In November 2022, we marked Indigenous Education Month at the Ottawa Catholic School Board. We aimed to offer our students and staff a valuable chance to understand Indigenous perspectives, histories, and cultures. We organized numerous engaging activities and events to encourage reflection and learning.
- Life-long Learning – At OCSB, we’re proud to offer a comprehensive indigenous education program for students of all ages. From Kindergarten to graduation, we prioritize learning about Indigenous values and culture through books by Indigenous authors and events hosted by elders and knowledge keepers. Education is essential for creating a more inclusive and respectful society. That’s why all OCSB students must enrol in the Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices course before graduating. We plan to continue expanding and improving our Indigenous education program to serve our students better.
- Indigenous Languages – 2022-2023 is the UN’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages, and we marked the occasion by providing resources to students to help them learn more about Indigenous languages.
- Informative Learning Environments – By ensuring Indigenous resources were current, factual, and understandable, our learning environments supported growth.
- Indigenous Reading – Staff used goodminds.com to access Indigenous books and resources that supported student learning. We also compiled a list of literature by Indigenous authors, with summaries and grade levels, to assist students in selecting books.
- Community Partners – We were blessed to have Indigenous community partners visit our schools to help students understand how humility, courage/bravery, respect, love, honesty, truth, and wisdom guide Indigenous people.
During Indigenous Education Month, we learned how Indigenous people balance their lives, which aligns with our OCSB strategic commitment to Be Well. We invited local Indigenous people to our schools to educate our students and staff on the philosophy of the Medicine Wheel. The Medicine Wheel is, in essence, a circle divided into four parts, representing the Four Directions, which relate to and counterbalance one another to form a whole. The Medicine Wheel teaches that harmony, balance, and respect for all parts of the wheel is life-sustaining.
One of the many ways our OCSB Indigenous Education Team brought our community together to learn was by creating the Indigenous Education Month website, which provided events, information, and resources. This included learning about Treaties Recognition Week (November 7-14) and reflection on National Indigenous Veterans’ Day (November 8). By learning about National Indigenous Veterans’ Day, OCSB students better understand the contributions and sacrifices that Indigenous people have made for Canada.
Through Indigenous Education Month, our community broadened their understanding of Indigenous culture, promoting acceptance and understanding.