Labour+and+Winnipeg+General+Strike+-+Claire

Usha's comments in Blue.

Your name: Claire Hurtig

=== Initial Reading and Assessment of Textbook Treatment of the Topic ===

Name of Gr. 10 Textbook examined: //Canada: The Face of a Nation//, Ed. Bolotta et al, Gage, 2000.

Name of more "scholarly" source examined: L abour historian David Bercuson’s chapter “The Winnipeg General Strike” in //On Strike,// Ed. Irving Abella, James Lewis & Samuel Publishers, 1974.

__Initial Thoughts:__

Accuracy The textbook treatment of this subject is accurate, although a few statistics differ from those in Bercuson’s work. This may be due to the fact that the scholarly article was written in the 1970s and newer information has become available, or it may be due to the textbook editors’ bias.

Depth/Breadth Because this topic is only covered in four pages in the textbook, and only two given to the General Strike itself, it’s clear that the analysis does not go as deep as it does in the scholarly source in describing the factors influencing the strike and the background of those involved, most importantly the deep links between the three levels of government and the business class.

Perspectives presented The textbook presents the perspectives of the workers and the bosses. Apart from mentioning the creation of the One Big Union movement, however, it could have provided more detail about the debates within the labour movement itself, which led to the creation of the One Big Union and also influenced the outcome of the strike. Oversimplification? The textbook does not oversimplify the events //to the point of distortion//. It merely leaves out details and nuance which would enrich a student’s understanding of this complex moment in Canadian history.

Key points covered? The textbook does focus on the key points: the context of the post-war economy and the disatisfaction that many working people felt after having made many sacrifices during the war; the opposition between the workers and the ruling class organisations at this time; and the response of the government to labour organizing in general and the strike in particular.

Presentation of differing interpretations of historical evidence? // Canada: The Face of a Nation // only mentions differing interpretations of historical evidence insofar as it mentions the perspective of the workers versus that of the bosses at the time, it does not go deeper than that.

Thank you for your thoughtful and thorough comments, Claire. You have clearly examined the text from a variety of angles and have framed your challenge below as a response to what you perceive as an opportunity to enrich student understanding of alternative perspectives.


 * Critical Challenge **

What was the Winnipeg General Strike all about? What was each side fighting for? Create two leaflets that could have been distributed in the streets of Winnipeg during the General Strike by each side of the conflict:

1) The first leaflet should convey the point of view of the employers and the "Committee of 1000" (against the strike) and express their opinion of the strike and their demands.

2) The second leaflet should convey the point of view of the workers and the Trades and Labour Council (in favour of the strike) and express their opinion of the strike and their demands.

Remember: in both cases, you are trying to convince the residents of Winnipeg that they should be on the side of the group that created the leaflet!

Type of challenge: Design to specs

Yes, this is clearly a design to specs but is also a "rework the piece" since they have to consider what would change from the first to the second. I think this is fabulous. Very clear, feasible but directly related to historical thinking. My only suggestion would be to save the first 2 questions (what was it about, what was each side fighting for?) for the scaffolding of the lesson. Those questions do not invite critical thinking but students will have to explore the answers in order to create the leaflets which clearly invites critical thinking. Nicely done.

__** October 8: Lesson Design - Initial Planning Stages **__

// > Identify Key Learning / "Big Idea" / Learning Target //

Students will understand that in order to understand historical events in all their complexity, we must consider

a) the context of historical events and b) the perspectives of all participants

in order to understand and make judgments about the actions of the participants in historical events. Well framed. Very clear.

// > Frame Critical Challenge //

Rank in order of importance the top 3 or 4 factors that motivated the members of the opposing sides of the Winnipeg General Strike? Justify your response with evidence from each side (pro-strike and anti-strike). I'm getting a bit caught here. If you're going to teach about the various motivations, then this question doesn't necessarily invite thinking since kids will simply give you back the factors that you taught them. However, if you add a qualifier, it might help. "For example, select the most important (or 2 most important or 3 most important - you choose) factors that motivated...." Then, they have to judge amongst the various factors and select the most compelling ones - and these are what they will decide to include on the leaflet. Does that make sense? --> Yes, I changed it to include your suggested tweak. Thanks.

