More on Land Acknowledgements

A territorial or land acknowledgment is an act of reconciliation that involves making a statement recognizing the traditional territory of the Indigenous people who called the land home before the arrival of settlers, and in many cases, still, do call it home.

Over the past few months, many conversations have arisen on social media and in the news around the land acknowledgments that are given in schools and other public places. How can we make sure that the acknowledgments are a meaningful practice rather than just a token gesture?

I see the land acknowledgment as a recurring opportunity to learn. As teachers, we can act on this learning opportunity and help to fulfill education’s responsibilities outlined in the TRC calls to action. You can read all 94 calls to action HERE.

I always encourage teachers to use the land acknowledgment that is recited each day in our schools as a learning tool or a conversation starter. Students and teachers and the rest of the school community should understand why we say them.

If you’re wondering why we say Land Acknowledgements in our schools please refer back to my blog post from November. You can find it here: Why the Land Acknowledgement is Important


Where to next?

Jen Gilpin, a teacher at PE McGibbon has created land acknowledgement videos that include the treaty area where her school is located. She has made sure to include visuals that are relevant and meaningful to the land and the people of Treaty 29 (Also known as the Huron Tract). These videos are played daily as part of PE McGibbon’s announcements, prior to signing O Canada. They can spark conversations in Social Studies around mapping, treaties and the history of the areas in which we live. Please feel free to use these videos in your classroom or your school.

Sarnia Area and North Lambton Area schools are within the Treaty 29 area. I am inviting teachers and their classes to create their own videos for the treaty area in which their school is found. Please share these videos with me (gretchen.sands-gamble@lkdsb.com) or tag me on Twitter @msgambleLKDSB) so I can share them with other teachers who may be interested in using them!

You may be asking, “In which treaty area can my school be found?” I’m glad you asked!

Teachers can use the map at https://native-land.ca/ to find out more about the area in which their school is located.

You can also use this interactive map in your classroom! Show your students the map found at https://native-land.ca/ You can change what is displayed by choosing language, territories, and treaties. Show them where their school is located. Ask your students what they notice about where the lines are drawn on the map.



(from https://native-land.ca/)

CBC Unreserved recently aired a podcast called “Redrawing the Lines” You can find the episode here: CBC Unreserved: Redrawing the Lines

This is a great episode that talks about land, land acknowledgments and maps.

Sharing podcasts created by Indigenous people is a great way to share Indigenous perspectives with your students.

I highly recommend Unreserved as a podcast for deepening your own (teacher) understanding of many issues that are important to Indigenous people. With each episode, some really great stories are shared and the conversations often provide views from multiple perspectives along with an opportunity to learn. In fact, there is a recent episode all about integrating Indigenous content into classrooms. It can be found here: CBC Unreserved Indigenous Education Episode

It is important for all students and teachers to understand that hundreds of years before today, the land looked very different. The places we call our schools, our homes, our recreation areas, our business/economic areas, and our natural resource areas have been impacted by treaties.

School communities should understand that the treaties with the Indigenous people who called this land their traditional territory have allowed the landscape and who inhabits this land to change drastically. This might be a conversation that is difficult or messy, but it is a conversation that needs to be had in order for our students to truly understand Canada and its history.

Resource Review: Turtle's Race with Beaver by Joseph and James Bruchac

Turtle's Race with Beaver by Joseph and James Bruchac

In this video, Sydney reviews Turtle’s Race with Beaver by Joseph Bruchac, of the Abenaki Nation. He wrote this story along with his son, James. Joseph has written many excellent books for children and young adults.

This story is one you may have heard other places as it is, according to Joseph, a traditional Iroquois story, but many other Nations also tell it. This is a story of a smaller and weaker (but very wise) animal winning a race, much like in The Tortoise and the Hare.

When reading this story it is easy to make lots of connections. This book has a great connection to treaties and can be used as a conversation starter to include treaty education in your classroom. After Beaver leaves the pond because he has lost the race he comes upon another pond with a turtle living in it. I am left with many questions about this relationship. Why did this relationship between a beaver and a turtle work, when the other didn’t? Did Beaver and this new turtle agree upon a treaty? What were the responsibilities and agreements present in this treaty? Is there a story beyond this book? I think there probably is.


