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By Jeremy Harpe of CFWE-FM
Windspeaker.com Contributor
“We are all treaty people here in Alberta, and you don’t have a firm understanding and true understanding unless everybody has an idea about the past, about culture, about the history and the legacy of residential schools,” said the province’s minister of Education, David Eggen. He was asked why all students in Alberta schools should be learning about Indigenous history.
On Oct. 24, the province announced a new package of education resource materials, including lesson plans, made available for teachers to use (at their discretion) to discuss Indigenous history with students in Grades 1 to 9.
(See our story here: http://www.windspeaker.com/news/windspeaker-news/secret-path-by-gord-downie-becomes-part-of-albertas-education-resource-package/
Eggen said Indigenous history is something that everyone must learn and “it will enrich our lives as a result.”
The minister said Alberta has no intention to “shove things down people’s throats. This is something that once they get a taste of it, they’ll want more.” He said that’s what education is all about, “to inspire students to want to learn more.”
Eggen said there are 32 lesson plans up on the internet for use right away in the areas of language arts, fine arts, science and social studies.
“We want people to start now…. We know that there is an appetite for it out there, amongst Indigenous peoples and everybody else.”
Asked if the lessons are developed from the Indigenous perspective or non-Indigenous, Eggen said that he has very close and strong curriculum development in his department from First Nations, Métis and Inuit people and the lessons also were drawn from connections through post-secondary institutions.
“Of course, we’re all in this together, but every step of the way we want it to be a reflection of the truth, a reflection of culture, as it stands in the province and grows and evolves, and we want it to be real and authentic every step of the way.”
Eggen said all of the teachers in the province will get proper training to deliver the lesson plans, specifically around residential schools and the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and to have culture awareness training.
“I know it’s going to take time,” he said. As a teacher himself, Eggen said it took time for him and that he has more to learn.
“Once you start on that path, there’s no going back.” He called his learning empowering, sometimes disturbing, but through it he said there is growth and an evolvement to becoming a better teacher “and a more effective citizen.”