Integrating Treaty Education

Integrating Treaty Education in our teaching is extremely important regardless of the classroom, or school demographics. As Canadians, it is our responsibility to learn about our history and understand why it is still relevant in the present day. In creating an understanding of the past, we will be able to teach students the effects of colonialism. Dwayne Donald mentioned in his lecture that Treaty education is imperative as it "deconstructs the past that we share" and allows students to "engage critically with the realization that the present and the future is very intimately tied together." In understanding the past, there will be greater chance to deconstruct prior knowledge and beliefs about Canada and Indigenous people. Challenging the previously held beliefs and teaching students how to analyze the Eurocentric ideologies they are being taught will help future generations work towards a more just society. Even though introducing Treaty education may be challenging, we are doing the necessary work of reconciliation in facing and analyzing the systemic racism and injustices Indigenous people are faced today. Teaching Treaty education will create a society progressing to equality and create an opportunity for reconciliation, truth and healing within Canada. 

"We are all treaty people" to me means that we all live on Treaty land. This means that it is apart of our history. As Canadians, it is our responsibility to learn the history of the land and honour the treaties that were made for the land we reside. This knowledge is for everyone. In learning about the past, we are learning how and why things are happening today. The treaties have affected all of our lives. Acknowledging the history and the mistakes, we as treaty people, learn from it and refrain from recreating the past.

In addressing the email, I would suggest talking to your professor for suggestions on how to approach your coop teacher as well as the principle of the school as to why it needs to be taught, as it is a part of the curriculum. Provide resources to professionally argue your point. As claire mentioned in her video, Treaty education can fit into almost any subject area within the curriculum so there should be no excuse in not teaching it. Stress the importance of treaty education and why you as a pre-service teacher should be teaching it and learning how to teach it for your future students.