Where to next?
Your students could work on writing a treaty between Beaver and the new turtle. What do these characters need to do to uphold this treaty so they can live happily together in the pond?

What agreements do you have in your classroom? How do you know if these agreements are working? What can you do as a classroom to represent these agreements and hold each other accountable?

Check out Joseph Bruchac’s website for more resources to use in your classroom.

http://josephbruchac.com/

Transitioning Your Library To A Learning Commons: The Physical Space

Transitioning Your Library To A Learning Commons: The Physical Space 

What is a Learning Commons and how is it different from a library?
The school library is not a separate entity to a Learning Commons, rather it is embedded within. The school library has always existed as a space that brings students together to access information and provide networking opportunities.

Why is the transition to a Learning Commons important?
The emergence of the Learning Commons model has evolved out of the need to provide our students with the skills necessary to be successful in the 21st century. Our world continues to change and evolve with information and technology, and this means that the way we educate and prepare our students for the future must change as well.

While we could be confident in naming certain careers that will still be around in the future, imagine for a minute what careers are still unknown. This leaves the question, ‘How do we prepare our students for the unknown?’ What remains constant in the research, is that transferable skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, innovation and decision-making are skills that are more critical than ever.

The Learning Commons then exists as a hub for our students, teaching them how to learn by integrating all curricular-areas and providing opportunities that permeate far beyond its walls. LLC (Library Learning Commons) teachers create relationships with students, classroom teachers, community members and experts, all working together to create authentic opportunities for students to be active participants in their leaning.


Where do I start?
It all starts with a vision. If our goal is to help students become effective collaborators, critical thinkers, problem-solvers, innovators and decision-makers then we need a physical space that promotes this learning and a means to make it happen.

How do I transform my space?
Transforming your space does not need to involve unlimited funds from your school budget. Each school’s budget is unique, and this may mean an investment can be made for restructuring, furniture, shelving, etc. However, if this is not the case, we must work within our means to create change with what we have.

Your Learning Commons space should be inviting, open, flexible, safe, inclusive and promote inquiry and collaboration.

In consultation with your school administrator:

1. De-clutter! Scan your space for unused or bulky furniture, and eliminate it. You will be surprised at just how much this one change can make. If it has been a number of years since weeding your book collection, this will also help to free up space on your shelves or even eliminate one.
2. Get Creative with your design and/or Seek Student Input for the Re-Design of your Learning Commons. Students love to be included, and feeling ownership over their learning space could be very empowering.
3. Organize your furniture to promote active, participatory learning. Classroom carpets can be used to define spaces and are easy to move. Table heights could be adjusted to accommodate your youngest learners all the way to your oldest learners. Open spaces on the floor are important for S.T.E.A.M., Coding and Building activities.
4. Incorporate flexible seating into your LLC. Flexible seating is inclusive, relaxing, comfortable and promotes talk. These seating options seem endless, ranging from mini floor carpets, a large utility ball in a crate and beanbag chairs to wobble chairs, nesting chairs or couches.
5. Update the visual appeal of your library. Remove any posters, displays or objects that are no longer current. Replace these with engaging book displays (e.g. ‘Let’s Celebrate Black History Month’) and bulletin boards or walls could have terminology reflective of skills or learning experiences (e.g. Create, Collaborate, Inquiry, Innovation, Explore, Question, Problem-solve, S.T.E.A.M., Maker Space, Coding, etc.)
6. Know what is in your cupboards. Purge materials that have not been used in years to make room for new materials such as: Technology (e.g. Dash & Dots, Sphero, OSMO, Ozobots, etc.) Maker Space Bins or S.T.E.M. Bins. 

Starting from the beginning can be a daunting task among your other teaching responsibilities. Make the most of your release time and remember that you are not alone. You have a Learning Commons Coach that is ready to support you! @NicoleHooperLCC


Where to next?
If you are looking for more information to help you transform your space to a Learning Commons, please follow the links below.




Together For Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning Commons
Twitter @T4LOntario




Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada
Twitter @CSL_Learning


Check back for our next Learning Commons Blog.


Share your journey with us as you transition your Library to a Learning Commons on Instagram and Twitter @LKelempro #EngageLK