You’ve probably heard the word reconciliation many times over the past few months, perhaps over the past couple of years. Reconciliation is much more than a buzzword; it’s an important goal to strive towards. It’s how, over time and hard work, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people can live in this country with a stronger, renewed relationship based on understanding and respect.
There are many things you can do to work towards reconciliation. One new opportunity comes from the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Education through a free online course that anyone can take to help them gain understanding and knowledge to start the process of reconciliation or further it in their lives—at home, at school and at work.
The course is called Reconciliation through Indigenous Education and aims to equip participants with important tools to engage in reconciliation work.
According to a course description:
“The course will help you envision how Indigenous histories, perspectives, worldviews, and approaches to learning can be made part of the work we do in classrooms, organizations, communities, and our everyday experiences in ways that are thoughtful and respectful. In this course, reconciliation emphasizes changing institutional structures, practices, and policies, as well as personal and professional ideologies to create environments that are committed to strengthening our relationships with Indigenous peoples.”
The course is open to anyone but would be especially useful for educators who want to bring reconciliation into the classroom. It begins January 24, 2017 and runs until March 7. If you’re interested in participating you can register until the course’s start date in January.
For more information about Reconciliation through Indigenous Education, visit the UBC website.
By Trevor Jang
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