Hi folks. Playing along, not sure why but @starleigh_grass
sent this to me so I thought "well, I've got nothing better to do..."
It has been flying around the PLN and I've been seeing it everywhere. So here
for your entertainment and edification:
11 random facts about me:
1. Growing up, I wanted to be an archaeologist, not a First
Nations archaeologist but a "Classical" one, Roman, Greek and
Egyptian, perhaps Aztec and Mayan. I want to learn how they lived through their
material culture. I found it all fascinating. Barring that, I was interested in
paleontology because dinosaurs are awesome.
2. I love reading and it is one of my favourite ways to pass
the time, even though I haven’t been able to in a long time. I read it all: The
Hardy Boys, Alfred Hitchcock presents The Three Detectives, Robert Ludlum, Tom
Clancy, Michael Connelly, and Jim Butcher. I devoured books as a kid. I devoured books on archaeology particularly
and there was a time when I would be visiting the library every day.
3. I’m sort of tired of the whole superhero comic book
movies playing right now. I wouldn’t mind the film world exploring some other
comic or graphic novel stories, something other than a superhero story would be
nice. Also tired of zombie movies and found
footage stuff. Why do I say this? Why not.
4. I’ve been disillusioned of the whole education system for
some time now. I find it talks a good game on Aboriginal Education but I have a
hard time seeing anything real and concrete happening. While there are things
that are being done and they are great, the real necessary change at the
institutional level is not happening and I don’t believe that any real
transformational change is going to happen any time soon.
5. I wanted to be an actor when I was growing up and my
undergraduate degree is in Drama and History. I never took the risk of going to
the city to try to get work, either Edmonton (near where I went to school) or
Vancouver. I live with regret on that particularly because it is something I
continue not to do. One of my professors in my final year said something to me
that caused it all to crash down: “Bob, you’re a good actor, but you’re
uncastable.” After that, the plan to move to the city and get an agent or start
the theatre company didn’t have the same urgency.
6. I consider August 29th to be a second birthday
right now. On this day in 2013, I signed my resignation letter and left my
school district. I am unsure whether I will be continuing as a teacher as yet,
but that decision is one that I am happy with because it was not just a letting
go of an unhealthy work relationship but it was a stepping out of my comfort
zone on many levels, including a small attempt to be more social, some attempts
to move forward with some film ideas, the taking of a holiday that threw me
into some new experiences that I will always cherish. So, while I am currently
unemployed (although I can argue self-employed with the film company) and poor,
I am happier than I have been in a long time. Going to need to look for work
soon though ;)
7. My favourite movie is Ghostbusters.
8. I often wonder if I am missing something but since it isn’t
in my life I also wonder if I am just overthinking it.
9. I have always watched Doctor Who in some way, with my Mom
and with my Grandpa. Of the Classic
Series, the Fifth Doctor was always my Doctor, controversial I know, but not
all of us were enamoured of Tom Baker.
He was good, yes, but Peter Davison was the Doctor I remember. I've never seen the 1996 movie, I'd like to
but it just hasn't ever been around for me to see. I never watched the new show when it debuted
seven years ago with the Ninth Doctor, just wasn't interested, I was too busy
with my balancing act, two disparate "careers" and graduate school in
the evenings. I never gave it a second
thought and, from what I hear, that was a good thing: at the time it aired on
CBC here in Canada and they were allegedly brutal with their edits. A couple of
years ago, I took a leave of absence from my job and stopped trying to run my
small business. I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety. One of the
things that I did in my “recovery year” was to start watching the new series of
Doctor Who and I do believe that it is important because it made me feel
better. I have always tried to look at
the world with wonder and I had lost that.
Watching the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctor save the Earth, get in
trouble, get out of it, deal with their past and always look at the universe
with a sense of wonder... well it helped.
10. I am not a strong practitioner of any of the traditional
activities or ceremony events of either of the Indigenous cultures that I am a
part of. This is not because I am “colonised” or “inauthentic.” I am happy with
my current level of participation, I have been active trying to create a better
tomorrow for our youth through the education system and through the television
projects I have carried out. I buy into Thomas King’s pronouncement at the end
of The Inconvenient Indian that Native people want the right to live their
lives in the way that they choose and I am trying to do that, so the fact that
I don’t smudge, or sweat or fish or whatever does not make me less Indian. I
have made choices on where I want to focus my energy. Please respect that as I
am respectful of your choices.
11. I love Las Vegas, but I want to go to the Skywalk at the
Grand Canyon.
11 questions from Starleigh:
1.
What element of your personal background most
influences your teaching?
I was very unhappy with my high school
education (drama class notwithstanding), particularly the lack of
representation of First Nations’ experience and what felt like a bias against
it in my learning. I think I take that forward with me in my teaching
experience.
2.
What's the most memorable classroom activity you
experienced as a K-12 learner?
When I was in grade 4 in CFB Kingston,
Ontario (Dad was a soldier), I was sitting in class waiting to learn about the Native
peoples of British Columbia and the teacher was excited and talking about how
we had a special guest coming in to talk about his tribe and culture. In walks
my Grandpa.
3.
Who is your educational change role model?
Sorry Starleigh, it’s you. It was your
encouragement to try out the blogosphere and your willingness to share your work
and experience has been inspirational.
4.
Which professional learning event/organization
has made the biggest difference in your practice?
None really. I want to be able to say FNESC
or BCTF, the Ministry, something, anything but I haven’t found anything that has
inspired me in my practice. I’m very interested in the Aboriginal focus schools
in Prince George and Vancouver but I haven’t heard anything recently about them
and I haven’t been so affected as to have it make a difference in my practice.
Silencing plays a huge part in that, I suspect.
5.
What actions do you take to combat racism?
I try to explain its effect on the victim
and to teach the historical oppression behind the racism as expressed. I am not
strong at calling it out when I hear it from a student as it has been generally
directed at me when I have heard it.
6.
Why do you blog?
Peer Pressure.
Well, no, it’s an attempt to share my
understanding of Aboriginal Education, why it matters and some ideas on how to
change the system.
7.
Who's traditional territory do you currently
live and/or work on?
I live in the community of the Peters First
Nation, my home community. We are an independent Band of Sto:lo people. I am
unemployed currently, except for the film company (which is unpaid) and I do
that stuff on my reserve.
8.
How would you describe your interactions with
the first peoples on whose territory you currently live and/or work on?
Complicated and tiresome.
9.
What is one thing that you started in 2013 that
you hope to complete in 2014?
My redefinition of my life.
10.
What is one thing that you hope to do
differently and/or better in 2014?
Oh, so many things. Pursue some of my dreams
as opposed to ignoring them all the time.
11.
What were you doing ten minutes before you got
onto your computer?
Rearranging furniture.
I am breaking the chain because I see much of you educator
types have done this already and I am tired and don’t want to think of any
questions. Sorry.