Terin DeWolf: QSO PD on Residential Schools

Today I was fortunate to attend a professional development day put on by the QSO (Qikiqtani School Operations) for both the High School and Elementary teachers here in Cape Dorset. The QSO has been mandated by the government of Nunavut to travel around to all of the schools in the territory to deliver a presentation on the history and impact of residential schools in Nunavut. The nunavut government has also added the topic of residential schools into the grade 10 curriculum. Todays session was titled "Understanding the Past - Seeking Reconciliation: Building Hope for the Future".

The session was profoundly moving for myself and the other educators in the room. The topic of residential schools throughout Canada is not an easy subject and runs deep into the fabric of many communities. At my table there was a mixture of individuals: three qallunaat student teachers and three inuit teachers, two of which went to school within their own communities and one that attended a residential school in the late sixties/early seventies. The scope of our discussions was vast due to our life experiences, but I felt that we each learned a great deal from each other. The way that these women and everyone that attended the session opened up to us and shared their stories was a great honour.

Having taken a northern history class at the Mount and reading many stories about residential schools across Canada I had assumed I was fairly prepared for the topic. However, listening to the stories of my colleagues today and the many testimonials we viewed, I was not fully prepared for the mixed emotions I myself would feel throughout the day - shame, sadness, anger, happiness, camaraderie, etc.

Not all of the stories being shared were negative, actually, a number were very positive. But, as the day went on, even the positive accounts had a darkness to them. Everyone seemed to agree that there was a disconnect from each other that resulted from the schools. And that it was felt by everyone in the community, not just by the individuals who attended the schools. It is this disconnect or gap that is still having profound effects on communities today.

Being a student teacher hoping to find a job in Northern Canada, preferably in Nunavut, I felt that this session was extremely important. I also recognize however, that this sort of session is important to any Canadian, regardless of whether you want to work in the North. This is part of our shared legacy as Canadians, and it is our responsibility to educate ourselves on our history.