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As I bob along the ocean surface, I feel the cool ocean mist my legs, watch the seagulls fly overhead, and spot at a sea otter who occasionally surfaces a few metres away to check out what the strange turquoise craft is floating in his habitat.  Respectful not to disrupt my surroundings, I feel appreciative for the tranquil and beautiful place where I live.  

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I was looking forward to taking ETEC 521, which examined how technology has been a wind that has both pushed against and pulled forward, Indigenous language and culture.  The content was informative and compelling which gave me a better understanding of the impact of colonization, residential schools (and current colonial education system), technology and globalization have had on Indigenous language and culture.  I was particularly interested in learning how Indigenous people are using technology to revitalize their language, but at the same time, learning that technology is hindering the interdependence of relationships within communities, (Howe, 1998), and that technology is not culturally neutral.  Having grown up in a predominantly First Nations community, I was eager to share my perspective, yet the experience was humbling, as I soon discovered that I still had a great deal to learn and understand.

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I found it particularly interesting when I read the passage by Ginsburg, about the Australian indigenous women who created the documentary about social issues including the abuse of alcohol and petrol sniffing, (p.46).  I think that it is imperative that media be used for the purposes of exposing social problems to build awareness of the social problems that are occurring.  First Nations communities in Canada need to hear about similar issues in Australia.  They will feel validated when they hear that these issues are occurring elsewhere, and they can learn strategies from others that may serve to help their community through these challenges.  Watching news reports of more teens taking their lives in remote communities is troublesome, and we need to work together as a country to create social change.

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Although discussion of Canada 150 didn't come up, the learned content of this course had an impact on my feelings of our Country's 'birthday'.  I have had conflicting thoughts and emotions as Canada turned 150 this year, as I feel proud of my heritage and country in which I live, yet I feel conflicted as I understand that Canada is not my country of ancestral origin, and marking 150 years of colonization  is not something I feel proud of as a European ancestor.  It was the words of Charlene Bearhead (2017), who helped me come to terms with my inner conflict.  She suggested we look at 2017 as a year of lessons, and that we learn from the past, and work together to create a future where all living things live sustainably.

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The topics and readings have helped me develop a deeper level of understanding of the significance of indigenous culture and language and how we need to work collectively as a society to towards creating a respectful relationship with all living things and natural surroundings.  The teachings have transformed and shaped how I manage my classroom, design my teaching practice, and lead others to model a compassionate world for our children.