What's included
3 live meetings
2 hrs 45 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
This introduction to Canadian Residential Schools will give young learners a developmentally appropriate idea of the damage and shame caused by the residential school system in Canada. 1. Cultures and European Colonization Hear my family's immigration history (Ukraine to Alberta/ Netherlands to BC) to learn about the "free land" that was advertised and given to Europeans. Understand the terms "reserve" and "residential school" as the places that the Indigenous inhabitants of that "free land" were sent to. 2. Law and Assimilation Why did kids go to residential schools? What was life in residential schools like? We will look at examples from Dr. Elsie Paul's Written As I Remember It and discuss her experiences and how we might react in those situations. Examples are about new foods, languages, loneliness and bed wetting. 3. Culture and Me: Show and Tell! Loss of culture is more fully understood when we can identify our own cultures and beliefs. What is something you can share about your family's culture? What is a part of your culture that you learned from the older members of your family? When and how did you learn it? Discuss human rights, oppression, colonization, and racial injustice as related to this historic example which was directed specifically at children. We will think about how culture, family and personal identity are related. We will wrap up this heavy content by celebrating a little bit of culture from each learner's family.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
There were extreme instances of child abuse inside the residential school system. We will NOT discuss violence or sexualized violence against children in this class.
The trauma caused by the enforced policies (family separation, age segregation, etc.) of residential school will be discussed to keep content developmentally / age appropriate. Please use parental discretion if looking up additional information as there are many YouTube testimonials which contain disturbing content and details about crimes committed against children.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
1 teacher has a Graduate degree
Master's Degree from University of Portsmouth
2 teachers have a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education from University of Victoria
Bachelor's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from McGill University, Canada
I share this important part of Canadian history from my perspective on the BC coast. My mother's parents came to Canada from Amsterdam and my father's were both born to Ukrainian immigrant families in Alberta. All four of my grandparents made their way to the Pacific coast to work in the pulp and paper industry. The paper mill and hydro damn were built on unceded land taken from the Tla'amin Nation and caused great damage (flooding) to the region.
I was fortunate to have Tla'amin Language classes offered in my public school, to taste salmon egg soup, and participate in cultural celebrations. Many of my teachers were survivors of, or impacted by the residential school system. Tla'amin signed a treaty with the Canadian government in 2016. They are now a self governing nation, rather than being governed by Canada's Indian Act, as many of the indigenous peoples in BC still are.
Reviews
Live Group Class
$45
for 3 classes1x per week, 3 weeks
55 min
Completed by 3 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-13
3-5 learners per class