On reading The Challenge of Reconciliation p 183 to 318
Online Sunday School, Weeks 18 to 31
pg 183 to 318 of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
I looked at this section of the Summary and thought, just weird.
How can I keep the structure of over 200 pages in my mind without an outline?
I thumbed through the pages and could see headings, some larger than others, and in an impulsive moment, decided I would just skim the chapter and make sense of the headings, some major, some minor.
I was beating up on myself a bit over not being able to differentiate between the two, wondering how the authors of the summary were moving this chapter along so as to invite readers on the journey when they were giving me the job of differentiating between 13 point and 12 point, it seemed.
I began to write my own table of contents for the chapter at the blank page at its end and found myself spilling over to the blank page at the end and the having to move to another page in the book to finish it off. I ended up with 10 major headings and one of those had 10 minor headings under it. Maybe the average Canadian can make sense of that. I needed an outline.
Then I got on my treadmill and tried to memorize the major headings, at least getting them down enough that I could give a talk about them only referring to my notes.
Not that I am ever going to give a talk on this. I haven’t been asked to give a talk in church for 30 years or so.
Still, I always want to be prepared.
And to tell the truth, I feel confident about doing the more difficult close reading of this chapter, now that I have the general shape of it in my mind.
Well, a little boring for other readers but I am so geeky about this I have to recap,
I feel like I have the tools to really understand this chapter as a result of an evening of preparation, trying to find my best way of really taking in what the commission’s ghost writers were summarizing here.
This will take us through to the week of August 4th at the rate of 10 pages a week. I am going to go slightly faster.
Arta
Online Sunday School, Weeks 18 to 31
pg 183 to 318 of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
 |
| headings 1 to 5 Setting the Context Treaties Revitalizing Indigenous Law Reconciliation and Accountability Moving from Apology to Action |
How can I keep the structure of over 200 pages in my mind without an outline?
I thumbed through the pages and could see headings, some larger than others, and in an impulsive moment, decided I would just skim the chapter and make sense of the headings, some major, some minor.
I was beating up on myself a bit over not being able to differentiate between the two, wondering how the authors of the summary were moving this chapter along so as to invite readers on the journey when they were giving me the job of differentiating between 13 point and 12 point, it seemed.
I began to write my own table of contents for the chapter at the blank page at its end and found myself spilling over to the blank page at the end and the having to move to another page in the book to finish it off. I ended up with 10 major headings and one of those had 10 minor headings under it. Maybe the average Canadian can make sense of that. I needed an outline.
 |
| headings 6 to 8 Education The role of Museums and Archives Public Memory |
Not that I am ever going to give a talk on this. I haven’t been asked to give a talk in church for 30 years or so.
Still, I always want to be prepared.
And to tell the truth, I feel confident about doing the more difficult close reading of this chapter, now that I have the general shape of it in my mind.
Well, a little boring for other readers but I am so geeky about this I have to recap,
I feel like I have the tools to really understand this chapter as a result of an evening of preparation, trying to find my best way of really taking in what the commission’s ghost writers were summarizing here.
This will take us through to the week of August 4th at the rate of 10 pages a week. I am going to go slightly faster.
Arta
I am behind on my sunday school readings, so thank you for the post that left me curious about the document. I just can't imagine doing the hard work of deciding what to include and what framework to give it. I have so much gratitude for those who did this important work. The other evening I was working late, and one of the other people working late was a custodian. We chatted for a few minutes about the beautiful Secwepemc flag I have above my desk in my office (3'x5'). He shared with me that he was one of the videographers for the TRC interviews. I was humbled to hear him speak about it.
ReplyDeleteWow, Bonnie, great story! And I agree... thanks Arta for keeping the discussion going!
ReplyDeleteBonnie? About your comment of the understanding of those who created The Summary, of what it was they thought they should include and how to make it best comprehensive to Canadians? I was thinking the same thing when I was trying to form on outline, even though they had given me titles to do it with. What they were doing becomes clear with the outline, and now I shall try to flesh that outline out.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear my friends ask me if I have read this book of fiction that that book of poetry, I wonder why I am making myself do this hard work of reading the Summary. Then I remember, I am doing it because I want to. I want to know about this work, about what the commission gathered, how what they did played out in the form of the volumes that they published. So I am pressing on, since having an online Sunday School class. I am getting 2 things done at once. Learning about Canadian history and fulfilling the commissions request that churches teach their members about the legacy of the residential schools. I am just doing this work until the Mormons call someone to do it officially.
I want to do it too. David got to learn about ceremonial fires at school the other day. The students each cooked some bannock over a cooking fire while their aboriginal studies teacher told them about fire ceremonies. He asked if I knew a fire is kept burning for four days after someone passes away. The conversation came up because someone at after school robotics class noted the campfire smell on his clothes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good story about David learning about fires. Is this funereal ceremonial practise Secwepmce or something from another tradition.
ReplyDelete