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(Canadian School Boards Association, 2021)

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Canada has a dark and often disregarded history around Indigenous genocide. The Indigenous people of Canada have endured vile mistreatment for over a century. With the last residential school in Canada being closed less than 30 years ago (1996) (Restoule, 2013), we as a country, have a long way to go to correct the wrongs that have been committed to our Aboriginal neighbours.

One way we can take the necessary steps to heal their wounds, and help restore their culture to the once rich and beautiful state, is through education.

"It was the educational system that has contributed to this problem in this country, and it's the educational system, we believe, that's going to help us to get away from this." (Senator Sinclair, 2019)

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Academic Reference on the Indian Residential School System

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Academic Reference on the Indian Residential School System

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"Within this classroom, we will commit to an inclusive, and safe environment towards the Indigenous members and their culture by:

i) Following the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework.

ii) Providing age-appropriate curricula that outline Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools.

iii) Inviting the Indigenous children, families, and community members to contribute to the classroom environment and lessons.

iv) Promote Indigenous language revitalization.

v) Always respect and appreciate each other's unique identities. Acknowledging that everyone has beautiful qualities to contribute to the class, and to never shame, bully, or allow mistreatment toward anyone because of this."

The above policy statement is a list of policies that I will implement in all my future classrooms as an Early Childhood Educator, regardless of whether or not I have Indigenous children in the group. For this instance, we will say the class has a mix of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children. Some of the policies would obviously have to be adjusted if there aren't any Indigenous children in the group, however, it is still incredibly vital to educate non-Indigenous children of Canada's history and the Aboriginal peoples, as well as their beautiful culture if we want to truly take steps toward reconciliation.

My policy statement meets the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action as it is in accordance with the following:

Call to Action # 10: "We call on the federal government to draft new Aboriginal education legislation with the full participation and informed consent of Aboriginal peoples. The new legislation would include a commitment to sufficient funding and would incorporate the following principles:...

iii) Developing culturally appropriate curricula.

iv) Protecting the right to Aboriginal languages, including the teaching of Aboriginal languages as credit courses.

v) Enabling parental and community responsibility, control, and accountability, similar to what parents enjoy in public school systems.

vi) Enabling parents to fully participate in the education of their children."

Call to Action # 12: "We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to develop culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Aboriginal families."

Call to Action # 13: "We call upon the federal government to acknowledge that Aboriginal rights include Aboriginal language rights"

Call to Action #14: "We call upon the federal government to enact an Aboriginal Languages Act that incorporates the following principles:...

i) Aboriginal languages are a fundamental and valued element of Canadian culture and society, and there is an urgency to preserve them...

iv) The preservation, revitalization, and strengthening of Aboriginal languages and cultures are best managed by Aboriginal people and communities."

Call to Action # 63: "We call upon the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Aboriginal education issues, including:

i) Developing and implementing Kindergarten to Grade Twelve curriculum and learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools.

ii) Sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Aboriginal history.

iii) Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect by following the "Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework"."

(Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015)

Although the Government of Canada has not made much effort to respond to the Calls to Action, as an ally to the Indigenous communities of Canada, I am taking it upon myself to put these Calls to Action in place in my own classrooms to the best of my abilities and assist in the advancement of Canadian reconciliation.

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(Nunavut Sivuniksangat by Jennifer and Natashia, 2014)

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Nunavut Sivuniksangat by Jennifer and Natashia

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My decolonized-Indigenized classroom will be a combination of indoors and outdoors as this is in accordance with one of the Indigenous ways of knowing. As explained in the learning module for week 10, "learning happens in many locations, inside and outside the school." (Budge, 2021).

We will ensure to work together with the Indigenous children, their families, and Indigenous community members to ensure our classroom is inclusive, safe, and nurturing. To start, we will label all objects in Indigenous and English terminology to promote Indigenous language revitalization, posting Indigenous-made art, and different important lessons around the room, such as the Medicine Wheel and the Seven Grandfather Teachings.

"It’s very important that teachers realize that the education system has been used to rob Indigenous people of their languages, their cultures, and their communities through the residential school system. This is why teachers have a responsibility to work with Indigenous people, families, and communities, rather than continuing to work in a system that speaks for Indigenous people, families, and communities – that is, don’t do for, do with."
(Dr. Freeman et al., 2018)

We will have an information centre that includes labeled and descriptive Indigenous work or tools, such as beadwork including the meaning and uses behind them, a radio that can play recordings of Indigenous chants, throat singing, etc., drums, and small pieces of hide, with explanations why they are used, how they are made, and how Indigenous communities hunt sustainably. The children will be taught how to respect these artifacts and not use them in disrespectful ways. Although we will have many other teaching methods, the art and learning station alone will support three of the five senses by providing sounds to hear, art and objects to see, and items to touch, such as the hide.

