The first #TreatyEdCamp was held this morning, Saturday, November 7, at the Faculty of Education, University of Regina. #TreatyEdCamp is free professional development by teachers for teachers focused on Treaty Education. Over 200 teachers and preservice teachers participated in four concurrent sessions. The day began with a welcome and acknowledgement of Treaty 4 land by S.T.A.R.S. Regina organizers: Katia Hildebrandt, Meagan Dobson, Raquel Bellefleur, and Michael Cappello. After receiving a gift of tobacco, Elder Noel Starblanket offered the opening prayer and Michael Desjarlais offered song and drum. Dean Jennifer Tupper also welcomed the group, taking a group photo to Tweet out using the hashtag #treatyedcamp, where participants were posting responsively throughout the camp. Then the group split into five groups: A female pipe ceremony was held in the Teaching Preparation Centre, and four concurrent Blanket Exercises were offered to participants not attending the pipe ceremony. The Blanket Exercise is a powerful demonstration of the effects of historical Canadian events/policies on Aboriginal peoples (for instance, the Treaties, the Indian Act, Aboriginal Residential Schools and the Sixties Scoop). You can learn more about this exercise at http://kairosblanketexercise.org/about/
Following the pipe ceremony and Blanket Exercises, participants attend their choice of presentations in four concurrent sessions. A list of presenters and resources can be found online at: www.bitly.com/treatyed
Video Responses to #TreatyEdCamp
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