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For today's discussion, I had written a few questions to guide the dialogue and naturally many of them were addressed. Here are some of the questions that I brought in:
1) Did reading about the positionality of the "perfect stranger" resonate with you? Why or why not?
2) What fears might you have about teaching Indigenous pedagogy/ Canadian history in your future classrooms?
3) In what ways do you understand the current education system to be perpetuating colonialism? What change can you bring as an educator?
4) What would be a cultural artifact that you might imagine for yourself if you participated in Dion's course?

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Initially I felt nervous when I found out that I would be in the first talking circle, however once we started I immediately felt at ease. Knowing that we were surrounded by our supportive, trustworthy and inquisitive peers gave me the reassurance I needed to speak my reflections. I enjoyed hearing my fellow discussion group members interpretations of the reading.

I connected to the idea brought up about having fear surrounding Indigenous education in our classrooms due to lack of knowledge or out of fear of making a mistake.  This idea then led into deep thoughts and conversations about how we have been brought up in a school system in which instills a sense of fear - fear of failure, of raising your hand to say the wrong thing. How can we remove this sense of fear in our own future classrooms? We must establish a sense of trust and comfortability as we have witness of our own classes in the past 2 weeks.

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I related most to Robert and Amy's point at the end of the discussion about how we all feel a little bit scared to address Indigenous education in our classrooms because of the fear that we will do something wrong. But more specifically, the idea that we learned to be scared from school itself. I had never considered that the root of my hesitancy to speak unless I know what I am saying is correct came from the ways school are set up.

This fear of getting something wrong or misrepresenting ourselves/our ideas/our thought patterns is so engrained in us that we felt the need to bring this up in another class as we were creating a list of "cohort expectations." We expressed that we hoped the group would be understanding with each other as we started having conversations about race, indigeneity, etc. because we wanted to be able to engage in these discussions without the pressure of getting everything perfect on the first try. I didn't think much about the fact that we had to request a safe learning environment until our discussion today and that makes me think how we can create an environment in school when our students don't grow up with the same pressure of perfection that we unconsciously or consciously feel ourselves?

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Prior to being in the discussion, I was quite nervous on what to expect and what I would say. However, after, I realized that this is a safe space for learning and growth. That in itself represents the first people's principles of learning. The point that Robert made about "who taught us to be afraid?" and it is the dominant discourse and schooling we all once received. I took some time to reflect after the discussion on why I was not so keen to speak up or say the wrong things. Normally in school, the teacher would only reward those who say the correct answer. Others would laugh if we said something wrong which discourages lots of people to speak. I've noticed that listening is such an important part of learning. Often times, only the loudest voices are heard and that is problematic. The circle allows everyone to have an opportunity to speak while our peers have time to listen, reflect, and think about what is being said

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Hearing Ashley explain how, prior to last night, she had never learned the story behind White Rock made me consider what I know about the places that I belong to/am connected to. This makes me think about how I may be a perfect stranger in the communities that I claim to be a part of.

In my Circles of Belonging, I listed 5 geographical places in which I feel connected to and I'm realizing that I know very little about these places and their respective histories.

How do we go about ensuring that individuals are educated on the history of the land they live on and visit? Is this something that we should include in our land acknowledgements?

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I enjoyed listening to everyones discussions today in the circle. In particular, I connected to Jane's explanation on how important it is to not be afraid of controversial topics and how we are already incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing in our current classroom. Thus, we need to stop focussing on the "how" but the "do" portion. We keep thinking about the "how" without realizing we are doing it. Furthermore, reflecting on who we are in the poems we did, got me thinking about the importance of our identities and what we bring into the world. Each of us are so unique.

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"What they know, what they do not know, and what they refuse to know". I feel this is such an important statement to keep in mind as current teacher candidates as well as to take into our future classroom when we approach Indigenous education. In the reading, regarding Kat's story, they touched on how it is not what she already knew but what she was allowed not to know. I feel this speaks to how Indigenous education has been portrayed/taught in the school system (as well as my own personal experience in school) and we must take the step as educators to allow a space for Indigenous education to be highlighted.

