Understanding Contemporary Indigenous Voices First Nations, Métis and Inuit Authors in Ontario Classrooms
IBy S. Ritchie n 2016, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission published 94 calls to action to guide governments, communities and faith groups towards reconciliation. Of these calls, several addressed education reformation and ways to incorporate curricula on Indigenous history and residential schooling.
While one might expect to see this type of learning shift in the realms of History and Social Studies, several Southern Ontario school boards are swapping Shakespeare and Steinbeck for Indigenous authors like Thomas King and Dawn Dumont, bringing contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit voices into the English classroom.
In 2017, Lambton Kent District School Board initiated a mandatory English course focusing solely on Indigenous writers and playwrights. The same year, they were joined by Greater Essex County District School Board (Windsor, Ontario), which launched an elective called “Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices”, a course that has now become a mandatory grade 11 English course. To date, more than half of the school district’s high schools have transitioned over to the new curriculum. The course includes various titles, such as written by Richard Wagamese; edited by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail; and Seven
written by Tanya Talaga.
The great news is that Lambton Kent and Greater Essex County aren’t alone. Peterborough’s Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board are two other districts that have introduced all-Indigenous reading lists into their secondary schools.
“[The course] provides different perspectives for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students,” Jane Alexander, who oversees the secondary school curriculum for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, told CBC. “It’s an opportunity for them to look at contemporary Canadian themes and literature that maybe they have not been able to do before.”
Indigenous community partners were asked to help curate the reading lists and guide non-Indigenous teachers in instructing the Indigenous concepts and issues. It’s common practice for teachers to spend up to a year reading and learning the new novels before discussing them with their students.
“The curriculum component is there and that’s all we’re asking our teachers to cover,” explained Indigenous education consultant Dean Smith when he spoke with APTN. “They’re not being asked to bring in anything cultural; that’s where the community and the authentic voice has to come in.” Teachers are encouraged to invite Elders and other community partners into the classroom to further the discussion through an Indigenous viewpoint.
By reworking programs and curricula, we can create a new culture of understanding, with diverse world views that include Indigenous perspectives. As more schools make conscious efforts to evolve, the promise of a more inclusive educational experience for the next generation can begin.