Sam’s weblog & research focus – targetted instruction

Many thanks to Janet for her link to the Marie Battiste YouTube video on “What is Learning Spirit”. ETEC 521 is part of the MET programme; but for me, it is a timely component. For the last 7 years I have been teaching in a school with a large number of First Nations students and families. For me this is a new dynamic; aside from a few friends and classmates in my youth, the First Nations student is somewhat of an unknown entity to me.

Marie Battiste states that there are many situations in which young people have not made it through school, and shut down and “people think they are stupid”. This is such a tragedy, and as an educator I cannot but help to feel guilt because I am part of the system.

My hope is that through this course I will develop a much clearer idea of what a First Nations student needs from the school system, and more specifically their teachers, in order to succeed. My research project and main weblog focus will be along the lines of developing targeted instruction – teaching strategies and components of my lesson plans – that will help aboriginal youth achieve greater success in my classroom.