The point Robert made in the discussion circle surrounding Indigenous education needing to be authentic in order for individuals to want to learn really struck me. People feel comfortable with this because it's entertainment and it's what they would expect when they think of an Indigenous individual, where in reality there is so much more and so many levels to Indigenous education that we must learn to appreciate. Of course traditions are important to highlight but that shouldn't be where Indigenous education stops and I hope all of us as future educators dive deeper within our classrooms.

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One of the main takeaways I got from the discussion was that we don't have to be perfect or always have the right answer when it comes to Indigenous Education. We may feel limited in our abilities to teach Indigenous Education due to a lack of knowledge, but this should not stop us  from being humble, curious and exploring. We can position ourselves as a co-learner with our students and learn together with them instead of pretending to be an authority on Indigenous culture. In fact it can be empowering for our students to realize that we are all on a journey of life-long learning together.

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"For people to imagine us as Indians, we must be authentic." This quote really stood out to me because it really made me question how we all came to have these pre-conceived notions about what an Indigenous person looks like. Thinking back to my elementary and high school education, my teachers made it out to be that Indigenous people were these sort of "exotic" beings and that they used to be here occupying space, but that was the extent of it. It is alarming to realize that majority of our educators did not think it was crucial to paint the picture of Indigenous people any differently. For me, this motivates me to really dive into challenging topics in my own classroom. This brings us into the main question we all have about how to incorporate Indigenous education into our classroom despite not being experts. It was really interesting to hear the circle talk about how we should not be afraid to be co-learners with our students and be honest with them about learning together. Someone said we shouldn't be afraid to trespass because we're passed that point. It's more important to engage our students in these topics and conversations and not shy away from challenging topics.

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My initial expectation of how this course would run is that our instructor would lecture and teach us about everything that there is to know about indigenous education without considering the personal stories and positions students have in relation to indigenous peoples. In other words, I did not expect to have to reflect on my prior beliefs and existing knowledge base and how I, a settler on unceded territories in BC, position myself in relation to the people whose land I now occupy and live on. This article has made me realize how important it is to establish a relationship to indigenous peoples and not remain as "perfect strangers" to them. Learning about the places that we are situated at and call home entails learning about the people who once lived there before our arrival.

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I learned about the “Dead Indian” a couple years ago, which i think Thomas King wrote about. This is the stereotypical image we imagine when we speak about Indigenous peoples. As Robert described, this is the traditional ways of dressing, ways that are not in the everyday life of Indigenous peoples. This term might help connect many of our ideas about how we understood the idea of the “Invisible Indian.”

In the article, a line stood out to me that was the ITPP student’s realization that she could be “smart and Indian at the same time,” (6). This really brings in the idea that representation matters. For both children who are Indigenous (or other BIPOC people) and for non-Indigenous peoples, to break down their own biases and misconceptions.

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I really connected to Ashley’s discussion that expressed how she grew up in White Rock on Semiahmoo territory yet was unaware of its history. I grew up in Steveston and went to Tomekichi Homma Elementary School. The full name of my school was never what students used. We would just say that we went to Homma thus taking away the history of the name. I feel ignorant for never even questioning or researching more about the name and area that I grew up in. After finally doing my own research, I learned that Tomekichi “Tomey” Homma was one of the first Japanese settlers in Steveston. I was unaware that Steveston had actually lost more than half of its population and businesses when Japanese people were interned. Despite this, the town and people survived and we can see instances of this history that is still preserved today. I encourage everyone to do a bit of research about the place in which they were raised, as I bet you everywhere has its own impactful story.

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I connected with the idea of wanting to be able to respectfully teach about indigenous education but there is the fear of being offensive. The idea of being able to cross the boundaries because they have already been crossed is scary because of the fragility around the idea of Indigenous peoples, especially online to other adults. I know on social media, Indigenous influencers are becoming known and are sharing their stories and culture but the backlash they receive in their comments and maybe even in direct messages are harmful. These comments include questions about if they are truly "Indigenous" which relates to a point in the talking circle where if you are an Indigenous educator you have to be "authentic." I wonder how we can make room in everyone's mind around the world to understand and be open about the Indigenous culture.

"Where did the idea of getting the right answer come from?" Wow. If this was not enforced during my school time, I don't think I would be as anxious as a person today. Truly mind blowing hearing that comment though.

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My view is coming from a white woman who was born and raised in the same neighbourhood in Vancouver with little Indigenous representation or collaboration. As someone who is privileged in a way that I do not worry about how I show up, I connected with this article and what my own journey has looked like to find ways to create spaces with my family, peers and coworkers for Indigenous identity and culture.