Dual-language books will be provided, many written by Indigenous authors, and some that outline the history behind residential schools in an age-appropriate manner.

Lastly, for indoor learning, we will support one of the important traditional Indigenous ways of teaching and learning of oral traditions through storytelling by having the Indigenous family members, community members, or even elders come in and speak to the group/teach a lesson. We could also have cooking lessons with these volunteers to learn about traditional foods, subsequently supporting the remaining two senses, taste and smell.

For outdoor learning, we will have outdoor playtime or lessons on a daily basis. As well as, field trips with Indigenous community members, such as pow-wows and nature walks while the volunteer shares their knowledge and wisdom about Indigenous lessons and their culture. As well as, visits to reserves if permissible to do so, so we could see the current ways of living, and learn about how the Canadian government is still neglecting Indigenous communities from basic human rights, such as clean drinking water (Swampy & Black, 2021).

All of these methods tie in the five senses in many ways. However, it also ties in many other Indigenous ways of teaching and learning such as the following:

- Learning is emergent.
- Focus on students and teacher interaction.
- Students construct knowledge through gathering and synthesizing information.

(Budge, 2021)

While there will be one large section in the classroom (the learning centre) that is specifically dedicated to Indigenous education, the art, labeling, and posters of important lessons will be found throughout the entire room.

This vision is different from any class I have seen before as I have never really seen any classrooms truly represent and respect the Indigenous cultures of Canada. I think the current generation of Canadians are reaching a huge turning point in regard to Indigenous education as we truly want to make a difference and correct the wrongs that have been committed to the Indigenous peoples in contrast to our elders and our teachers, who really did not have the same mindset, unfortunately. I truly believe we will start seeing some major changes in the Canadian classroom environments in the near future.

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Academic Reference on Truth and Reconciliation in Your Classroom

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Academic Reference on Truth and Reconciliation in Your Classroom

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Truth and Reconciliation in YOUR Classroom | EdCan Network

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Teachers have amazing potential to help make Truth and Reconciliation a reality, and to move the next generation forward in creating an inclusive Canada.

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Indigenous Services Canada has announced it won't end long-term advisories until 2023 at the earliest. In 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed to ending all long-term drinking water advisories by March 2021. When that deadline passed, the government recommitted to ending long-term advisories without a target date.

This announcement comes as no surprise to many First Nations outraged by the lack of progress on ending drinking water advisories in their communities, and the growing divide and gap that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

Examples of First Nations across Canada enduring persistent drinking water issues are endless. Neskantaga First Nation in Northern Ontario has been on a long-term boil water advisory since 1995. Semiahmoo First Nation recently had a 16-year boil water advisory lifted, after connecting to the nearby Metro Vancouver water line through the city of Surrey, B.C. The community is only a five-minute drive from the city of White Rock.
Read more: Water crisis in First Nations communities runs deeper than long-term drinking water advisories
Internationally, the right to water is recognized by the United Nations. It entitles everyone, without discrimination, access to safe, sufficient, physically accessible and affordable water. In Canada, while our water quality is ranked among the best in the world, First Nations across the country struggle to access a safe supply.

That's why the government's announcement wasn't surprising to those of us who have been following this issue for years. The true crisis is much greater than what is conveyed in the media, and there's a lack of awareness about how water is managed in First Nation communities.

Small systems not under federal jurisdiction

While the federal government is responsible for funding and overseeing water management in First Nations, this does not typically include small systems and individual wells and cisterns. And provincial governments and municipalities have no jurisdiction over water management on reserve.

In addition, the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act was enacted despite criticism from First Nations.

First Nations face disproportionately higher numbers of drinking water advisories, and are subjected to these advisories for longer periods of time than non-Indigenous people. This is due to inadequate and chronic under-funding, regulatory voids and a lack of resources to support water management. The number of water-borne diseases in First Nations communities is 26 times higher than the national average, and people living on reserve are 90 times more likely to have no access to running water compared to non-Indigenous people in Canada.

At any given moment, there are more than 100 drinking water advisories in place for First Nations across Canada, according to the federal government, the First Nations Health Authority and Saskatoon Tribal Council. But this figure doesn't come close to revealing the real crisis. It is merely the tip of the iceberg.

The pervasiveness of the drinking water crisis is slowly stifling and oppressing First Nations across Canada.

Still no access

It's been 10 years since the federal government's National Assessment on Water and Wastewater Systems in First Nations Communities highlighted the state of water for First Nations people.

