https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A Posts here. Don't forget to write your first name, last initial in the TITLE section. en-us 2022-01-11 19:19:47 UTC 2022-03-29 20:47:46 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987098774 Thanks Sheila for being up the importance around this idea of leaning into feeling uncomfortable. The number of times I have had labour put onto me from folks who are not Indigenous (particularly around resources) is numerous and something that I often find tiring if I don't have a relationship or am in community with you in a meaningful way. I love the idea that we are all learning together. The importance of being in relationship with other Indigenous folks from different nations is so meaningful for me and I work to never take for granted the knowledge that is gifted or shared with me. This looks like reciprocity, it looks like sharing my own knowledge (and being transparent about my not-knowing) and seeking kinship, care, and community. ]]> 2022-01-11 22:40:43 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987098774 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987099029 I agree with Sheila in that I resonate with Kat too. 

I really want to stop being that "perfect stranger". ]]> 2022-01-11 22:40:57 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987099029 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987099105 Like Sheila, Kat's story resonates with me as well. Especially when the article speaks about Kat recognizing her implications and the knowledge that she will sit with this "discomfort" and learn to rework the "politics of her relationship." ]]> 2022-01-11 22:41:02 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987099105 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987099941 I do like how Dion addresses this excuse, head-on. She identifies that there is no excuse and that we need to take the time to know and notice. This is how we move forward, through noticing 

Thank you Sheila for sharing. ]]> 2022-01-11 22:42:08 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987099941 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987101741 Sheila I really agree with what you said about the disconnect between activities and the meaning behind them. We have to make sure we are incorporating authentic representations of Indigenous culture.

Also I love the "comfortable with being uncomfortable".]]> 2022-01-11 22:43:57 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987101741 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987101940 I resonate with what Sheila said at the beginning about her parents holding prejudiced and stereotypes views of Indigenous Peoples, and the blatant disregard for their culture and history, and especially being okay with not considering the history of colonialism let alone learning more about it. I became very uncomfortable talking to my parents about Indigenous issues and their culture/history because it almost seemed as though they didn't want to hear me, or consider their own beliefs wrong/see the fault in their views/the views of the news/government. They are part of that older generation that held very strong views and I imagine trying to un-learn from such deep rooted beliefs is incredibly difficult for them. ]]> 2022-01-11 22:44:10 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987101940 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987102893 I think Sheila and Robert both hit on important points that connect with Dion. There is a tremendous diversity of Indigenous communities and that can be used as an excuse to learn nothing or to find comfort in ignorance while at the same time reducing the diversity to a generic perfect stranger for the colonial worldview and the educational practice.]]> 2022-01-11 22:45:18 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987102893 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987105367 Alan and Robert, thank you for bringing up the tensions of growing up within a colonial system and the ways it upholds whiteness and Euro-centric ways of knowing. I love the invitation of creating a world that is more kind while recognizing and contending with my own role in holding colonialism and white supremacy in my body. ]]> 2022-01-11 22:48:11 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987105367 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987105454 I agree with Sheila and Robert's points. We should be learning more and including Indigenous issues, cultures, histories, and worldviews in part of our lives. ]]> 2022-01-11 22:48:17 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987105454 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987105469 I really like what Robert says in response to Sheila's comment about engaging in "uncomfortable awareness". The reality is that if we do not engage, we end up shirking responsibility. As Robert said, when we sit in fear and adopt a perfectionist ideal, we end up failing our responsibility as Canadians–as social citizens, as a whole. As TC's we're taught to present our students with opportunities to engage with inquiry, but we, ourselves, are not above the inquiry process!]]> 2022-01-11 22:48:18 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987105469 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987106640 I really appreciate the idea of being "comfortable with being uncomfortable". During the start of this ed program I felt uncomfortable during some conversations in classes. After accepting my uncomfortableness and trying to question it instead of run from it, I can see that being uncomfortable is necessary to grow and learn.  ]]> 2022-01-11 22:49:51 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987106640 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987106891 Oral stories are something I hadn't considered until recently in terms of recounting historical events (and oral stories were not taught in history class). This past September, I attended a commemoration event for the Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Squamish. Many stories were graciously shared, and it hit me how important these stories and histories are, and just because they aren't written down, doesn't mean they didn't happen. They happened. They are real. I have been so used to the idea that history is in textbooks, but it is so much more than that. ]]> 2022-01-11 22:50:06 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987106891 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987107070 That's such a cool math idea! I would love to see what those numbers look like!]]> 2022-01-11 22:50:23 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987107070 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987107108 Thanks for bringing up the idea of uncomfortableness and how to orient ourselves to sit with the dis/comfort. I relate  to Graham sharing about "if it's not written down..." I'm appreciative of decolonizing what is considered "fact" in the academic setting. 

