Truth and Reconciliation: Inclusion Through an Indigenous Lens
Date: Friday, May 3, 2019
Time: 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Location: Resource and Education Centre: 14123 – 92nd Avenue, Surrey, BC (right next to the District Education Centre)
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released their final report regarding the ongoing impact of residential schools across social sectors, including several Calls to Action to be addressed within each sector. Within education, there is a call to eliminate gaps in educational outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. In May 2018, the Canadian Psychological Association and The Psychology Foundation of Canada released a response, in which it is stated that psychological assessment of Indigenous peoples is currently a dire situation. It is time to examine issues of inclusion and assessment with Indigenous populations.
In this workshop, Indigenous worldview, including perspectives on assessment and the construct of disability will be explored, as well as issues related to cultural differences, language differences, and the ongoing impact of residential schools. Considerations for assessment with Indigenous people will be shared, along with ideas for taking up Reconciliation in the practice of school psychology.
Melanie is from the St’át’imc and Stó:lō Nations, and is a certified school psychologist with the British Columbia Association of School Psychologists. She has previous experience teaching kindergarten through grade 12, and adults. She has taught in mainstream, adapted, modified, and alternate settings, at the classroom, whole school, and district levels. Melanie is currently completing a Doctor of Philosophy in School Psychology at the University of British Columbia. Her Master of Arts thesis explored the experience of Indigenous parents who have a child identified with special needs, and her dissertation will focus on the experience of Indigenous students with mental health services in public schools. She is training under Elder Gerry Oleman, who is a healer from the St’át’imc Nation, and learning Western approaches to counselling. Melanie has experience presenting at several national and international conferences regarding inclusion and Indigenous populations.
This workshop will also be available via webinar. For details go to BCASP.ca.
Event Poster HERE