I am honoured to be writing this weekly update as Urban Academy’s Indigenous Education Lead and to share the work we are doing in connection to Indigenous Education. At UA we strive to ensure that every member of our community feels respected, included, safe and supported to be their authentic self. Ultimately, we want all students to have a sense of belonging. We recognize the unique lived experiences, identities, and perspectives of our community and its members by building an understanding that we all come from different backgrounds in an effort to understand each other. We are all better for our diversity and the community it builds.
Depending on the age of our students this learning looks different and is integrated throughout all learning and activities. Junior School students learn about Indigenous peoples and communities from all over the country through ELA, Units of Inquiry, and through our extensive Library Programming. Part of our learning includes an understanding that BC has the greatest diversity of Indigenous cultures in Canada with over 200 First Nation communities and each one has its own unique culture, traditions and history. Middle School students also learn about the importance of identity and how our experiences shape our worldviews. One of the texts they study is Fatty Legs which is about Inuvialuk elder Margaret Pokiak-Fenton’s time at Indian Residential School, another is an Indigenous fantasy story called Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson.
I have the immense privilege of being a Senior School English teacher at UA and one of the courses I teach is English First Peoples 11, which ensures our students meet the Ministry of Education requirement of having an Indigenous-focused course as part of their graduation program. One of the big ideas from this course is that First Peoples literature plays a role within the process of Reconciliation. UA Senior School students listen to and read stories from Thomas King, Michelle Good, Richard Wagamese, Eden Robinson, and Waubgeshig Rice, among others. I have a wonderful list of recommended reads I’d be happy to share if you are looking to expand your own understanding.
As we approach Orange Shirt Day and Truth and Reconciliation Day, it is important to reflect on the historical and ongoing impacts of Canada’s Residential School system and the Sixties Scoop. These events represent a deeply painful chapter in our nation’s history, where thousands of Indigenous children were taken from their families, subjected to cultural erasure, and endured immense hardship. The lasting effects of these policies continue to impact Indigenous communities today. Today, as we gathered the whole school for an assembly to reflect upon this history and were privileged to have two special guests, Eli Gosselin-Rattlesnake and Pavel Desjarlais, to share their wisdom and lived experiences, providing a deeply personal lens into the realities of these historical events. Eli is an incredible hoop dancer – treating us this year to his very first LED light-up hoops dance – and Pavel who is a dancer, singer, and drummer; together they gave us the opportunity to celebrate and appreciate the beauty and diversity across Indigenous cultures. Then our Grade 4-12 students stayed back for an incredible Q&A opportunity. I could not be more proud of the thoughtful questions they asked, and the respect they showed. Please ask your child to share what they experienced today.
UA has also committed to a year of learning alongside Sheila Maracle, an Indigenous educator and a cultural knowledge keeper from the Six Nations. Our teachers will be working with her to further develop our understanding of Indigenous Education and what that can look like for Urban Academy teachers, students, and community members. This initiative and others like it speak to the mission we are on as a school: to be connected through learning, inspired by community, and empowered to contribute.
Charlene Smoke shared these thoughts from her personal perspective being First Nations, an educator, and leader in Indigenous Education: “A powerful way to show your support during Truth & Reconciliation is by wearing an orange shirt, symbolizing the experiences of survivors and their resilience. Additionally, you can support Indigenous communities by purchasing from Indigenous-owned businesses and organizations that donate proceeds to survivors and their families. These actions, although small, are meaningful steps towards becoming allies to Indigenous Peoples.”
Yours in belonging,
Ashley Bayles
English & ADST Teacher / Academic Lead – Humanities