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Laying the Foundation: Treaty Education for Young Students

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Originally published in TEACH Magazine, 100 Years of the Williams Treaties Special Issue, 2023

By Carolyn Gruske

Officially, the Williams Treaties have 100 years of history tied to them. Unofficially, they are the products of hundreds of years of history leading up to their creation.

Explaining what the Treaties are and the effects they had is challenging enough when standing up in front of a high school class, but teaching junior elementary school students about the Williams Treaties—or any of the treaties between the Crown and Indigenous peoples in Canada—is a seemingly impossible task for even the most experienced teachers. Fortunately, people with expertise and experience in treaty education say the first step is simple: Don’t be afraid.

Getting Past the Fear

“Some teachers are hesitant because they don’t have the background, they don’t have any knowledge of the subject matter, or even a relationship [with the Indigenous peoples affected]. They don’t want to do it because they’re afraid to do it wrong. That’s really hard for educators,” explains JoAnne Formanek Gustafson. A daily occasional teacher, Formanek Gustafson is Anishinaabe, from Treaty 3 Territory in northwestern Ontario near Fort Frances.

In addition to spending time in the classroom and studying to be an art therapist, Formanek Gustafson runs workshops and training seminars to educate teachers about Indigenous issues. She is also one of the co-authors of a list of treaty education resources compiled for the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario.

According to Formanek Gustafson, there are some very basic places for teachers (at any level) to begin speaking about treaties.

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Carolyn Gruske is an award-winning reporter and magazine editor. She often writes about the intersection of business, technology, and the law, but she also has a deep interest in educational topics.

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Carolyn Gruske
Carolyn Gruske
Carolyn Gruske is an award-winning reporter and magazine editor. She often writes about the intersection of business, technology, and the law, but she also has a deep interest in educational topics.

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