]]> 2022-01-11 22:50:27 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987107108 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987107184 Thank you Robert for bring up the topic of math in social justice. ]]> 2022-01-11 22:50:33 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987107184 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987107658 I also appreciate the idea of being comfortable with the uncomfortable. So hard to do! Constantly learning and trying to remember this. ]]> 2022-01-11 22:51:13 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987107658 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987107748 Really interesting idea connecting social justice with math!]]> 2022-01-11 22:51:19 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987107748 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987109747 I really liked Robert's idea for the math lesson on social justice. If indigenous topics can be incorporated into a math class then indigenous concepts can be incorporated into all classrooms. It is the work of teachers from all subject areas to make classes relatable and meaningful. Incorporating indigenous ways of knowing or indigenous history is one way to do this.]]> 2022-01-11 22:53:11 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987109747 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987109918 I really like the idea of being comfortable with being uncomfortable. There is a somewhat powerful way of learning that is involved in stepping outside of one's comfort zone.

]]> 2022-01-11 22:53:26 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987109918 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987110191 I found what Graham said about recognizing sources other than traditional written sources like oral sources for social studies and learning in general. Doing this opens up a whole world of sources with diverse voices. ]]> 2022-01-11 22:53:49 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987110191 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987110456 I liked Sheila's point about the overlooked oral tradition in vocal performance. 
We privilege Western classical music like we do the Western literary canon. I like how we are shifting towards legitimizing different types of music from different cultures.
Moreover, as Robert said, we can enrich our understanding of these "high art forms" through appreciating the contributions of other cultures.]]> 2022-01-11 22:54:09 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987110456 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987111551 Thanks Graham,
I have a similar experience with respect to how I absorbed and accepted history as almost exclusively written. Oral history always seemed to carry less credibility in comparison to the written word. Comparisons to Greek mythology siggested that they were just fables trying to explain the natural world. Not much attention paid to it as true history. Very sad looking back on how I perceived things then but hopeful in how I proceed and develop my understanding moving forward
 ]]> 2022-01-11 22:55:33 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987111551 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987112104 What Shelia says about Eurocentric ways of knowing being elevated above other ways of knowing is so relevant to our growth as a society–especially in our contemporary era. We are so caught up with 'progress' in our day and time, but concepts like, 'science' and 'fact' have been defined under a Eurocentric lens, which closes the door for 'knowledge'. I like what Robert says about holism and interconnectivity–different ways knowing informing one another ]]> 2022-01-11 22:56:02 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987112104 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987112500 Robert, this is something I struggle with in Secondary because we are already entering a system set up that creates division between the subjects. I would love to hear folks ideas of how to change this!]]> 2022-01-11 22:56:38 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987112500 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987113812 Just as a side note about the use of shared stories and other oral traditions as evidence, Delgamuukw just died about a week ago. It was his case for land against the government of BC which got oral histories allowed as evidence for land use and historical claims for land rights.]]> 2022-01-11 22:57:55 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987113812 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987113888 I agree with the idea of being co learners in the classroom. We can recognize that there are many experts in classroom aside from the teacher and everyone, teachers and students can bring a lot to the classroom.

