Orange Shirt Day

Boozhoo!

Here we are!  Back in September, ready for a new school year. 

As you may know, September 30th is Orange Shirt Day.  

Orange Shirt Day is a day when we honour the Indigenous children who were sent to residential schools in Canada.  We honour the survivours and the memory and lives of the children that didn’t make it home. The days surrounding Orange Shirt Day are an important time to learn more about the history of these schools and the effects that are still being felt today.  

To ensure students understand why we honour Orange Shirt Day, teaching and learning about the history of residential schools and the effects that are still being felt today should be happening in the days and weeks prior to September 30th.

LKDSB Hashtag: 

We are asking schools to share what they are doing prior to and during Orange Shirt Day by using the following hashtag: #OrangeShirtDayLKDSB . The four First Nation communities (Aamjiwnaang, Bkejwanong, Eelunaapeewi Lahkeewitt and Kikonong Miinwaa Aazhoodenong) that are connected directly to our board have asked specifically to be made aware of what is happening in schools. Posting through social media allows us to communicate this to community partners in a very timely manner. We will also collate your tweets to present this information to the LKDSB Indigenous Liaison Committee. 

Here are some examples of ways schools in the LKDSB honoured Orange Shirt Day last year.  

Remember, it is important that understanding is built BEFORE Orange Shirt Day.  Here are some resources to help you build that understanding. 

Resources

Books

It has been brought to our attention that the Epic! app has quite a few books that are about residential schools.  A quick search brings up many titles. 

The Orange Shirt Story by Phylis Webstadt 

Teacher Resources: http://www.orangeshirtday.org/teacher-resources.html

Fatty Legs by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton

Teacher resource: (junior/intermediate) http://empoweringthespirit.ca/fatty-legs-webinar-series/ 

Shi-Shi Etko by Nicola I Campbell

(Blog Post) http://lkelempro.blogspot.com/2018/09/indigenous-literature-shi-shi-etko-by.html

Shin-Chi’s Canoe by Nicola I Campbell

(Blog Post) http://lkelempro.blogspot.com/2018/09/indigenous-literature-shin-chis-canoe.html

Stolen Words by Melanie Florence
(Blog Post) http://lkelempro.blogspot.com/2018/09/indigenous-literature-stolen-words-by.html

I Am Not a Number by Jenny K. Dupuis 

(Blog Post)  http://lkelempro.blogspot.com/2018/09/indigenous-literature-i-am-not-number.html

As Long as the Rivers Flow by Larry Loyie

These are My Words: The Residential School Diary of Violet Pesheens

Novel by Ruby Slipperjack

Websites

What is Orange Shirt Day?  CBC Kids

https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/what-is-orange-shirt-day

This link is from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  It has lots of information and resources to use in your classrooms. 

https://education.nctr.ca/link-to-page-2/

Legacy of Hope: Where are the Children is a comprehensive site with links to resources to download and a large survivor story library.  There is also an app that has a lot of stories, photos and maps. You can find it in the app store (search for: Legacy of Hope: Where are the Children)
http://wherearethechildren.ca/en/ 

Deepening Knowledge from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.  

This has lots of great links. 

https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/deepeningknowledge/Teacher_Resources/Curriculum_Resources_%28by_subjects%29/Social_Sciences_and_Humanities/Residential_Schools.html

The Inuit experiences of residential school.  This website has lots of photos and resources.

http://weweresofaraway.ca/ 

 PDF About Misconceptions of the Residential Schools System (From Aboriginal Healing Foundation).  This is a really powerful document.  

http://www.ahf.ca/downloads/misconceptions.pdf 

  

Link to Map/List of 139 Residential Schools.  

http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100015606/1100100015611 

Although it is important to create awareness and understanding around Orange Shirt Day, please remember this is a conversation that can happen any time during the school year. 

Miigwech!

Gretchen