Description

I use a modified version of “web of connections” activity as part of my academic development practice. This activity where participants to place themselves in a circle and share a ball of string that is thrown across participants to create an intricate web. While the activity is meant to be an opportunity to introduce one another, I have infused this strategy with my prior learning in talking circles. The activity provides ample opportunity to share my understanding, as a settler, of the importance of talking circles and the significance it has on learning. I have also used this strategy to highlight potential differences in practice that I have learned in my journey such as the difference of clockwise or counter-clockwise motions within circles and their association with different Indigenous Peoples.

What worked?

The activity was well suited as a starting point in the two-year Contemporary Educator Program as it symbolized the creation of various connections and the challenges the cohort will face in maintaining these connections throughout their teaching. The later was done by me moving across the circle with scissors and cutting the strings after they share a common challenge. The symbolism in building relationships also led to informative discussions on Indigenous teaching practices and the importance of knowing your learners.

What didn’t work?

I underestimated the time that the activity would take with a larger cohort which meant that participants were standing for long periods of time. This made me reflect on accessibility and my failure in accommodating all types of learners during the activity. The issue was quickcly rectified as I incorporated more physical space and seating in the subsequent sessions but this was a powerful reminder that one must always integrate UDL practices within both virtual and physical learning environments.

How would I continue to use this practice?

I have used this practice in my teaching, academic development practice, and even in a few leadership scenarios. It has an incredible emotional output and has always been well received by participants. The notion of choice should always be incorporated as participants are given an opportunity to share a few words or simply share a moment of silence. Both of which are acts of kindness that resonate with the group as we create more space to learn, listen, and practice.

Description

Although not a specific strategy, I tend to leverage the Mi'kmaw concept of Etuaptmumk to better understand my practice and ensure that I maintain an open mind and open heart across all activities. Etuaptmumk, also know as two-eyed-seeing, states that we must leverage both Indigenous and Western knowledge to better understand our world. As a settler, this requires me to incorporate Indigenous views into my teaching so that I can properly give voice to those who came before me. This includes researching history, learning about traditional practices through meaningful exchanges with Indigenous colleagues, and participating in practices as an invited guest.

What worked?

I speak openly about my learning journey with others as I don’t pretend to know everything about these concepts. Instead, I emphasize my commitment to learning by ensuring everyone understands my intention. For example, my ongoing exploration of Etuaptmumk has been an integral part of how I position my land affirmations. I openly critique bureaucratic land acknowledgement for their lifelessness and embrace a vision of affirmation over acknowledgement to showcase my commitment to reconcili-action. This typically comes with a story about the land in which I practice whereby I share a piece of history from Indigenous peoples alongside my personal stories as a settler.

A recent example of this practice is when I shared a story of me revisiting the Sugarloaf Mountain in Campbellton, New Brunswick for a family member’s funeral. Although I had fond memories of visiting the mountain as a child, I had never learned about the Mi’kmaq legend associated with this beautiful space. I would later share the story of Glooscap and the giant beaver as part of ym land affirmation for a presentation on teaching excellence. The story enabled me to demonstrate how my knowledge of this space has been enrichened by integrating both perspectives but also echoed my ongoing commitment to affirm my efforts in learning more about Indigenous history.

What didn’t work?

Some have argued that sharing these stories during formal presentations or class can be time consuming. This is an interesting critique that showcases the need to practice Etuaptmumk as the perspective of time lost is often expressed by settlers. As a response to this challenge, I have become more open in my practice by making stronger statements about my unwavering commitment to reconciliation. This transparency has created more opportunities to understand how I may shape individual lessons or presentations by ensuring I maintain this commitment in an increasingly bureaucratic world.

How would I continue to use this practice?

The concept of Etuaptmumk has led me to explore many other concepts that would help inform my practice. It has made me better understand how settlers can begin to understand the impact of blood memory on learning as well as the importance of reciprocity and respect in teaching. Moreover, I have also reflected on my own personal identity as a Franco-Ontarian with an Acadian lineage to see how this impacts my practice working in a predominantly English environment.

References

The slidedeck below is an example of a land affirmation story that I shared prior to an important discussion on teaching and learning. This presentation was publicly shared within the Academic Council and in a subsequent public news article. The slide contains the traditional land acknowledgement statement but I used this as a building block towards sharing the rationale of land affirmations.