]]> 2022-01-11 22:57:59 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987113888 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987114408 Robert, thank you for bringing up the intersectionality of the Indigenous perspective and decolonizing our mindsets in regards to perfectionism. ]]> 2022-01-11 22:58:50 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987114408 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987114880 Re: Sheila's point on music is taught by notation, a Euro centric invention (PS what was the other way she mentioned? I want to look into that way of learning music!) 
Music is one of the most innate human things. It's blowing my mind that something as old as humanity has been taught to me in only one culture's way of knowing/ teaching it. You don't realize how normalized eurocentric ideas are! Just like language, we understand music or dance via the neurons connected through the way it's taught. I would love to learn music through another means, and learn that new 'language' of music!]]> 2022-01-11 22:59:35 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987114880 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987115480 Yess! I think it's so important to not just focus on the negative things that have happened to the Indigenous People but to also celebrate and talk about their success!!
I really liked that art workshop that we did today, and I want to do that with my students. ]]> 2022-01-11 23:00:36 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987115480 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987115658 I agree with you Graham. A lot of images relegate Indigenous Peoples to the past. It is a form of erasure by not recognizing Indigenous resistance and resilience. ]]> 2022-01-11 23:00:53 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987115658 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987115699 I really like how Robert is identifying that we do not need to be specialized in every subject matter in order to purposely, respectfully and resourcefully present subject matter that we may not know the insides and outs of. I like to think that we are all learning, including the teacher, and this is an opportunity to converse and take time to talk about uncomfortable topics. As long as we are sharing from the perspective of the knowledge keepers/ Indigenous perspectives, with authentic truth, there is learning and teaching to be done. ]]> 2022-01-11 23:00:58 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987115699 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987115735 Great points Alan and Robert about sharing resiliency in the classroom. In my experience as a student we focused more on viewing Indigenous peoples mainly as victims and now after I have taken some courses in university and conversations with Indigenous peoples I have come to realize that is problematic. It is super important to share acts of resistance, and "hidden histories".]]> 2022-01-11 23:01:02 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987115735 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987117320 I think the point Alan just brought up about needing to show resiliency of indigenous peoples as well as the hardships. Highlighting indigenous cultural successes is so important to show that indigenous culture is alive and strong and should be celebrated. If we only focus on the hardships, we may paint indigenous groups as helpless and deflated.]]> 2022-01-11 23:03:27 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987117320 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987120963 Sheila and Robert mentions a great point about vulnerability. We should encourage exploring subjects, topics, and ideas we don't know to foster curiosity and exploration of knowledge. ]]> 2022-01-11 23:09:15 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987120963 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987121278 I strongly agree with Sheila's idea about showing vulnerability as a teacher. Making mistakes is also a great opportunity for learning.]]> 2022-01-11 23:09:42 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987121278 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987122384 Just to build off what Robert is saying, pedagogy can be used to teach any subject in Social Studies (also my area of teaching) and probably others regardless of the content that is being taught.]]> 2022-01-11 23:11:30 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987122384 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987122522 I've really noticed a gap in Indigenous pedagogy and support for Indigenous and non-Indigenous teacher candidates in the secondary program. 

