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How can we meaningfully engage with and actualizeÌýTruth and Reconciliation in our classrooms, and schoolÌýcommunity?​

​How might we increase staff knowledge and learningÌýof what decolonizing our schools looks like, and whatÌýimpacts will this have on our community, our teachingÌýpractices, and students’ learning experiences.

Why this matters:

We are noticing things we could change and improve inÌýour school to make it more welcoming and inclusive ofÌýIndigenous culture.​

Changing ourÌýteaching and intentional focuses onÌýIndigenous.​

Having a deeper understanding of the respectful ways ofÌýteaching about Indigenous culture and questioning whatÌýand how we are teaching it.

What was learned?

• How to start to assess and be considerate when choosing resources toÌýshare with our students and the wholeÌýschool.​

• We learned about some of ourÌýown biases we didn’t knowÌýweÌýheld​

• Became more thoughtful about howÌýsystems have been set up inÌýourÌýown provinceÌýto discriminate against IndigenousÌýpeoples.​

• New ways to support Indigenous artists in ourÌýcommunity.​

• That we still have so much toÌýlearn.​

• That progress, even if it feels slow is progress.

How is it making a difference for students?

• We have made ourÌýlandÌýacknowledgementÌýa staple duringÌýschool activities. These landÌýacknowledgmentsÌýare oftenÌýmade by students whoÌýmake personal connections to ourÌýplace here at Hamilton.​

• We have beenÌýlooking through resources that are suited forÌýstaff growth as well asÌýliterature to use in our classrooms.​

• Creating thoughtful connectionsÌýand spaceÌýforÌýreflectionÌýduring the Orange Shirt Day and plans for theÌýupcomingÌýNational Indigenous Day, and in our everydayÌýteaching within our own classrooms.