Cancellation of Ontario TRC curriculum writing sessions a 'setback,' says educator

It's been just over a week since Indigenous educators, Elders and knowledge holders were abruptly informed that Truth and Reconciliation curriculum revision writing sessions in Ontario scheduled for this summer had been cancelled.

There have been no announcements yet if the writing sessions will be rescheduled.

Grace Fox, who spent 10years at Spanish Indian Residential School and has more than 40 years teaching experience, said she is still reeling after receiving the notice that the sessions were cancelled.

About 50 people were to take part in the phase two sessions, and they were notified by email orphonetheFridaybefore the sessions were set to start.

"I was more astounded that a professional organization would do this at that timeand for a Ministry of Education to cancel something at the11thhour, it was unbelievable."

Fox, who is fluent inAnishinaabemowin, was going to be part of the writing session that focused on introducing Indigenous languages within kindergarten classes.

Responsibility

She saidthere willbe more chances to pick up Indigenous language initiatives later, but said the actions of the ministry need to be rectified.

"We as Indigenous people we will always be. Wedon't need the ministry to be who we are and don't need the ministry to promote the cause," said Fox.

"Butit is their responsibility that the Indigenous issues are available to students in Ontario. Theirs, not ours."

TesaFiddler, the Indigenous education resource teacher for Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board,was involved in the writing sessions for phase one of theTRCcurriculum enhancement that began in 2016.

She said the goal of this summer'ssessions was to enhance the Ontario curriculum, not rewrite it completely, bykeeping the core themes and infusing Indigenous knowledge across all subjects.

"This curriculum is about all Ontario students learning about the beauty and the intelligence andthe existence of Indigenous Peoples in Ontario," she said.

She was taking part inthe revisions for Grades 4-6social studies, which are still set to be implemented in the fall despite the cancellation of the second phase of rewrites.

'It's discouraging'

Phase two was also going to focus on infusing Indigenous history into social studies for Grades 1-3, Grade 9 geography, career and civics for Grade 10 and also adjustments for senior high school social studies courses like anthropology and psychology.

"It was really about giving teachers the opportunity to explore in more depth the history around Indigenous Peoples, and not just the tragic history," saidFiddler.

She said the curriculum revisions from the first phase of the project arebenefitingstudents and teachers.

"Teachers have come forward and said that the learning that has happened through thefirst set of curriculum revisions has been some of the best learning that they've had in their entire education and work careers," said Fiddler.

She said cancelling the phase twowritingsessions isa "setback."

"It's discouraging for those teachers that are ready to to keep going."

In a letter to Ontario Education Minister Lisa Thompson, Jodie Williams on behalf of the First Nations, Mtis and Inuit Education Association of Ontario called the move "a major setback to the progress that is being made" toward the calls to action on curriculum reform.