Walking Together in Truth and Reconciliation: Blanket Exercise
On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, CISVA educators will gather for an afternoon of deep learning and reflection for an interactive workshop developed by KAIROS Canada.
This unique professional development opportunity offers participants a moving, first-person experience of the history and continuing impacts of colonization in Canada, as told from the perspective of Indigenous peoples. Through guided role-play, storytelling, and dialogue, educators are invited into a space where empathy, understanding, and reconciliation become shared practice.
Why This Experience Matters
Rooted in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, the Blanket Exercise helps educators engage with the past while considering their role in building a future founded on respect, justice, and mutual dignity. The workshop provides:
Immersive learning – participants walk through history in an embodied way, strengthening awareness of the lived impacts of colonization.
Dialogue and reflection – creating spaces for meaningful conversations about reconciliation, respect, and the role of schools.
Faith and justice – aligning with our Catholic mission to uphold human dignity and seek healing through truth, compassion, and solidarity.
For New Teachers
For those beginning their teaching journey, this exercise offers a powerful foundation. Understanding the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada and the legacy of colonization equips new educators to engage students with sensitivity, honesty, and respect for Indigenous voices and perspectives.
For Experienced Teachers
For seasoned educators, the Blanket Exercise provides an opportunity to re-engage with reconciliation in a fresh and profound way. It is a chance to model lifelong learning, challenge assumptions, and integrate reconciliation more fully into classroom practice and school culture.
A Shared Responsibility
Reconciliation is not a single event but an ongoing journey. By participating in the Blanket Exercise, CISVA faculty affirm their commitment to this journey together—acknowledging historical truths, respecting Indigenous resilience, and embodying the values of justice and reconciliation that are central to Catholic education.
Event Details
📅 Date: September 16, 2025
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
📍 Location: For registered CISVA Educators and guests only.
Through this workshop, CISVA educators come together to listen, learn, and walk forward in solidarity. When teachers—new and experienced alike—embrace reconciliation, they help shape a future where every child grows within a community of truth, respect, and shared humanity.