Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and theĀ ancestors
During my first practicum at Springwood Elementary, I created a lesson for Pink Shirt day. While it was about anti-bullying, I kept it positive and we focused mostly on how to make friends and how to make others feel good.
Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense ofĀ place)
Salmon is an incredibility important resource to the Lheidli T’enneh (People of the Two Rivers) and so in my time at Harwin Elementary, one my lessons centred around how they process the salmon they catch in order to save it for winter months. I had my students make their own smokehouses while we discussed how they are built, what they are made of, and why they are made.
Learning involves recognizing the consequences of oneāsĀ actions
Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities
Learning involves patience andĀ time
Our cohort was lucky enough to have a class member bring in a moose hide for us to start the process of making moose leather. Even with 30+ of us scraping away, we hardly made a dent in the process. It opened my eyes to the amount of work that goes into traditional ways of doing things and I have nothing but respect for those who take the time to use every part of the animals they harvest.
Learning recognizes the role of IndigenousĀ knowledge
January 27, 2020, was an amazing learning opportunity thanks to SD#57. I was fortunate enough to spend the morning learning Lheidli history and language from elder Edie Frederick. It was fascinating to learn more about some of the landmarks of Prince George and their significance to the Lheidli T’enneh. And in the afternoon with Noelle Pepin, I learned an awesome activity, binary beading, as well as some history and perspective on the stories and importance beading holds within many indigenous cultures of Canada.
Below is the symbol of my learning from the day, “denyo,” meaning bull moose in Hleidli Dakelh, written in binary code with beads.