I've learned that keeping alive stories, truth, love, community, successes etc., allows us to reflect on the "positions [we] occupy in relation to, and with, Aboriginal people and, importantly, how it is they came to occupy those positions". To be able to look back on our own past and where we first held a preconceived image of indigenous identity is an important step to unravel limitations we face when acknowledging history and our prejudices or biases we may or may not realize are there.

What should be my goal in the classroom? How can i disrupt the curriculum?

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I think it is important to recognize that we are not all experts and we do not necessarily need to be experts in order to teach indigenous education. There are so many resources for us to utilize to get beyond the idea of being a "perfect stranger". It is very powerful knowing that it is okay to learn alongside the students. It is even beneficial for them to know that it is an ongoing learning process for us as well. The theme of self reflection sticks out for me because it is so important to know where our knowledge is rooted in order to teach this material to others.

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I connected to the part where there is a sense of discomfort in addressing and teaching Indigenous knowledge, people, and its history in Canada. As someone who only really learned about this in social studies and presentations in high school, the lack of exposure definitely adds onto my discomfort in talking about it; however, what I learned is that the first step is to engage in self-reflection and ask questions regarding who we are and where we are in relation to the past and the future. Furthermore, reflection in general is important because looking at the past, and learning from mistakes, will help me uncover my thoughts, beliefs, assumptions, and it will give me a vision of how I want the future to be.

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I was really inspired by the story that Robert brought up about a teacher he was working with. Within the program so far, I have really valued the emphasis placed on collaboration and relationships and I now realise that this comes from Indigenous principles of learning. When we learn through Indigenous ways of knowing; through collaboration, stories, holding each other up, holding each other accountable, and helping each other grow, I think we will be better able to teach both Indigenous history, values, and ways of knowing. The idea of learning through Indigenous education in order to be effective teachers that embraces these ways of knowing seems obvious but was a real "ah ha" moment for me.

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A significant point I noticed in the reading is the idea of the 'perfect stranger' and how by taking this perspective you aren't assuming any responsibility because you don't want to misinform people or get anything wrong. Coming from this viewpoint, you aren't assuming responsibility to educate yourself on Indigenous matters. We need to be able to breakdown our belief systems, engage in self-reflection and be open to unlearning.
Also what Stephanie and Jane mentioned about what the 'Indian' looks like and how it can look different to all of us. I think growing up, everyone was exposed to different things and come in with their own idea of what it looks like based on the environments that they've grown up in.

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It was really interesting to talk about the resiliency of Indigenous peoples through the trauma they have been through. I wonder how we can incorporate this into the classroom about their resilience and strength, without minimizing the experience and trauma they endured. When I was in high school learning about Indigenous people, there was focus on residential schools, but there was never any discourse about how Indigenous people persevered through these times, and I think it is so important to include this in these discussions.

Another really important implication form this discussion is that in order to learn the stories of Indigenous people, it is so crucial to build relationships, to get out of my comfort zone, to know that you do not need to be an expert to teach, and know that Indigenous education is so much more than just subject material. The worry of having the "right answer" is what stops us from learning.

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I really like how the inner circle discussed about the 'invisibility' of Indigenous people. It made me reflect on the long and violent processes, such as land removals and residential schools that have played a role -- processes that still affect Indigenous people today. In the 8th fire (documentary), one interviewee spoke about how Indigenous people are only noticed when something is going wrong, but she does not feel defined by statistics or stereotypes.

Additionally, I can relate with the part of the text Jane discussed, where one of the teachers spoke about their immigration experience. I identify as a second-generation immigrant -- but still have to recognize that I am on stolen land. It's important for me to keep in mind what Jane stated: "Not everyone's story is the same even though we share similar experiences"

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I connected really strongly with the modes of inheritance concerning knowledge and information about Indigenous peoples and the idea of the "Invisible Indian".  I recall my own understanding of Indigenous peoples as a child to being closely tied with movements connected with environmentalism and militant protesting when that is far from a full picture.

