SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS

The following suggestions are meant to help educators anticipate pedagogical challenges specific to each of the six Great Questions. The descriptions below are not exhaustive and educators should take the time to familiarise themselves with not only entire teaching tools package, but the content of the articles too.

Founding Concepts

Students will gain the most from their readings for this Question if they have some understanding of the questions posed in the beginning. It is particularly important here to take full advantage of Setting the Stage questions.

Identity Revolution

The reading for this Question may be the most challenging of all. As such, educators may want to engage in whole class or small group discussions of the issues raised by both authors prior to starting in on the creative controversy exercise. It is also important to ensure a positive classroom environment for discussing potentially volatile issues related to multiculturalism and immigration. In this regard, students should be informed of the need to respect the views of classmates and engage in criticism pertaining to arguments set out in the articles.

After Unity

For students who are not familiar with the issue of national unity, this Question may present a challenge since the participating authors make only very cursory references to each other's arguments. Educators may find it necessary to provide students with an overview of not only Quebec history, but also the role First Nations people have played in the unity debate.

It should also be noted that there are many connections between the ideas in this Question and in the previous Question, Identity Revolution.

Canada & the World

While students may have knowledge germane to this Question and/or experience of current affairs, the challenge will be help them understand the role they and other individuals can play in shaping Canada's role in world affairs (e.g. International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Multilateral Agreement on Investment and Trade).

Heroes and Symbols

While this Question seems to be less weighty than the others, the ranging discussion it offers of Canada's symbols, and attitudes towards heroes and heroism, provides a fresh perspective on the issue of national identity.

Does History Matter

A number of authors in other Questions have commented on the importance of history in promoting Canada's development. You might want to remind students of those connections before proceeding with 'Setting the Stage'.