My observations from the professional development C2C 2020 Conference tied in largely with First Peoples Principles of Learning number One; Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors. After some initial hiccups with my internet connection, I was fortunate enough to be present for most of “Empowering Students to Meet today’s Eco-Social Issues through Authentic Learning” presented by Maureen Jack-LaCroix, and Jake Hubley, and was in attendance for all of “Environmental Stewardship in our Urban Forest: Walking the Talk” presented by Bree Greve, “Place-Based Mental Health: Context Responsive Teacher Intervision Groups” by Shirley Giroux, and finally “Learning in the 4 Directions: Why Ceremony is Important For Right Relationship” by Imani Miller.
While each of these presentations stood out in their own way, I found that Bree Greve’s, and Shirley Giroux’s presentations resonated with, and sparked the most questioning for myself. Environmental stewardship is something that I myself have taken very seriously for as long as I can remember, and seems to be a fragment of the core of my identity. I really appreciated the perspectives presented regarding the transmission of these passions to future generations of students, and the emphasis placed on taking responsibility as an educator to make sure the knowledge pertaining to the protection of the land is presented in a productive and understandable way. Making sure that issues surrounding environmental restoration truly resonate and spark passion in our students, I believe, is one of the most important things that we as educators can do. On every level, this presentation resonated with and echoed FPPL number One, as in the protection, preservation, restoration, and general stewardship of our environment, we contribute to the general well-being of also the self, the family, the community, the spirits, and also the ancestors.
Shirley Giroux’s presentation on place-based mental health manifested in an overview and facilitation guide of a program meant to help teaching professionals on a community and personal level. The idea behind the activity is to get together and share stories (echoes of FPPL Six) which have resulted in emotional distress in the workplace. By sharing these stories in a group atmosphere, the idea is that not only do you have group support, but also group mediation regarding opinions on your reaction, etc. Stories are shared from the perspective of maintaining anonymity of individuals involved, as to protect the identity of students and staff, but this creates a space in which teachers are free to be vulnerable about the things that cause them pain, frustration, anxiety, etc. This activity certainly presented some obvious merit; recognising that as humans, teachers need to “vent” as well, however it did bring to my thoughts FPPL Number Three: Learning involves recognising the consequences of ones actions. By this, I simply mean that whether by intention or not, there is the calculated risk that perceptive individuals will pick up on who is being addressed in the stories. Once those narratives have been created, they can not be undone. My worry is that cultivating a shared space for the purpose of creating stories depicting certain people in negative lights could result in the spread of rumours, hurt feelings, and the inevitable snowball effect. Professionalism and collegiality is of course something that all professionals should aspire to at all times, and perfection is the ideal. However, realistically all too often there exists complex social dynamics even within the community of the school which could result in a negative spin on a well meaning activity.
Overall, I feel as though I learned a lot from my time spent at the C2C 2020 Conference. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all those who participated in making the conference happen, for those who presented, and for those who inspired me to ask questions, make connections, and continue my development into the teaching professional I am excitedly becoming. Days like this leave me feeling inspired by the spirit of community, dazzled by the wealth of knowledge held by the amazing individuals who call Canada home, and passionate about discovering the ways in which my Self will fit in and contribute to that community.
Thank you.