Shashi Shergill

Connect Charter School, Calgary (Alberta)

Ms. Shergill’s project, entitled All My Relations, involved an inquiry into the historical and contemporary relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in Canada. Students reflected on collective rights through an examination of treaty agreements and researched and analyzed significant events that have shaped both the past and present state of the relationship. Central to the unit was an analysis of the 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, which identified four distinct, but overlapping stages in the history of this 500-year-old relationship. Finally, students collaborated to create artistic representations of their understanding of the relationship and shared their learning through discussions with pre-service teachers in a showcase at the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University. By considering history through a relational process, students are empowered to take on an active role as Canadian citizens in shaping our present and future.