The government report estimated that 13.5 per cent of First Nations had trucked-in water, 13 per cent had individual wells and 1.5 per cent had no water service at all. Since the Liberal government announced in 2015 its intention to eliminate long-term drinking water advisories, attention has been placed on federally funded drinking water systems, which are larger community systems.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

But many communities, like those in the Prairies or more remote locations, have hundreds of advisories in place for individual wells or cisterns that fail to meet Canadian Drinking Water guidelines. These systems are not well-funded or closely monitored.

In many of these First Nations, water has elevated levels of heavy metals, including iron and manganese, and contaminants like E. coli. Residents don't trust the drinking water and there is a preference to rely on bottled water as a reliable drinking water source. Even Nations near urban centres, like Tsuut'ina Nation just outside of Calgary, struggle to trust the water from their wells.

Taking matters into their own hands

According to Mario Swampy, council member with Samson Cree Nation, residents are dealing with more than 100 drinking water advisories affecting their individual systems. His estimation illustrates how this water crisis is far more serious than national media would suggest.

This has lead to Samson Cree Nation taking matters into its own hands by creating a community-based committee called Nipiy. It brings together community members, leadership, consultants, academics and non-profits to collaboratively work on water management.

Samson Cree Nation Facebook page

Samson Cree Nation, in an attempt to close the existing gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities on safe drinking water, is struggling to adequately address its ongoing boil water advisories that aren't captured in the federal government's commitment.

In December 2020, the government earmarked an additional $1.5 billion to address water management. The recent federal budget committed additional investments to close the infrastructure gap that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. While these investments help, they will not be enough to undo the damage caused by decades of underfunding.
Read more: Federal budget 2021: $18 billion is a step towards closing gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities
First Nations organizations like the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority are moving towards autonomy and control over their water. But more is needed.

What to do

Adequate funding for infrastructure and improvements, operations and maintenance, capacity-building and training that promote building, growth and development are key.

In order for First Nations, including communities like Samson Cree Nation, to achieve equity in water access, quality and quantity, the current model of dependency must be challenged in changed. Full autonomy, decision-making and control over their internationally recognized right to water is the only way forward.

If we really want to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities on safe drinking water, we need to look across the entire spectrum - from First Nations that rely on bottled water to those with individual wells and communities with reliable tap water. We must address the real magnitude of this crisis.

In 1991, the federal government committed to achieving equality for all in accessing safe water by 2001. Thirty years later, not only have we failed to achieve this, we have also failed to understand just how far from equality we really are.

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Tip of the iceberg: The true state of drinking water advisories in First Nations

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Indigenous Services Canada has announced it won't end long-term advisories until 2023 at the earliest. In 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed to ending all long-term drinking water advisories by March 2021. When that deadline passed, the government recommitted to ending long-term advisories without a target date.

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When I become an ECE, I plan on implementing many exercises/activities for the children that tie together with the TRC's Calls to Action in an attempt to decolonize-Indigenize the classroom. The first activity that I have designed is in conjunction with the Call to Action # 10:

"10. We call on the federal government to draft new Aboriginal education legislation with the full participation and informed consent of Aboriginal peoples. The new legislation would include a commitment to sufficient funding and would incorporate the following principles:

i) Providing sufficient funding to close identified educational achievement gaps within one generation.

ii) Improving education attainment levels and success rates.

iii) Developing culturally appropriate curricula.

iv) Protecting the right to Aboriginal languages, including the teaching of Aboriginal languages as credit courses.

v) Enabling parental and community responsibility, control, and accountability, similar to what parents enjoy in public school systems.

vi) Enabling parents to fully participate in the education of their children.

vii) Respecting and honouring Treaty relationships."

(Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015)

This activity would involve grouping non-Indigenous and Indigenous school-aged children into pairs of two and assigning them the task of choosing a meaningful story that aligns with Indigenous teachings or ways of knowing or Indigenous history in Canada, and is written in English. The children will be instructed to work together to translate the book into an Indigenous language of their choosing. If the Indigenous child can only speak English, the pair will do research, or find assistance from the Indigenous child's family or community members to translate the story (if possible, if not I will help them find an individual who can help translate). Once the translation is completed, the children will be provided time each day to rehearse retelling the story in the Indigenous language as a team for about two to three weeks or until everyone has memorized their parts. Once we have reached this point, the children's families will be invited to the classroom to watch the children present their stories in the Indigenous language as a team. The children can be as creative as they like, they can make adaptations to the story or reenact it with handmade props. This presentation will take place somewhere all the parents could sit and watch the children while also providing space for the presentations, ideally a stage or gymnasium, or outdoors if the weather permits. I will be involved by fact-checking the translations with the parents or community members to ensure there isn't anything offensive, or incorrect, as well as assisting the children with anything they may need for their presentations.

