Teaching & Learning

Ms. Pagé’s Francophone identity is reflected in the way she teaches history to her students. Coming from a family proud of its Francophone roots, she is particularly inspired by her family connection to Gaétan Gervais, one of the creators of the Franco-Ontarian flag. As she puts it, “My grandfather also fought for services in French, so this pride and activism have always been part of my approach to teaching. I want to pass this pride on to my students.” Historical issues relating to Francophone identity are therefore a key focus in her class: “I’m definitely going to approach [the history] of Canada in a way that takes into account the experience of minority French-speaking communities. Teaching in Sudbury, an emblematic place for the development of Franco-Ontarian identity, adds a unique dimension to her commitment.

The school is located in an area historically populated predominantly by French-speaking families. Christine tells students how local Francophones have played important roles in areas that were historically their own. This sharing of local stories helps students to connect with their own identity. In her classroom, she highlights significant moments, such as the struggles of the 1970s, when Sudbury citizens fought for the preservation and enhancement of Franco-Ontarian identity: “The students know that. So there’s a little pride, I think, in that regard that’s quite important.”  Although she observes that her students do not always speak French among themselves, she strives to instill this Francophone pride in various ways.

Indigenous Knowledge

Ms. Pagé is dedicated to exploring her Indigenous identity and thinks about how to incorporate this knowledge into her teaching. She is a member of the M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island. She explains that her father’s family lived through the Sixties Scoop, the forced removal of Indigenous children from their homes and their placement in the welfare system. Her father went from one foster family to another during his childhood, without ever returning to his biological family. As a result, Christine never got to know her paternal grandmother. Now, with her own children, she attaches great importance to ties with grandparents. This appreciation of intergenerational bonds influences her approach to teaching, as she shares with her students the oral history of Indigenous communities, including the legacy of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop—stories many are hearing for the first time.

Christine’s commitment to Indigenous education has always been strong, even before she learned about her family’s history. She often felt she was dissenting from the old curriculum, which barely acknowledged colonialism. Defying convention, she worked on residential school projects in class, explaining, “We were teaching about prime ministers, all that… I felt like a rebel, saying: Yes, it’s a controversial subject, but do it!” This approach has clearly left its mark; she once received a note from a former student thanking her for opening that door, as she now works in a field that requires knowledge of First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures.

Christine believes that history teachers have a responsibility to respond to the calls of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. She encourages teachers to learn about the Indigenous communities near their schools, to reach out to friendship centres and to teach history from the perspective of truth and reconciliation.

Co-created by Christine Pagé and Melissa Daoust