Engaging in Difficult Knowledge Through Pedagogy of Discomfort: Teaching Truth and Reconciliation to Newcomer Students in Canada

• In Event: Exploring Peacemaking, Discomfort, and Critical Pedagogies to Achieve Peace and Racial Justice

Abstract

This study explores if and how educators teach children with refugee experiences and newcomers about Indigenous communities, residential schools, and truth and reconciliation in Canada. Drawing on the notion of difficult knowledge and pedagogy of discomfort, the findings of this study illustrate that teachers have differing perspectives and capacities to engage in truth and reconciliation education for newcomer students. An underlying factor that impacted teachers’ ability to engage in open-ended learning, take an asset-based perspective on the capacities of newcomer and refugee students, and feel comfortable talking about trauma in the classroom was teachers’ own comfort with incomplete knowledge, not knowing everything but still trying and remaining open to transformative learning experiences.

Author

• Thursica Kovinthan Levi, Toronto Metropolitan University