CORNWALL, Ontario – Laurie Crawford has been a teacher for 16 years, and in that time has learned that teaching about the connections that bring us together and promote understanding are sometimes more important than teaching curriculum out of a book.
It was announced this week that Crawford had received the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence Certificate of Honour in recognition of her work in indigenous education.
Crawford is a teacher in the Conseil des écoles publiques et de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO), Eastern Ontario’s French public board. In her current position, she supports teachers across the school board in integrating indigenous perspectives in classrooms ranging from K to Grade 12. She has been working in this position since September.
“School books often only present one part of the truth,” Crawford explained, which is why she has tried to integrate real world experience into the classroom. She does this in different ways, like by inviting indigenous seed keepers to come and talk to a class about the make-up of the local soil, or about how agriculture can be approached from a social or archeological perspective.
Crawford grew up in Cornwall and went to General Vanier high school. Her daughter is Mohawk and Crawford says that her daughter is very interested and involved in her culture.
“It is important to create these links,” Crawford said.
She says that teachers can play an important role in reconciliation with Canada’s indigenous peoples.
“In terms of reconciliation, teachers have a role in this,” she said. “I appreciate the recognition, but there are many many other teachers who are working toward reconciliation.”
She says that she emphasizes authentic and primary sources in the study of indigenous peoples and cultures.
“This is something you can’t Google,” she said.
