Relational Narrative Inquiry Alongside a Young Métis Child and Her Family: Everyday Assessment Making, Pimatisiwin, Pimosayta, and Teacher Education and Development

Abstract

Understandings of diverse children, families, and communities/peoples as holding knowledge of and as practicing assessment is little recognized in research for, or in programs of, teacher education and development. Our paper shows the intergenerational relational living that Suzy, a young Métis child, experienced alongside her family as they imagined forward and remembered backward. This process shaped, and was shaped by, the family and Suzy’s continuous assessment of her ongoing making of a healthy life. We see important connections between Suzy’s and her family’s everyday assessment making practices and our experiences alongside Anishinaabe kwe scholar Mary Isabelle Young (Singing Turtle Woman), who lived with us Pimatisiwin (walking in a good way) and Pimosayta (learning to walk together). Dominant narratives of accountability in universities and schools most commonly serve the institution or government. Much potential opens in teacher education and development when we shift from these orientations to orientations that lift the particularities of each person and our collective responsibilities to all our relations. In this way we move closer to fulfilling our responsibilities to the people and worlds around us, to all of creation, the animals, plants, Earth, and cosmos, and to the next generations.

A Holistic Approach to Early Relational Health: Cultivating Culture, Diversity, and Equity

“…In fact, relationships between caregivers and infants often encompass three or more members. In many cultures, belonging and contributing to collective wellbeing matter more than individual achievement [33,34]. In places where community and family ties are strong, children have opportunities to develop attachments with multiple caregivers and rely on broader social networks for support [4,5,[33][34][35][36][37][38].…”

“…In many cultures, belonging and contributing to collective wellbeing matter more than individual achievement [33,34]. In places where community and family ties are strong, children have opportunities to develop attachments with multiple caregivers and rely on broader social networks for support [4,5,[33][34][35][36][37][38]. The possibility of ERH extends beyond the close relationships they have with family, kin, and other caregivers during the first year of life to multi-member relationships with other members of their village [34,36,38,39].…”

“…Given that it is a relational, revitalizing praxis, "Etuaptmumk"-"Two-Eyed Seeing" could fundamentally change the ways in which ERH scholarship, practice, research, and advocacy operate by facilitating the co-creation of ethical spaces for co-production of new knowledge. It can be an approach to inclusive, equitable, and trustworthy collaborations with diverse families and communities [9,33,37,[53][54][55][56][57]. "Etuaptmumk"-"Two-Eyed Seeing", "M's1t No'kmaq"-"All our relations," and shared healing stories can be brought forward to revitalize teaching and learning about ERH in early childhood education, social sciences, pediatric, family, and public health certificate and degree programs [33,53].…”

“…It can be an approach to inclusive, equitable, and trustworthy collaborations with diverse families and communities [9,33,37,[53][54][55][56][57]. "Etuaptmumk"-"Two-Eyed Seeing", "M's1t No'kmaq"-"All our relations," and shared healing stories can be brought forward to revitalize teaching and learning about ERH in early childhood education, social sciences, pediatric, family, and public health certificate and degree programs [33,53].…”