I would like to acknowledge that I am writing this post from the traditional unceded territory of the Lheidli T’enneh people. On Friday, September 25th, my cohort at UNBC attended School District 57’s Indigenous Day conferences. I wanted to share parts of this day that really resonated with me.
To begin the morning, shared with us was a beautiful drumming song created by Lheidli T’enneh people. It was a wonderful way to start the morning as it was very energizing. I felt that implementing a local song would be an effective way to connect students to their land and demonstrate a cultural act.
For the first session I attended, I went to Dora Himmlespach from School District 57’s “Storytelling Through Puppetry.” I found the information on storytelling very helpful. Dora lectured about how to create and develop a story that will maintain the attention of students. She demonstrated how to use your voice to catch the interest of students and how gesturing and body language while using puppets can enhance the experience.
The second session that I attended was Bruce Allan’s talk on residential schools. Bruce discussed the trauma experienced by him and his peers through the 60’s scoop. His presentation was eye opening to how common sexual abuse was within these schools. It was eye opening to hear how intergenerational trauma caused the cycle of abuse; whether it be sexual, physical, or substance. Educating our students on this cycle is important to ensure everyone is understanding what the causes are, and to be aware of how to fix it. Bruce found that the use of funding toward trauma workshops was helpful in surviving and overcoming residential schools.
Going forward, I find what I learned for the Indigenous Professional Development Day will assist with how I teach students. This has demonstrated how important trauma informed practice is, and that accessibility to workshops is crucial in overcoming the cycle of abuse resulting from residential schools.