It was also enlightening in understanding the implications of media portrayal (especially via the internet) and the natural resistance the student's own understanding via the internet and media can have in classroom discussions.  I appreciate the notion that the space where those resistances can be explored is beneficial in creating an open space of inquiry to: a. foster a deconstruction of dominant discourse & b. construct genuine understanding and explorative learning of other stories

However I still do have worries: Self-reflection is a good tool but if little support exists within a specific school system towards this framework of education, how will an inexperienced teacher receive suitable feedback on the trajectories of their spaces of Indigenous Education? When teaching succumbs to stressful environments, teaching via "best practice" defaults to teaching via experience, and when our own experience is flawed, is there a risk of falling into the space of unknowingly reproducing the dominant discourses within these spaces?  Is self-reflection sufficient in improving our own teaching practices within these spaces?

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"The importance of keeping alive the resiliency and witnessing the success of Indigenous people, despite their pasts."

This was a really interesting point raised because it highlights the importance of uplifting and acknowledgement of Indigenous peoples and their cultures, while emphasizing that these moments of learning do not need to be all negative. We shouldn't be afraid to trespass, because it has already been done. This is an important point made because it reminds me that in order to learn alongside my students, I need to be comfortable touching on challenging stories and realities. This is how reconciliation may happen and my own personal biases may dismantle, all alongside my students. How do I create boundaries in my classroom that allow for these challenging conversations, without 'overstepping'?

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What struck me from this discussion is the role of the teacher as co-learner, facilitator, not as an authority on the subject who is simply teaching a set of knowledge to the learner. This seems a lot more doable versus the idea that I have to first become and expert on the subject (whatever that means) before I can begin to bring it up in the classroom. Perhaps seeing indigenous education as a continued exploration or as an open conversation would help us to know where we can begin?
The fact that indigenous learning happens so much within relationship and seems like something that evolves and grows as it unfolds, helps me to see that we have to be brave and see how we are not completing an equation, but weaving a tapestry instead.

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In order to move past the idea of ourselves as perfect strangers, I think we need to get past a fear of screwing up. I draw connections in order to breach that unfamiliarity, but I do have a fear of voicing some of these connections. For example, I felt a connection with the part in the article about Indigenous people sometimes feeling pressure to dress more “Indian” in order to be recognized. I’ve been in situations where someone doesn’t believe I’m visually impaired enough, and I want to keep my hand on my guide as a security and to prove my blindness to them. At the back of my mind is a fear that in drawing a comparison, I’m minimizing what someone is going through, especially when we see ridiculous comparisons (PPC comparing the vaccine passport to residential schools) in the media. My take-away is that I need to work past that fear in order to make connections with Indigenous ways, but I need to be sensitive to the differences between my personal story and the story of others.

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The point in this talking circle that stuck out to me was the "invisible" vs "visible" discussion of how the general public perceives Indigenous peoples to be. This makes me question how we can teach the realities of who Indigenous peoples are when there may be stereotypes and misconceptions that arise from outlets, such as the media. Delving deeper into that, how can we facilitate unlearning of prejudices that arise due to these inaccurate representations?

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I’m wondering if it helps to refrain from teaching Indigenous people as victims, and rather portraying them as survivors. Often the common discourse is really embedded in only seeing the history full of trauma and an inability to move forward, when in reality that idea causes students to only see Indigenous people as helpless. I found throughout my schooling, this was the common discourse that came up, and it in and of itself sounds like a limiting box to put Aboriginal people, culture and heritage into.

How do we promote this, when teachers in higher grade may not do the same? Will my teachings get lost as children move forward in their schooling?

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In the circle was mentioned that they grew up in a region that had an indigenous name, the school, soccer team, community centre was named after this group however no one taught them the purpose of this name and that it belongs to an indigenous group. It especially stood out to me that white rock has an indigenous rooted story. As someone who has always lived in surrey and visited white rock many times I never knew until today that it has a large connection to a group of some indigenous people. I think it says a lot about our dominant culture and this is something that really needs to change.

What are ways we can make these connections known to our students and how can we call on our local communities to make these connections widely known?

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The story about Jessica in the article struck me, because I feel like we could all potentially relate to her as she is a teacher who values the importance of multiculturalism and anti-racism in her classroom, but still found herself having unconscious harmful prejudices/views of indigenous people. I feel like in this class, as teacher candidates, we all are coming from a place of good intentions, but how do we challenge our biases if we cannot even see them for ourselves?