This activity also aligns with the Indigenous oral tradition of storytelling...

"Story is a practice in Indigenous cultures that sustains communities, validates experiences and epistemologies, expresses experiences of Indigenous peoples, and nurtures relationships and the sharing of knowledge. Storytelling is also a central focus of Indigenous epistemologies,

pedagogies, and research approaches."

(Iseke, 2013)

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Academic Reference on Indigenous Storytelling

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Academic Reference on Indigenous Storytelling

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(Novalinga & Novalinga, 2021)

The above artists are a mother and daughter Inuuk duo, Shina and Kayuula Novalinga. They have been spreading awareness and teaching others about their Inuit culture through the online platform, Tik Tok.

They team up to create videos of their throat singing and share it with the public to see and appreciate.

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We are still here and we are stronger than ever ✊🏼 #indigenous #throatsinging #inuit #culture #tradition @kayuulanova

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@shinanova
We are still here and we are stronger than ever ✊🏼 #indigenous #throatsinging #inuit #culture #tradition @kayuulanova
♬ original sound - Shina Nova

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In conclusion, all of the above strategies and much more will help me decolonize-Indigenize my classrooms in many ways.

I believe that by continuously keeping myself aware of any biases I may subconsciously have, accountable for my actions and abilities, and ready to learn new information on Indigenous cultures in Canada, I will be able to incorporate a multitude of ways to teach and learn alongside the children in order to put the right foot forward toward reconciliation.

I will always include Indigenous children, families, and community members involved in my teaching strategies, as one of the best ways to demonstrate that I am an ally is to listen and to change what I can as an educator.

Lastly, I will challenge the status quo and strive to remove neoliberal ideologies from my classrooms, such as independent work, expected and pre-determined outcomes, quiet classrooms, and ranking based on pre-determined criteria (Budge, 2021).

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Budge, L. (2021). Module 10: Decolonizing Education and Indigenizing Education. Indigenous Education: Insights & Perspectives. Retrieved November 2021.

Budge, L. (2021). Module 3: Traditional Indigenous Ways of Teaching and Learning. Indigenous Education: Insights & Perspectives. Retrieved September 2021.

Budge, L. (2021). Module 9: Truth & Reconciliation - Education Calls to Action. Indigenous Education: Insights & Perspectives. Retrieved November 2021.

CSBA. (2021). Indigenous Education. Canadian School Boards Association. photograph. Retrieved November 2021, from https://www.cdnsba.org/resources/aboriginal-education.

Dr. Freeman, K., Dr. Morcom, L., & McDonald, S. (2018). Truth and Reconciliation in Your Classroom: How to get started, and who can help. EdCan Network. photograph, Education Canada. Retrieved November 2021, from https://www.edcan.ca/articles/truth-reconciliation-classroom/.

Indigenous Languages. (2014). Toronto District School Board. photograph. Retrieved November 2021, from https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Community/Indigenous-Education/Resources/Indigenous-Languages.

Iseke, J. (2013). Indigenous Storytelling as Research. International Review of Qualitative Research. https://doi.org/10.1525/irqr.2013.6.4.559

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. (2019). Trc Mini Documentary - Senator Murray Sinclair on Reconciliation. YouTube. Retrieved November 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjx2zDvyzsU.

Nunavut Sivuniksavut. (2014). Nunavut Sivuniksangat by Jennifer and Natashia. YouTube. Retrieved November 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z6qE6LFOAk.

Restoule, K. (2013). An Overview of the Indian Residential School System. The Union of Ontario Indians. Retrieved November 2021, from https://www.anishinabek.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/An-Overview-of-the-IRS-System-Booklet.pdf.

Shina Nova. (2021). We are still here and we are stronger than ever. Tik Tok. Retrieved November 2021, from https://www.tiktok.com/@shinanova/video/6943415075285912837?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=7032759860387628550.

Swampy, M., & Black, K. (2021, May 7). Tip of the iceberg: The true state of drinking water advisories in First Nations. UCalgary News. Retrieved November 2021, from https://ucalgary.ca/news/tip-iceberg-true-state-drinking-water-advisories-first-nations.

(2021). The Colorful Apple. photograph. Retrieved November 2021, from https://thecolorfulapple.com/2021/01/read-aloud-day-activities/.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2012). (publication). Calls to Action. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Retrieved November 2021, from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/indigenous-people/aboriginal-peoples-documents/calls_to_action_english2.pdf.