What was being noticed about learners at Spul'u'kwuks?
We notice that our learners have a developing understanding of the history and significance of听our place and school name (our school is located right by the Fraser and has a midden adjacent to听our back field and our听school听name is anglicized听h蓹n虛q虛蓹min虛蓹m虛).听鈥
In our younger learners, we see a need to focus on developing an appreciation of听h蓹n虛q虛蓹min虛蓹m虛,听developing Indigenous ways of knowing and learning, and grounding their experiences in place听through outdoor learning.听 With our older learners,听deeper, more personal connections to our听shared place and history need to be explored. Many of our students experience little agency in听their lives (very regimented with classes after school, etc.), and seeing themselves as 鈥渃hange-makers鈥 and advocates for change is something we are working to grow within them.鈥
We notice the learning we are doing in our classrooms need to be shared with the wider school听community so we can begin to build the foundation of a common 鈥渟chool story鈥.
Actions Taken:
For the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we听engage in a school-wide 鈥淲alk for Reconciliation鈥 where听students walk around our field and pause at several听provocations along the way and end at our 鈥淩emembering听Garden鈥. We walked with our big buddies and engaged in a听reflection of what we learned, what we felt, and what听actions we would take to further T&R in our lives. We also听wrote to the Prime Minister to request equal and adequate听funding for ALL students, so every learner could enjoy 鈥漵afe听and comfy鈥 schools (Shannen鈥檚听Dream).
For our students to be 鈥渟tewards鈥 of knowledge听and deepen their personal connection to the land,听history, and stories of this place, we had originally听hoped to share our learning with the wider听community through a school mural and signage in听our garden spaces and on our school grounds. We听have had to work on a smaller scale while we work听through the protocols and processes of bringing in听an artist from Musqueam. Our inquiry changed to:听How can we empower students to affect change听and build a common 鈥渟chool story鈥 on a smaller听scale? We began using our front foyer space as an听open provocation for our learners to engage in听events such as 鈥淗ave a Heart Day鈥 and 鈥淲orld听Water Day鈥. Students were invited to create听messages on hearts for 鈥淗eart Gardens鈥 in our听front planters ,write 鈥淰alentine鈥 letters to the听Prime Minister, and learn some听h蓹n虛q虛蓹min虛蓹m虛听. The听same model was use for 鈥淲orld Water Day鈥 to听raise awareness of the ongoing water advisories听reservations still face today.鈥
听Some student feedback:
Most students expressed they want learn more about听Musqueam culture, history, and language, and many made a听goal of teaching their families as part of their Reconciliation听work.听鈥
From scanning student reflections, we did notice many said听they felt 鈥渉appy鈥, 鈥渆xcited鈥, and 鈥渃alm鈥 during our听Reconciliation Walk.
Students are making听connections to the wider听community, engagement听across our school听community is increasing,听and students are learning听with joy!
Next steps:
-begin our book club (Jo听Chrona鈥檚, 鈥淲ayi听Wah!鈥)听for our final term鈥
-continue to pursue school mural with a听Musqueam artist鈥
-continue to build deeper connections to place听and history through stories, experiences, and听outdoor learning opportunities with our students鈥
-work on visibility and signage for our school听grounds to further educate of our families and听community about history, place, and culture鈥
-sharing student-created land acknowledgements听for our Morning Announcements
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