Educators respect and value the history of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in Canada and the impact of the past on the present and the future. Educators contribute toward truth, reconciliation, and healing. Educators foster a deeper understanding of ways of knowing and being, histories, and cultures of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

In honor of Truth and Reconciliation Day, our Education 394 class attended a blanket exercise with Daniel Sims followed by a fire circle where I was privileged to learn how to drum and celebrate First Nations cultures on the land. Throughout this process, I grew as an individual and educator because my eyes were opened to a new perspective and a history with so many deep layers to uncover. I learned that there is strength in ceremony and power in the land. Indigenous peoples in Canada have struggled to freely practice and express their cultures due to bans and laws preventing it.  When participating in the cultural experience of drumming, I felt uplifted to give Indigenous peoples space for their cultures to be practiced and celebrated. I felt power and strength in hearing the voices of Indigenous peoples practicing their culture without restrictions; it was a beautiful experience.

The experience of culture is extremely important, especially when moving into a career in education. Standard 9 from the BC Standards for Educators. Unlearning is a term I have been thinking about a lot in context with standard 9 because that is what we must do every day as teachers. As a student, I did not know what a residential school was, or that Indigenous communities had a lot of traumas associated with education due to cultural oppression until university. Standard 9 involves taking the history of education in Canada and unlearning it to create safe places for Indigenous children, and all children to learn. Learning Indigenous culture in educational experiences such as the fire circle, and incorporating it into the curriculum is beneficial because it allows students to unlearn harmful, oppressive forms of education

Moving forward as an educator, Standard 9 is something I will always focus on, develop in my profession, and take to heart. I want to gain a deeper understanding of the history and cultures of Indigenous peoples in Canada, but I also want to foster those ideas in my classroom to create a safe, inclusive space. Implementing Standard 9 in the classroom is something that many teachers may feel uncomfortable with, however, I strongly believe it is revolutionary for education in Canada and I will put it forward to my best ability in the classroom.