic bridging of Indigenous and Western ways of knowing, and this role should not be taken lightly. We must move past the 'othering' of these students and their culture, and create an 'us' that everyone can fit into by decentering Western structures and recentering Indigenous ways of knowing.

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I agree with Bailey's that Indigenous people are still seen as "others".  Also, her point about pushing deeper than land recognitions really resonated with me because it can often start to sound a script and its meaning can sometimes be overlooked. Engaging with the Indigenous community and Indigenous educational resources and continuing to learn alongside our students is vital.
I am interested in learning more about ways we can integrate Indigenous ways of knowing into subjects like science, that seem very black and white. How do we teach "facts" while still encouraging students to look at things from different perspectives? I agree Jake's point that we have to keep the wonder and natural curiosity alive in students in order for them to experience things from a different perspective.

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I agree with what Jake is saying that we are now needing to come from the direction as a teacher of uniting the histories of western and Indigenous. When looking at how to view the histories in regards to relation we as educators need to understand our limitations and discuss with our students that the approach of their learning through indigenous perspectives in parallel with western.

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I think Jake’s point about this mythical perception that gets perpetuated in society that there are two “separate histories” is important. Settler history and Indigenous history so to speak, cannot be separated if we are to speak honestly about them.

I think that, being in academia, it is almost instinct to try to seek out an article or a book to obtain information. The conversation taking place here today reminds me that information and knowledge is relational and shared. The best way of getting informed about gaps in knowledge is not an article, but is building relationship and community.

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I agree with Jake that by being in relation, it really means to be open to the conversation, educating ourselves, learning and unlearning so we are aware of what we are bringing into teaching. I believe we can receive learning from the Indigenous community so we can hear stories from their perspectives and not just from our textbooks because like Jake mentioned about how there is a bridge between the history of Western and Indigenous People. It is important for us to know both perspectives for us to better understand and connect the two histories together.

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I agree with what Bailey said, that teachers have often seen Indigenous as these "foreign things" which makes it difficult for them to broach topics that connect our histories. It is important to discuss Indigenous cultures and perspectives in a way that avoids creating this idea of "Us" vs. "Them".  As Jake said, we need to look at bridging the gap and educate our students in a way that allows them to obtain a more holistic view of our world.

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I liked Bailey’s point about acknowledging where we are in order to make space for Indigenous perspectives. As Robert noted, we needed to take a step further and call in Indigenous perspectives, elders, stories, content, and education. We have to go as deep as we can to truly understand and bridge that gap of our disconnected history. Our textbooks take such a safe stance in regards to the history they want to portray- that isn’t good enough. We will never learn if we rely on books that gloss over the history of Indigenous peoples. Both perspectives, as Jake mentioned, provide a holistic approach. We have to go beyond simply understanding the perspectives, and ultimately expand our worldviews.

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As Rebecca mentioned, the idea of teaching students with an Indigenous perspective seems like a good place to start if the goal is to "bridge two histories." I think teachers can risk turning their classrooms into a metaphorical fort if the type of history taught within the walls of the classroom shuts out other perspectives. Bringing two (or more) perspectives together would help do away with the idea of two separate histories, and as Jake discussed, give students a more accurate lens with which to look at the world through. From an educational standpoint, this way of teaching would be much more enriching in terms of the way students are able to understand that history is much more multifaceted than it has been taught until recently.

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Jake makes a great of point of asking "how" do we bridge the gap. Bailey brings in the idea of creating relatability and creating an "us"meaning everyone instead of a them and us. As a classroom teacher we need to have real discussions about other cultures and not "erase" histories.

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The question of being "in relation or not" is tricky in the classroom when students are taught through a westernized lens and curriculum. In order to repair this relationship it is important to first understand and know your limitations as a classroom teacher, as Jake mentioned. In order to acknowledge and respect indigenous stories, it is important to have indigenous voices in the classroom. Bringing in elders from the community to work with the class over the year would help build stronger relations with our indigenous communities. Beyond checking the box of having an indigenous speaker in the classroom one time, we should instead focus on how we can build and maintain a reciprocal relationship.

