Translating Learnings from Elders into Practice

Chris Blais is a Teaching and Learning with Technology Specialist at the Calgary Board of Education. In this system-level role, he develops resources that help schools meaningfully integrate technology into classroom practice. Chris collaborates with vendors to evaluate and develop educational software that supports student success. 

Honouring Belonging Through Treaty

Chris describes treaty as a relationship rooted in coexistence, mutual respect, and relationship building. A project that Chris has been working on in collaboration with the City of Calgary is Blue Sky city, which is aligned with the grade 4-6 computer science curriculum. The central theme of this project is youth and belonging. Chris has engaged with the Indigenous Education team and Inclusion and Diversity team within the Calgary Board of Education to ensure all students see themselves in their learning. In addition to collaborating with different departments, Chris has also involved students' voices in this process. Chris has interviewed grade 4 students as well as high school students to get a better perspective on what belonging means to them. 

Resources for Educators

He continues to develop his understanding of Treaty through resources such as "No Surrender: The Land Remains Indigenous” by Sheldon Krasowski, "Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Aboriginal Life” by James Daschuk  and the Calgary Board of Education’s Indigenous Education Holistic Lifelong Learning Framework. In his work, Chris consistently refers to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.

Chris would like educators to remember to come into this topic with an openness to understanding and sitting with discomfort. Chris advocates for collective responsibility among educators to move this work forward with humility, openness, and action.

References

Krasowski, S. (2019). No surrender: The land remains Indigenous. University of Regina Press.

Daschuk, J. (2013). Clearing the plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Aboriginal Life. University of Regina Press.

Calgary Board of Education. (2022). Indigenous Education Holistic Lifelong Learning Framework. Retrieved from: https://www.cbe.ab.ca/about-us/policies-and-regulations/Documents/Indigenous-Education-Holistic-Lifelong-Learning-Framework.pdf

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015). Calls to Action. https://ehprnh2mwo3.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf

IPCA Knowledge Basket. (2020). What is Ethical Space? Video. YouTube. https://youtu.be/kjjUi-5qra0?si=MmgELZeIwBXkD6YK

Kaitlin Khubyar is a diversity, learning and inclusion specialist with the Calgary Board of Education. Kaitlin has also held previous roles as a teacher and as an Indigenous mentorship coach in high schools. She is the founder of RootED: Growing Justice from the Ground Up – a land based and pedagogical community space online within that brings together decolonization, land, and poetry. Kaitlin is heavily inspired by the teachings of Elders and community leaders. As a diversity, learning and inclusion specialist, Kaitlin collaborates with over 250 schools throughout the system from k-12. Kaitlin actively works with teachers, students, and communities. She views education as a practice, a way to return to memory, land, and relational responsibility. 

Treaty as a Living Responsibility

Kaitlin describes treaty as “a living, breathing, sacred obligation and a responsibility.” Treaty is alive in the stories, languages and teachings that are carried by Indigenous people in Treaty 7 and globally. In Carrying the Gift — RootED: Growing Justice from the Ground Up, Kaitlin refers to a pouch she was gifted and its significance to her understanding of Treaty. “This pouch is not a symbol of recognition, it is a charge: to remember, to remain, to resist so that all our relations can exist in fullness, beauty, peace, respect, and dignity.”

In a previous role as a Indigenous mentorship coach, Kaitlin engaged with Treaty in a decolonized and community based way. She strongly believes in connecting with Elders, community members and families. In this way, rather than seeing Treaties as a historical event, educators can come to better understand treaties as a relationship between peoples, the land, future and past generations. 

Centering Treaty Education in Integrity and Presence 

Kaitlin’s main resources are found through walking alongside Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community members. She strongly advocates for learning from people, as well as the land. Kaitlin would like educators to know that learning is about being present, showing up with humility, and curiosity. She emphasizes that Treaty Education is not only about the past, it is about the future and an opportunity to walk in integrity, keeping the seven generations before and those that come after at the centre of our practice as educators. Kaitlin affirms that it is important to decolonize and unlearn first as without this key step we are at risk of tokenism, appropriation, and less meaningful connections to culture, protocols, and their significance. She believes that Treaty Education is an ongoing process that is highly relational: to the land, to one another, and to all our relations.

References

 Khubyar, K. (2025) RootED: Growing justice from the ground up. Carrying the gift. Carrying the Gift — RootED: Growing Justice from the Ground Up

Lisa McGuey is a specialist for the core curriculum and assessment team within the Calgary Board of Education. In her work, she primarily focuses on Social Studies and works in professional learning with teachers. Through her participation in the Renewing Treaty and Agreements Learning sessions, Lisa’s understanding of the Treaty has significantly changed. Lisa has come to understand Treaties as ongoing relationships rooted in respect and reciprocity.  “We're teaching through the spirit. We're teaching on the land. We're teaching with others. We're teaching in a spirit of reciprocity and relationality.” This has changed Lisa’s approach to Treaty education and perspective on working with teachers.

Treaty as a Relationship

In her work, Lisa often refers to the Calgary Board of Education’s Indigenous Education Holistic Lifelong Learning Framework, which discusses Indigenous ways of being, belonging, doing and knowing. She emphasizes the importance of land-based learning, oral tradition, and relationship-centered approaches to Treaty Education. Lisa would like educators to know that Treaty is a relationship and the importance of learning through and with Treaty, rather than viewing Treaty solely as a historical document. Lisa encourages educators to embrace relational resources such as conversations, reflection, and community engagement.

References

Calgary Board of Education. (2022). Indigenous education holistic lifelong learning framework. https://www.cbe.ab.ca/about-us/policies-and-regulations/Documents/Indigenous-Education-Holistic-Lifelong-Learning-Framework.pdf

Kelly Eskerod is a specialist with the Calgary Board of Education’s Core Curriculum and Assessment team. Her portfolio consists of Knowledge and Employability courses. In her work, she continuously collaborates with the Social Studies team.

At the systems level, Kelly helps with leading professional learning, where she includes authentic Indigenous content. Kelly always seeks to include non-western perspectives and approaches to teaching and learning during professional learning. “We're really focusing on listening. We're really focusing on giving time for more holistic practices, like listening to each other, visiting with each other, and not compartmentalizing the learning so much into little different sections.” Kelly believes that focusing on listening and incorporating holistic practices has allowed her team to place greater value on oral practice and discussion. 

Recommendations for Educators

Recommendations Kelly has for educators include learning and experiencing non-western approaches to education. This involves oral storytelling, land-based learning and further learning about Treaty relationships. An image and a quote from Dr. Clarence Wolfleg that Kelly refers to when beginning professional learning sessions.