This relates to the previously-described critical challenge:

Create two leaflets that could have been distributed in the streets of Winnipeg during the General Strike by each side of the conflict:

1) The first leaflet should convey the point of view of the employers and the "Committee of 1000" (against the strike) and express their opinion of the strike and their demands.

2) The second leaflet should convey the point of view of the workers and the Trades and Labour Council (in favour of the strike) and express their opinion of the strike and their demands. Yes - these are good.

Remember: in both cases, you are trying to convince the residents of Winnipeg that they should be on the side of the group that created the leaflet!

// > How will this lesson help students build skills they will need for the summative assessment task for the unit? //

The lesson will help students build the skills to evaluate evidence based on considering the perspectives of each side, such as the background of a person making a statement about the strike.

The summative task for the newspaper could be to either:

write a letter to the editor or an article reflecting on the strike as an important event in Canadian history thus far (“10 years since the strike”), or on changes/improvements in working conditions in the century thus far,

or to provide a photograph from the strike accompanied by a caption, again reflecting on the strike as an important past event.

In creating any of these components of the newspaper spread, students would have to demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives of the participants in the strike, both for and against.

Good - so you are suggesting that the topic of their subtasks could be this topic and learning about perspective will help them regardless of the type of subtask.

// > What dimension of Historical Thinking will students actively engage in during this lesson? //

Historical perspective-taking.

__** Intellectual Tools **__

// > Background knowledge //

__ Specific Expectations __

1. Explain how the labour movement has affected social, economic, and political life in Canada (e.g., Winnipeg General Strike, On-to-Ottawa Trek, Regina Manifesto, Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Auto Workers) (50) 2. Evaluate how selected international political trends or events have contributed to political challenges facing Canada (e.g., American isolationism; decision to use atomic weapons against Japan; end of the Cold War; economic globalization; Gulf War, 1991; invasion of Iraq, 2003) (46) à in this case, the Russian revolution and the international communist movement 3. Distinguish between fact, opinion, and inference in texts and visuals found in primary and secondary sources (52) 5. Identify different viewpoints when interpreting information for research or when participating in a discussion (52) 6. Draw conclusions and make reasoned generalizations or appropriate predictions on the basis of relevant and sufficient supporting evidence (52)

__ Content/skills __

Students will need to a) understand the causes of the Winnipeg General Strike  b) identify the two major opposing groups that participated in the strike, and understand their reasons for participating c) be provided with examples of a leaflet, ideally including a contemporary example

> //Criteria for Judgment of a Significant Factor//

a) //Criteria ranking the factors significant enough to influence a Winnipeg resident to support or oppose the strike.//

The difference between a) a student's opinion: --> based on personal opinion, feelings, experience the workers "didn't like to work" the business owners and upper class participants "didn't like immigrants"

and

b) a student's judgment --> based on historical evidence noting factors such as: - economic conditions (wages, inflation) - social conditions (living conditions, working conditions)  - political conditions (political structure in Winnipeg, influence of communist ideas)  - immigration issues (issues facing immigrant workers, ruling class attitude towards immigrants)  - post-WWI issues (disillusionment following WWI, war profiteering)  I feel like you've clearly listed factors but I'm not sure these are criteria that will help me make a decision about the challenge. I think, as I was struggling with above, the list of factors will be what you teach but what decision will students make about those factors. If you're asking students to select what seemed to be the most significant influencing factor then what you need criteria for is "What makes one factor __more significant__ than another..." Does that make sense?

--> Yes, it does! I have changed it - please see above. Thanks.

b) Criteria for a convincing leaflet - the criteria below are well articulated. - visually engaging layout  - accessible content  - clear argumentation  - catchy “hook” – headline or image

// > Habit of Mind //

Empathic: Is able to empathize with those in situations different from one's own and in different historical contexts.

// > Thinking Strategies //

Create a chart with two columns. In one column, list the factors influencing Winnipeg residents to go on strike or to support the strike. In the second column, list the factors influencing Winnipeg residents to oppose the strike.

An alternative possibility which may require a bit more reflection to determine whether it would actually be useful could be to use a Venn diagram instead of a chart. This might work since some of the factors influencing Winnipeg residents to either support or oppose the strike may have been similar, depending on their background and opinion. For example: rising inflation and the need for jobs; discontent of veterans following the end of World War I.

// > Critical Thinking Vocabulary //

Perspective: A point of view. A way of seeing a situation based on your experience.