I agree with Carrie and Bailey that we need to connect our students with the place in which they are learning. Students are curious by nature, so they would likely be really engaged to learn about the history of the land where they learn. Keeping wonder alive with students is often fleeting, so incorporating indigenous perspectives may extend their passion for learning about their connection to the land.

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I read Forts, Curriculum, and Metissage by Dwayne Donald as well and one of the important messages from the article was focusing on 'invisible' divides of Indigenous historical content and colonialism perspectives. It also speaks about relationality in the context of shared history. Overtime, people come to learn what we are taught in history (i.e., content is shaped differently), therefore, as future teachers it is important how to situate ourselves for our students; we have to continuously seek for the truths and meanings behind Indigenous history. What we teach to students should be truthfully representative in its authentic form about Indigenous stories and how it may impact students. By integrating Indigenous knowledge into curriculums, students' capacity for learning expands in terms of perspective-taking, empathy, and intellectual thinking skills.

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I liked both Bailey and Jake's comments about getting rid of the us vs them mentality. As a society if we continue to stay separate it's difficult to move onto a brighter future. When we talk about us, we need to include all of us. We have to remember our past and what happened but we can use that to move forward. We need to look past stereotypes and find connections between all of us.

I also liked Robert and Chelsea's points about seeing the curriculum for more than a checklist. If we really want our students to learn we can't treat them like robots and teach them by the ways of checking boxes. We need to engage them and bring in different perspectives so they can form their own opinions.

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I like the point that Robert brought up about bringing students into places and spaces of IK. This could also go with Baily's point of breaking down the "us v.s. them" concept for teachers to stop looking at Indigenous peoples for all the answers.

I agree with the point that Carrie brought up of balance within the curriculum pertaining to IK and Science. AS well as, the way Chelsea said Indigenous perspective that is brought in throughout the classroom is very important in making sure that it is explained to students and understood.

Being connected is so very important for every aspect of learning.
Rebbeca's point of staying connected to your elders is also so crucial for gaining so much knowledge.

I agree with the point that the group brought up about Western Education and Indigenous Education and the ways in which W.E. pushes students through a system to uphold a societal standard and capitalist system, whereas I.E is more holistic and connected to oneself and land. And the fact that Indigenous students, and others, should have more opportunity to see themselves within the systems that have been built on western ideals in order to begin breaking down this way of learning

I agree 100% with Rebbeca's point of finding this balance between those who are teaching IK and what lens we are teaching through

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Jake and Bailey began the conversation by talking about the connection between the settler and indigenous people and how the two have never been connected together. I think it is an important point that Bailey made that so often white settlers (and teachers specifically) see indigenous people as “others” compared to us. We see them in relation to us and view the people and their practices and culture through a western lens rather than trying to connect with them authentically. This relates to the reading from this week which discusses the 150 year relationship between Indigenous people and the settlers. The thing that every event has shared over the last 150 years is indigenous people are always seen as the “other”, as people on the outside who the government and settlers were attempting to assimilate to “us” rather than accepting and understanding their ways of knowing.

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Today's discussion stressed the need for bridging the two and acknowledging the land(s) we live on and the history behind. Students are very curious - why not take them on a field trip showing them places (Indigenous tour guide) and learning/connecting in the true history in this way? Reading of the past is great but I know the impact is much greater when you can experience places spoken about. We don't have to go far to learn of the land we are on. This is one way student's lens (and teacher's) can be shifted. This would allow for questions and further research of truth.

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There have been some powerful ideas raised thus far in the discussion. I completely agree with Chelsea's point on the need of understanding Indigenous people's history as our own. I also agree with Carrie's comment about how today's students are detached from their surroundings/from the ‘place’ – this was intriguing since it reminded me of the Residential Schools and Reconciliation reading for this week, which discussed the significance of relationships. This bond extends beyond family to include their connections/relationships with the land, other people, communities, language, education, and other factors. When we consider how children are disconnected from their surroundings/from the ‘place’ (land, outdoors, communities, etc.), I feel that is where we can help kids reconnect and create those relationships, and it's also a good place to start when it comes to introducing/teaching Indigenous history and knowledge to children.

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I appreciated the connection that Chelsea made to the perfect stranger and the reminder that even if we "weren't apart of it" doesn't mean we aren't all connected, because all of us are in relation to the stories and histories.

