Photo credit : Brandi Ottenbreit
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we establish relationships that allow us to meaningfully discuss important topics ,” and that “ we must work to shift the focus from guilt and privilege to finding a way to heal together .”
“ To bear witness , or to show by your existence that something is true , is to pay tribute to all who have been directly or indirectly affected by Canada ’ s Indian Residential Schools .” ~ Witness Blanket
From Grade 8 Douglas Park Elementary students I learned what students wanted to know about treaties and residential schools : A repeated question was “ Why did Europeans feel that they were superior to the original occupants of this land ?” The students ’ detailed questions and comments allowed me to see the power that challenging dominant narratives can have . . . . These students have begun to challenge the dominant narratives of our land ' s history by asking meaningful and appropriate questions . This is not only a contribution to my own narrative , but also an important stepping stone in the creation of each student ’ s individual narrative .
Most significant learning in my journey was that I must first educate myself before I can begin to educate others . . . . I always knew that teaching about treaties and residential schools was important , but I did not necessarily know why . . . . I was certainly aware that [ treaty education ] was now a mandated part of our curriculum . The problem I had at the beginning was that I associated treaty education with every other subject ,... as just another subject that I was required to teach , end of story . . . . Our students have to learn treaty education as well , not because it is mandated , but because it is the history of where we stand today . This is not a realization I have always had , it is a realization I gathered from my Witness Blanket journey .
The Witness Blanket , the three narratives , books , movies , photos , and resources have all contributed to the pieces of my narrative . Most important , I will always remember the conversations and relationships that I had with the people with whom I have worked . �
Brandi Ottenbreit ( Year 3 , from Brandi ' s blog ): I registered my middle son for kindergarten last week . It was an emotional day in a young mother ’ s life . I thought about the joys , fears , and worries I had for him as he started school . . . . Last week was also the week I visited the Witness Blanket . . . . It struck me as incredulous that many of these children were taken away at the very same age as my son . My worries about his new adventures in school seem menial in comparison . The artifact that resonated with me the most was the picture of the Inuit children entitled , “ We were so far away .”
This feeling of distance includes geographical , emotional , spiritual , and mental [ separation ]. Our parents are often our first and most influential teachers . . . . I think of the feeling of complete loss and heartbreak that the students , parents and communities would have felt during this time . �
Kendra Leier ( Year 3 , from Kendra ' s blog ): My focus as I examined the artifacts was not really about the actual things that the students were taught , but about the place in which they were learning . Many of the building artifacts are manufactured pieces and include things like glass , shingles , door knobs , and this striking piece of tin ( see photo ). It was these pieces that spoke to me the most . These buildings were such foreign places to the students who were forced to attend them , but they completely influenced their experiences and their education . I am realizing that curriculum is not just about what you learn , but how you learn it , and the experiences that go along with that learning . �
Meagan Dobson ( Year 3 , from an interview ): Meagan chose to make the Witness Blanket part of her preintership experience , bringing her Grade 6 Henry Braun students to view the Witness Blanket after 3 weeks of preparing them and building anticipation . Meagan herself never learned about treaties in her K-12 schooling . “ I didn ’ t learn about treaties or First Nations until Indigenous Studies 100 here at the U of R ,” she says . Meagan also learned with her students . She didn ’ t want to teach about treaty directly , but from a gentle and relational standpoint , as guided by Joseph Naytowhow , emerging Elder-in-Residence . She taught about relationships with the land , and what it means in terms of treaties , and after students viewed the Witness Blanket , they engaged in art expressions of that experience . Meagan says , “ Overall , this whole experience [ teaching treaty education ] has given me more confidence within an area that I felt inferior . I ’ m glad I took the risk , disrupting narratives around White privilege , stereotypes , and racism that were in the classroom .” In her blog , Meagan distinguishes between witness and tourist , with the latter being undesirable in terms of learning discomforting histories . She writes , “ In order to truly become a witness , one must acknowledge all that has happened wholeheartedly ( physically , mentally , emotionally , and spiritually ).” �
Meagan with Henry Braun Elementary School students
Photo credit : Shuana Niessen
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Photo credit : Shuana Niessen
Faculty of Education Education News Fall 2014 / Winter 2015 Page 5