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What Can I Contribute to Meaningful Reconciliation?

Teaching and Learning about Residential Schools

Secondary, Middle

Description

What Can I Contribute to Meaningful Reconciliation? is a thorough resource that explores the causes and consequences of residential schools in Canada. The overarching question the resource attempts to answer is "What might meaningful reconciliation look like?" by considering The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action #62 and #63 as a platform for the activities.  The resource not only teaches history but engages learners in critical thinking to create an understanding of what led Canada to this point and the steps to take to intentionally plan where we must go for proper reconciliation.

Throughout the three lines of inquiry, the students co-construct criteria, consider alternatives points of view and reflect upon their learning. They will represent abstract concepts, analyze images, read stories, listen to the stories of survivors, create a journey map, etc.

  • In line of inquiry #1 the overarching question is "What is the relationship between Canada and populations affected by the residential schools?"
  • In line of inquiry #2 the overarching question is " What important lessons from past actions can help us contribute to meaningful reconciliation?".
  • In line of inquiry #3 the overarching questions is " How might we contribute to meaningful reconciliation?".
The opening lesson sets the stage for the entire unit. To begin, students co-develop the criteria for a powerful representation by examining audio, video, writing, and art representations of concepts such as friendship, respect, and cooperation. Guided by the criteria, students then suggest what meaningful reconciliation might look, sound, and feel like.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

This resource explicitly teaches the students to think critically.

Strengths

  • Timely resource for a current Canadian issue
  • Good quantity and quality of information for the teacher in order to respect the topic and present the material in an informed manner
  • All materials are included

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This resource would be best suited for older students from middle school to high school in order to address the topic of social justice in relation to residential schools. It is a lengthy resource with a lot of material that could easily take a significant amount of time to cover properly but also allows teachers the flexibility to complete the activities suitable to their students.

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        • Social Justice: Social justice initiatives can transform individuals and systems
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Themes Addressed

  • Citizenship (1)

    • Community-Building and Participation

  • Human Rights (2)

    • Cultural Diversity
    • Social Justice

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Very Good

Throughout the resource the students are encouraged to consider the information gathered and various points of view in order to engage in meaningful and constructive discussions that lead to an informed position.

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Good

The topic of the resource is of a social nature.  The teacher could try to support the resource with additional information of an economic nature.  The environmental dimension does not quite fit with the topic,

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Very Good

Through the additional materials provided as well as the suggestions made for the teachers as they move through the resource, the complexity of the issue is addressed and treated respectfully.

Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Very Good

One of the final activities is for the students to commit to personal and group actions that support meaningful reconciliation. 

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Very Good

The students work throughout the resource to develop and identify their own beliefs on the issue.

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Very Good
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Poor/Not considered

This is not a focus of this resource.

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Very Good
Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Very Good

The students, through various exercises, examine via critical thinking what led Canada to this point and how to move forward toward meaningful reconciliation.

Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Very Good

The resource provides the students with thoughtful exercises that are open ended.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Good
  • English Language Arts
  • Social Studies
  • Indigenous Studies
  • History
Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Good
Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Good

There are no suggestions for learners with difficulties.

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Good
Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory
Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Very Good
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory
Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Very Good

As the resource examines the residential schools history in Canada with testimonials from survivors, these can be considered as case studies.

Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Good
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.