It's very surprising that the histories are still not being acknowledged within textbooks right now. You would think and hope that we would have at the very least some knowledge or content about indigenous education. You would also hope that the teacher would have included some indigenous perspectives or stories. It's crazy that the stance a teacher makes on these things whether verbally or non verbally can really impact your students and the way they think of indigenous communities and histories. As a teacher we really need to be aware of how we bring this information forward and how we present it to our students.

I like the idea Jake brought up about bridging views and connections to create a holistic view of the world. It is our job as the teacher to create those bridges and build them up over time, and explore how they may change to create connections for our students.

I appreciates Robert's reminder of checking in with your biases and always checking how your feelings and opinions reflect in what you're presenting to your students.

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The idea of "us vs. them" is something that I have keep going back to in my head, and I like that Bailey and Jake addressed that topic, and addressed the importance of weaving histories together.

Rebecca brought up a really great point about incorporating Indigenous stories told by Indigenous elders into our classrooms. Not only does this bring in the voices that actually belong to these stories (as opposed to having Indigenous stories told in a textbook by a non-Indigenous person), but it begins to create these relationships that transcend cultural "walls" that have been built up.

I love the point that Jake brought up and that Robert played off of about wonder, and how connecting our students to the land promotes the sense of wonder, especially in older students when they begin to lose that sense of wonder a little bit.

I like what Bailey and Carrie mentioned about how Western education takes children and molds them into one "type" of person, and how the Indigenous education system focuses on the child first, and how that child's specific talents, identities, etc can be brought forward to benefit society. That's a really interesting thing to think about and it makes me excited to figure out how to flip the "norm" in my own classroom.

Rebecca made a great point when talking about the importance of the NITEP program. She noted that it's not enough for non-Indigenous educators to learn Indigenous knowledge systems and teach within them because we are still not an Indigenous voice. We have to bring in actual Indigenous people and voices into the classroom. Otherwise, we're still just non-Indigenous voices telling Indigenous stories, even if we are doing our best.

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Bridging the gap between the two histories is really prevalent today. Seeing indigenous lives and history as the other or as a separate entity is something that is reinforced throughout history and today. We are all interconnected. To remain a perfect stranger is to be passive and stagnant. Integrated histories are something that needs to be recognized and understood. How do we heal this relationship? We first need to own up to our shared history and try to mend the relationship together going forward. Building a shared history together for healing.

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It was mentioned that a disruption is needed for a shift in the approach to teaching and learning in the current classroom. It was noticed that students often lose their sense of curiosity for the world once going through the school system. It is our role as educators to keep this curiosity and wonder for life alive. This can be done through indigenous perspectives and teachings. For instance, not only using experiences for learning but creating experiences for students to learn and grow individually. Additionally, as Bailey mentioned, through this approach we are able to allow and show students how to give back to their community in a meaningful way.

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I see what Robert is saying about being in relation with what we are teaching as educators about Indigenous topics. I agree with Jake that we as educators need to bring others in to educate not only ourselves but our students as well. I think we have so much to learn that us being related to the topics and connect to the land, we can have a deeper connection and understanding so that we can educate our students as well. Rebecca made a good point that we are given the curriculum that we follow but it doesn't give the full scope or correct narrative about Canadian history from an Indigenous perspective. I think its our responsibility to teach Canadian history to our students from an Indigenous perspective and continue knowledge building outside the classroom as well.

I see what Robert's saying that the scripture of the curriculum is still going to block out Indigenous ways unless there is mass disruption of it. I think when we step into the classroom, we have to fight to change because it has to start somewhere

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I  agree with Jake's comment about how the fort allows readers to deem Indigenous Peoples as 'outside' and 'separate' from the settlers. I also agree with Bailey's comment about how we have positioned ourselves to inhabit different realities where in actuality we should look Indigenous Peoples and these forts in relations to us. I believe as teachers, we have to look more critically at these educational texts and see how we relate to them and how the settlers related to them. While I heard Robert talk, I realized that I forgot the most important thing. When we try to see Indigenous Peoples in relation to us, we have to create connections with the people who have stewarded the land that we occupy - we have to reach out and create these relationships in order to truly see ourselves in relation.