Educators value and respect the history of First Nations, Inuit and MĂ©tis in Canada and the impact of the past on the present and the future. Educators contribute towards truth, reconciliation and healing. Educators foster a deeper understanding of ways of knowing and being, histories, and cultures.
Being a teacher in the time of Truth and Reconciliation requires me to follow Standard 9 of the Professional Standards for BC educators. Standard 9 is extremely important since we have seen racism and inequitable patterns in Canadian society and education system. The standard expects that:
Educators respect and value the history of First Nations, Inuit and MĂ©tis in Canada and the impact of the past on the present and the future. Educators contribute towards truth, reconciliation and healing. Educators foster a deeper understanding of ways of knowing and being, histories, and cultures. (p. 5)
Teachers are the bridges for future citizens to raise their awareness of the truth about residential schools and the impacts of assimilation and intergenerational policies on Indigenous people in the past. Given that, teachers can eliminate racism and build “a transformed education system” (Chrona, 2022, p. 50) in which the value of Indigenous people and cultures are respected and reflected.
I find Standard 9 relevant and in harmony with the approach of culturally responsive pedagogy (Hammond, 2017) which aims to construct “resilience and academic mindset” and change the biased narratives about people of color for educational purposes. Following Standard 9, teachers can make First Nations students feel inclusive, valued, and confident, building a “high trust and stress-free environment” (Hammond, 2017). Hammond suggests it as a fundamental condition for teachers to get connected deeply with students’ culture in order to build positive teacher-student relationship and nurture their learning and understanding.
I am from Vietnam where many minority ethnic peoples might have had similar experience as First Nations people in Canada. I am from the Kinh group which accounts for 85.32 % of the population. To some extent, I am like a white person in Canada. I have not seen enough respect and space for ethnic cultures in my education system. I was raised in a racist environment where ethnic cultures were disrespected and humiliated. I did not realize how ignorant I was until today. It was an eye-opening experience that I am thankful for.
Standard 9 becomes an essential reminder guiding the way for me to gain success on my professional development. Keeping learning about Indigenous cultures and peoples, acknowledging the mistakes that I might make on the way, and being willing to fix them can help me fulfil my teacher role in the time of Truth and Reconciliation.
References
BC Teachers’ Council. (2019). Professional Standards for BC Educators.
Hammond, Z. (2017, May 4). Zaretta Hammond: Culturally Responsive Teaching and the
Brain Webinar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2kzbH7ZWGg
Jo Chrona. (2022). Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies: An Act for Reconciliation and Anti-
Racist Education. Portage & Main Press.
