Teaching Treaties as (Un)Usual Narratives

Disrupting the Curricular Commonsense

Bibliographic Data

ID12010366
AuthorsJennifer A Tupper, Jennifer Tupper (0000-0001-6063-8098, University of Regina, corresponding author), Michael Cappello (0000-0003-2255-8833, University of Regina)
Year2008
Volume38
Issue5
Pages559-578
Publication date2008-11-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueCurriculum Inquiry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0362-6784 • E-ISSN: 1467-873X
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-873x.2008.00436.x
OpenAlexW2036488882
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited23

This article examines the importance of treaty education for students living in a province entirely ceded through treaty. Specifically, we ask and attempt to answer the questions “Why teach treaties?” and “What is the effect of teaching treaties?” We build on research that explores teachers’ use of a treaty resource kit, commissioned by the Office of the Treaty Commissioner in Saskatchewan. Working with six classrooms representing a mix of rural, urban and First Nations settings, the research attempts to make sense of what students understand, know and feel about treaties, about First Nations peoples and about the relationships between First Nations and non–First Nations peoples in Saskatchewan. It is revealing that initially students are unable to make sense of their province through the lens of treaty given the commonsense story of settlement they learn through mandated curricula. We offer a critique of the curricular approach in Saskatchewan which separates social studies, history and native studies into discrete courses. Drawing on critical race theory, particularly Joyce King’s notion of “dysconscious” racism, we deconstruct curriculum and its role in maintaining dominance and privilege. We use the term (un)usual narrative to describe the potential of treaty education to disrupt the commonsense. (Un)usual narratives operate as both productive and interrogative, helping students to see “new” stories, and make “new” sense of their province through the lens of treaty

Epistemology · Linguistics · Mathematics education · Narrative · Pedagogy · Sociology · Educator Training and Historical Pedagogy · Historical and Contemporary Political Dynamics · Philosophy · Psychology

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub