Field Work Assignment

Hannah Weston

8144625

PED3142A

Professor: Sue Dauncey

February 18th, 2020

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Summary:

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Reflection:

For the Field Work assignment, I interviewed a family friend, Sharp Dopler, who has experience in discussing Indigenous education within classrooms, directed at students of all ages. The reason I chose to interview Sharp is due to the lack of Indigenous education I have witnessed throughout growing up in the Ontario schooling system, as well as currently within my placement school. The majority of knowledge I have gained on Indigenous culture or experiences is through Sharp, as she is Anishinabe, and has openly discussed different elements of her culture with me. Due to this bond, I have been lucky enough to be welcomed into traditional First Nation celebrations, such as drumming circles. Since I grew up in Vancouver till age 7, which has a high Indigenous population and with Sharp as a prominent adult figure in my life, I did not realize the lack of Indigenous education until later on. This lack of Indigenous awareness and culture representation became apparent when I met individuals who did not know what Residential schools were. It highlights a need to adapt education to be inclusive towards Indigenous students and their culture and history.

Sharp discussed that the education system needs to be re-evaluated to incorporate indigenous education. Currently, the education system is rooted in colonialism and colonization, which affects what students are learning about Indigenous groups. The education system brushes over history that involves First Nation individuals, as they avoid discussing the negative implications settlers had on them. I recall being in elementary school and learning about the fur trade in Canada. The history story sold to us was that Indigenous individuals traded fur for alcohol with the settlers and became dependent on it. Although educators may not realize, these messages begin to shape biases people hold against Indigenous individuals. The curriculum needs to be inclusive to all aspects of Indigenous history and culture, such as the beautiful components of their spiritually and the horrid past of residential schools created by the government.

By opening up the dialogue on Indigenous culture and history, Indigenous students will feel more welcome in schools and fairly represented, as it considers their learning profiles and background (Landrum & McDuffie, 2010). In addition, proper education can reduce the belief of stereotypes, which affects the levels of bullying or harassment. It is important to recognize that all students require an education system that provides knowledge on First Nation communities, especially since we live in Canada. This should be a component of education to get students invested in and to act as future advocates to learn more (Van De Geyn, n.d). Educators can use resources around them to help communicate these messages, such as requesting help from Elders to educate students. Inviting an Elder into one’s classroom provides a unique experience for students to learn, as well as provides Indigenous students with a relatable role model within the education environment. Again, this strategy may help reduce stereotypes and biases, as it places the Elder in an educator posting, demonstrating their value, knowledge and intelligence to learners.

Throughout my discussion with Sharp, I was genuinely pleased to learn about Rideau High School and the initiative they took to try to serve the large Indigenous community in their school. The safe space created for Indigenous students allowed them to feel secure, build a community, and gain knowledge. Rideau High School brought in Elders to help provide knowledge on Indigenous affairs and promote pride in one’s culture. All these factors contributed for a better education process for Indigenous students, which supported success, mental health, and less risk of dropouts and a difficult life ahead (Supporting Minds, 2013). Rideau High School spent the time to get to know their students to understand what Indigenous students needed in order to succeed (Van De Geyn, n.d). As Sharp was discussing this step towards inclusivity for Indigenous students, I thought Rideau High School would be a great model for other schools in the surrounding area to follow. When I learned that the school board closed down the school, I was disappointed but not surprised. It did not shock me to learn that a school that supported a minority group’s success was seen as invaluable to a majority schoolboard. Sharp discussed the negative implication it had on the Indigenous students, as their community had been dispersed over multiple schools, which lacked a safe place for Indigenous students. Higher risks of bullying, racism and drop-out rates arise from situations such as this example.

Although Rideau High School has been closed, I believe the initiative they started can still be used to promote inclusive education for Indigenous students. Schools may not have the finances or resources to create a safe space of Indigenous students, but Rideau High School shows an example of how to foster cultural pride, the inclusion of Elders, and how to work towards an inclusive education system for Indigenous students. For schools to become inclusive for First Nation students’ smaller steps can be made to have a large impact on all students. Discussing Indigenous culture, an unbiased approach to the history of Indigenous clans, storybooks with valuable knowledge, or the collaboration with Indigenous Elders or communities. These additional steps act as differentiate instruction to meet the learning styles of Indigenous students (Landrum & McDuffie, 2010). I know schools have the ability to incorporate these elements, as I have witnessed visits from the Humane Society or a mindfulness instructor within my placement. If school boards can bring an individual in to teach mindfulness for a full school day, then an Indigenous committee or Elder should be possible to bring in to educate students. The difference is these experiences are currently valued within education, whereas inclusive education for Indigenous students is not a high concern. Inclusive education for Indigenous students should be a prominent concern due to the high drop-out rates, low rates of post-secondary education, or high rates of substance abuse. Educators, school boards, and the government should be working together with Indigenous communities to devise a plan to help lower drop-out rates or substance usage, to promote success within the Indigenous communities.

Currently, the education system and Indigenous students are stuck in a negative cycle. Teachers are unaware of how to educate Indigenous students to promote inclusivity, which raises the risk of drop-out rates, which affects a teacher’s dedication and limits potential engagement with future Indigenous students. This cycle needs to be broken in order to prevent the continuation of stereotypes or unfavourable statistics. Breaking this cycle will allow for a positive environment to occur, which will have benefits, such as improved mental health (Supporting Minds, 2013). Teachers need the correct resources and ability to help educate Indigenous students on everyday subjects, as well as teach all students about First Nations history and culture. Students need to feel accepted and supported to stay in school and thrive academically, which will promote future success.

Within the summary portion of this assignment, I listed multiple factors which help in creating a successful experience for Indigenous students and aids in fostering an inclusive classroom. As future educators, it is extremely important for us to strive towards creating an open and secure environment for all students to thrive and be themselves (Supporting Minds, 2013). It is essential to discuss different backgrounds, cultures, and to accurately depict history. Indigenous students will immensely benefit from these small changes, but it is our responsibility as educators to further support a change in curriculum to promote inclusivity for Indigenous students.

The final point I want to reflect on is Sharp’s suggestion for all new teachers to check their biases. Many people believe they have no biases against people who are remotely different from them, but everyone has biases, even if they are unaware of them. In today’s society, prominent biases are forced on citizens constantly and our unique life experiences affect them. For example, females are taught at a young age that they are safer in pairs, whereas men are not taught this suggestion. This belief inherently tells females that men are unsafe, which impacts how a female interacts with the world. To be aware of one’s biases and work to actively change them is a better skill than to pretend no biases exist and to ignore your unconscious tendencies. Self-awareness and self-reflection will allow teachers to work towards an inclusive classroom, where all variations of children, such as Indigenous students, feel accepted, safe, and ready to learn.

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Work Cited

Landrum, T. J., & McDuffie, K. A. (2010). Learning styles in the age of differentiated instruction.

Supporting Minds: The Role of Educators in Supporting Students' Mental Health and Well-Being. (2013), 16–23.

Van De Geyn, L. (n.d.). Diverse Learners: Seven ways to support student success. Retrieved February 3, 2020, from https://professionallyspeaking.oct.ca/2019-12/2019-12-Feature-Story-2-PS.asp