Reading this chapter was quite enlightening for me in many ways. Although I have been informed of much of the mistreatment that aboriginal communities have had to endure, I had never anticipated the horrendous conditions that the Attawapiskat people have lived in. It is shocking to think that anyone residing in Canada would have to survive a harsh winter in a nothing more than a tent. It is devastating to consider the fact that many people are ignorant to living conditions such as these.
Another thing that stood out to me in this chapter was the standards of education that are held within Aboriginal communities. I was not aware of the fact that on-reserve schools do not have an official curriculum (10). This is unfortunate because even though on-reserve schools are supposed to receive an education similar to that of off-reserve schools, that is not often the case.
When I consider my own education, I realize how fortunate I was to learn in a regular school building, with a standard curriculum. However, I also realize how lacking my own education was in regards to First Nations studies. I only remember one unit in the fourth grade in which I was taught about the history and customs of the First Nations people. In my opinion, this limited education of First Nations culture is what creates a society of people who become ignorant to issues such as the ones that the Attawapiskat people have had to deal with.
As teachers, should we be placing more focus on current events and issues in First Nations communities in our early years classrooms?
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