Page 13 - Exploring the Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession through Anishinaabe Art

The Standard of Leadership in Learning Communities
Reflect on the following description of the artist’s painting which honours and celebrates the standard of Leadership in Learning Communities and then respond to the professional inquiry questions:
ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Artist's Reflection
In the Anishinaabe culture, all forms of life are connected, animate or inanimate, and treated with great respect. In the world we live in, there are many types of animals, mammals and living organisms: some small, some large and some in between, all co-existing daily. In the Anishinaabe culture, we learn from and respect each and every life form as each one contributes to our environment and survival. It is extremely important that we understand each other so that each life form can continue to exist on our planet.
A variety of life forms are connected throughout the painting: the land and trees, community, water, sky and sun. This painting also depicts the diversity of teachers from all backgrounds (fish, a mink, a bear, an eagle, ducks, a frog, a moose, a wolf, humans and a beaver). The painting portrays the ongoing collaboration and discussion of leadership roles in order to facilitate student learning.
Each of the wigwams in the painting represents an individual community. The four wigwams each have a different colour at the entrance (red, black, yellow and white), representing the medicine wheel of the Anishinaabe culture as well as the ethical standards of the Ontario College of Teachers (Care, Respect, Trust and Integrity).
Representatives of the four individual communities have gathered together to participate in the creation of safe, collaborative and supportive learning communities. A wolf (mahiigan), a symbol of humility, carries a wigwam on his back to represent the value of community. The wolf lives in
a pack and lives for the well-being of that pack. He will go to great lengths to protect the pack. Similarly, the Anishinaabe people value community and community well-being. In the painting, the collaborative meeting is taking place in the open air, by the lake, where all thoughts for shared responsibilities, leadership and roles are being discussed. The open discussion focuses on the well- being and balance of the communities as well as on the students’ growth and learning.
EXPLORING THE STANDARDS OF PRACTICE FOR THE TEACHING PROFESSION THROUGH ANISHINAABE ART 7