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K-12 Evaluated Resource Collection

They Came for the Children: Canada, Aboriginal Peoples, and Residential Schools

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Author/Publisher/Website: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
Copyright: 2012
Evaluation/Record Entry Date: Dec/2015
Submitting suppliers/Website: Not Available
Primary Identifier: 9781100199955
Recommended Grades and Subjects/Courses: 4-12
(View recommended grades and subjects)

Resource Description

Published by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, this resource is a detailed, well researched history of the Residential School experience. Through an examination of policy and through interviews with those who worked in and attended the schools, it provides readers with a clear view of what happened in residential schools.
Tags: Truth and Reconciliation / aboriginal peoples / aboriginal perspectives / shared history / Canadian history / Residential Schools / national reconciliation / aboriginal resilience / metis / inuit /

CURRICULUM FIT

Does the resource support BC curriculum?
Extensively
Comments:
British Columbia's redesigned curriculum has aboriginal perspectives woven through it. Not only are aboriginal perspectives taught in English and Social Studies classrooms, they are now explicit in all content areas. This resource can provide the reader a clear and concise history of Residential Schools in Canada and can help provide a context for the changes being necessary in the current curriculum. This resource is meant to educate Canadians (teachers and students) about the purpose of the schools, the happenings within the school and the legacies of the Residential School system.

SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Aboriginal People:
Written to describe the Residential School experience this resource delves deep into the history of Aboriginal peoples in Canada. This resource provides the reader an opportunity to gain an Aboriginal perspective on the life in residential schools. Many of the stories tell of abuse and neglect of the children in these schools. The resource does however provide a voice for the survivors of the schools and gives strength to their stories. Reconciliation is the underlying theme in the resource.
Belief System:
This resource describes the role of the church in the operation of Residential Schools. The church was responsible for trying to undermine 'spiritual leaders, banning sacred cultural practices, and attempting to impose a new moral code on Aboriginal people.' This resource explores the churches attempts to convert aboriginal people to Christianity.
Violence:
There are a number of accounts told of students being beaten or abused for not following the rules of the school. Survivors recount instances where they were strapped, hit or put in closets for not following the rules set out for them. Sexual abuse is also discussed by a number of students who were assaulted by those in charge at the school.
Ethical:
This resource provides an opportunity to look at Residential schools from an ethical and legal perspective. Students will benefit from this resource's thorough history of the schools and how Canadian law impacted the experience of students in the schools.
Do the social considerations support, rather than detract from, student learning?
Extensively
Social Considerations Comments:
This resource tells the history of the Residential School experience. It does so through an examination of policy and through interviews with those who worked in and attended the schools. As such it explicitly describes many difficult circumstances faced by those who attended the schools. The social considerations in this resource will only support the reader in gaining a more clear view of what happened in the schools and why the Canadian government and many churches participated in such situations.

GENERAL CONTENT

Content
Should this product be identified as Canadian?
Yes
Is the resource engaging?
Extensively
Is the content current for the intended curriculum and grade?
Extensively
Is the content accurate for the intended curriculum and grade?
Extensively
Is the content timely and important for student broad understandings?
Extensively
Is the resource an Authentic First Peoples Text?
Yes
Audience:
Is the content appropriate to the emotional maturity and cognitive level of students?
Extensively
Does the resource provide opportunities for creative and critical thinking?
Extensively
Can the content be differentiated?
Not at all or slightly
Can reading level be adjusted?
Not at all or slightly
Is the level of detail appropriate?
Extensively
Is the language use appropriate to the emotional maturity and cognitive level of students?
Extensively
Comments:
This resource could be used in its entirety with students in Secondary Schools. Intermediate and middle school teachers could use parts of this resource to support lessons and units on this topic. Due to some explicit and graphic accounts of happenings inside the school teachers of younger students would want to select the sections that would be appropriate for students at different grade levels.

TECHNICAL DESIGN

Does the resource make effective use of the medium?
Extensively
Is the location of illustrations appropriate?
Extensively
Is the resource easy to use?
Extensively
Is the use of font, text size and presentation uniform?
Extensively
Are extraneous elements/illustrations kept to a minimum?
Extensively
Comments:
This resource strikes an effective balance between text, image, captions and the highlighting of key quotes. Even a quick look through the resource will allow the reader to get a sense of the content within.

PRINT CLASSROOM

Does the reference cover topics with sufficient depth for the intended audience?
Extensively
Does the classroom reference have a bibliography and footnotes?
Extensively
Does the resource broaden students’ experiences and understandings?
Extensively
Does the resource make effective use of visual elements?
Extensively
Are the images compelling?
Extensively
Descriptors:
Primary reference material
Comments:
This resource was published by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and is extensively researched. It provides 14 pages of end notes and references that can be used to support further research on the topics covered. The images used come from provincial, federal and church archives and provide students an opportunity to glimpse inside the schools and provide opportunities for critical reflection and analysis of the Residential School experience.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Readability:
Above intended grade level(s)

SUGGESTED CLASSROOM USAGE

Comments:
This is a detailed, researched account of the Residential School System. At different grade levels it might be used in different ways. A grade 5 teacher teaching about the residential school system might select key passages or images from the text to support their lesson/unit. A teacher in secondary school could use this resource as part of a series of accounts of the Residential school experience. Paired with other novels, articles or images of the schools this could support an information circle style of approach to the topic. While it could be read in its entirety by secondary school students it would be best used with other resources to provide a deeper analysis of Residential schools.
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