Blog #8: Response To Feedback

The feedback I received last week was helpful in some ways but tedious in other ways. I believe it was overall a good idea, but maybe the two people could have communicated to make sure they were on the same page. Within the feedback from both of my partners, they saw different things, for example, one said I had no curriculum links and the other said I had many. So on that note, I did not find this feedback overly helpful. But looking at the suggestions for the upcoming weekly blog posts, was helpful and I enjoyed those suggestions.

The first suggestion I was given was to focus on only one or two foundations, as they thought I was doing too much, for too many people. The only problem here is I was trying this at the beginning of my pledge, but I found it too hard because I did not have enough clothes or food to donate to those foundations that I had originally chosen. So as a result, I have begun volunteering, to get more involved in the community, and finding others way I can donate to ensure I am doing something and fulfilling my pledge. I honestly feel that doing too much is better than too little. If I had the money to only stick to the two originally chosen foundations, I would, but since I do not, I feel like I have to do something. But I think it is important to reconsider my pledge, as yes, I am doing a lot for many different foundations. I realize this is not a bad thing, but narrowing it down to the two original foundations I had chosen, I think would help me become more of an engaged citizen because it will help me in reconciling and trying to help others, who were done wrong. So, I have made a goal of only donating to the two original foundations, that I will alternate between every week. The two foundations I will donate to are: All Nations Hope Network and The National Voice of Indigenous Woman in Canada. I will try my best to not do “too much for too many people” and see if I can fulfill this goal.

The other suggestion I would like to mention is talking more in-depth about reconciliation and how I am going to bring my learnings and unlearning into the classroom with me. I think it will be a process and not something I can come up with over night. But I do know I want to teach Treaty Education by intervening the content into other subjects which allow my students to learn this important content because students will then understand the truth about Canada. I believe it is important as an educator to "engage young people and faculty together in the effort to solve real problems. I do not propose such efforts as “service” projects alone but as ways to integrate learning with service” (Orr, 2004). Students will understand the evolution of Canada and First Nation and Métis peoples. I think it is important to not neglect this subject but rather make it apart of my teachings because Treaty Education can be linked to different subjects. We will work towards reconciliation and find ways within the class and community.

I enjoyed reading the suggestions, as I felt some weeks I was stuck and I did not know what else to write. These suggestions will help me to grow as a person and help me fulfil my pledge to my fullest.

Orr, D. (2004). The Problem of Disciplines and the Discipline of Problems. Conservation Biology, 7(1), 94-98. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1739.1993.07010010.x