Yes Robert! This is key. It's more a way of being, changing the way you teach as opposed to content. Its important to recognize that it is a forever learning journey, if its new to you, it won't come right away and that's ok. We are all learning how to bring these knowledges into a colonial education system that has been designed to resist/not include these ways of knowing.]]> 2022-01-11 23:11:42 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987122522 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987122676 Robert, I love this idea that we can Indigenize/decolonize our classrooms in the way that we teach, it doesn't always have to be the content we teach. ]]> 2022-01-11 23:11:59 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987122676 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987126387 Taking about the practicum, i'm in the IB DP art cohort and I keep thinking about how rigid and already packed the IB curriculum is. Students need to produce a final exhibition and several individual artworks over the 2 years. However, IB is so demanding on students, and having done the IB program myself, there was no time and space to make collaborative works. I remember hearing my teacher say that we don't have time for collaborative works and since we can't submit a group assignment to the IB board for our final grades, they see NO VALUE in collaborative art practices. I wondering in curriculums like IB where students are already spread so thin, how can we incorporate collaborative art assignments without adding more stress on the students while fulfilling all the IB requirements?]]> 2022-01-11 23:17:05 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987126387 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987136806 I would agree with those feelings as well Graham and Sheila. It feel like there is all this work that is being asked for us to do as TCs and yet we are not able to do them fully, or authentically because of the fear of not getting licensed. ]]> 2022-01-11 23:23:39 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987136806 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987138916 From the talking circle 

I think that what we need to accept is that we may never be able to be the ones to change the system, but we can educate our students to do so,... we have a much greater impact. Thinking of it mathematically,... we are 800 teachers but each of us will influence thousands of students in the future,.. each one of them will have the capacity to change the system.

]]> 2022-01-11 23:26:01 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987138916 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987140740 Important stuff said this class about the difficulties of disruption, particularly in our positions as teacher candidates. I'm often not the biggest fan of incrementalism but here I can recognize the snafu we find ourselves in with being some of the most powerful front-line tools of our colonial government (public educators) but also wanting to change and alter colonial systems of being. How do we do it? Is it through mentorship? Direct advocacy (union work, teacher activism)? Something else? All of it together? ]]> 2022-01-11 23:28:53 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987140740 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987141443 In the talking circle leo brought up how we are in a system, it made me think of last year how other tcs mentioned that in our classes, we are taught  to be disrupters, but we don't always have the opportunity to practice that as we need to please our SAs. So there is dissonance between what we are being taught and what we can practice. Right now at least. We might have that opportunity once we have that power and protection. 

]]> 2022-01-11 23:30:02 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987141443 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987141749 The idea of being comfortable with being uncomfortable is something that resonates with me. We shouldn't run from those types of situations and things that make us uncomfortable, instead we have to reflect on why it's making us feel that way and it can lead us to learning more about ourselves and the topic in front of us.]]> 2022-01-11 23:30:33 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987141749 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987142811 What really resonated with me was the powerlessness us as TCs face when we're in the practicum. We are in the hands of our SAs, anything that we want to do that does not appeal to the SAs might put us in hot water. I personally don't feel comfortable teaching how I truly want to teach until I have my own classroom. Especially when it is a new concept that none of the teachers in that school has done before. If what we plan to do falls flat and students are unreceptive, our SAs will see that as an experience that deems us incompentent to be a teacher. However, if we had our own classroom and it falls flat, we can take that as a learning experience and adjust it accordingly.]]> 2022-01-11 23:32:22 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987142811 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987144645 I like what was said about trying to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Sometimes learning happens when we take risks and step outside our comfort zone. I was thinking about the 5th question from the art inquiry exercise which asks "what can we learn to make sense of what we are seeing and our reaction to it," and I think that when we reflect upon our discomfort and think about why we react in certain ways, we can reach new understandings.]]> 2022-01-11 23:35:22 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987144645 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987145295 I really emphasized with what Robert said about incorporating Indigenous perspectives without even teaching content. There are so many other ways we can do this (i.e., using First Peoples Principles of Learning). We as educators need to be creative in how we approach this!]]> 2022-01-11 23:36:16 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987145295 https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987156288 Thinking about introducing Indigenous concepts and ways of knowing in how we teach, rather than what we teach, is a really neat thought. It seems more approachable and has the potential to be very impactful, I think.]]> 2022-01-11 23:51:55 UTC https://padlet.com/learn4life/440A_theme1A/wish/1987156288