Honesty

The focus for November is HONESTY.

Honesty – Gwekwaadziwin:

Honesty is represented by the Sabe. The Sabe understands who they are and how to walk in their life. Sabe reminds us to be ourselves and not someone we are not. An honest person is said to walk tall like Kitchi-Sabe.

To walk through life with integrity is to know honesty.

Be honest with yourself. Recognize and accept who you are. Accept and use the gifts you have been given. Do not seek to deceive yourself or others.

The Sabe represents honesty because it is closer to the creator than to humans. It is believed that the Sabe used to walk among humans to remind us of the Creator’s wish for us to remain true to our natural forms.

Actions such as being true to our spirit and accepting who we are will guide us in being honest.

https://www.truecanadianart.com/single-post/2018/03/14/what-are-the-seven-grandfather-teachings.

Our goal is that teachers will learn together with their students about these teachings and bring them into their regular classroom activities.

With a focus of honesty, students could:

Write, draw, talk about integrity and being honest with oneself.
Brainstorm “What is integrity” and discuss why it is important.
Discuss the connections between honesty and trust.
Have students decorate a Sabe and write above or below the Sabe the effect honesty has in their lives. On the next page, see the Sabe art by Michelle Stoney, a Gitxsan artist who has graciously given permission for anyone to print off and colour this design – she just asks that it not be used for sale or profit.
Engage in self-reflection and self-assessment techniques, being honest and kind with where they are in their learning journeys.
Read “The Mixed up Chameleon” by Eric Carle or any of these books about honesty.
Write poetry or stories about themselves and their identities.
November 8th is National Aboriginal Veterans Day please see these sites for lesson ideas from SD67, SD61 and SD68 and consider using the Thunderbird Poppy – shared via SD61, SD67 and SD68 (design by Cowichan artist, Stuart Pagaduan)