Category Archives: MODULE 1

FN Education Steering Committee Authentic resources M1P5

http://www.fnesc.ca/authenticresources/

I am thrilled that I discovered this after all the reading that we’ve been doing these last few weeks about how inaccurately First Nation cultures can be represented, but by finding resources like this created by the people they are intending to represent is a fantastic start. Their searchable database is a gold mine of resources for a teacher. I love how they also talk about what they define as an “authentic resource” and how they go about collecting them.

Syilx Intellectual & Cultural Request M1P3

https://www.syilx.org/about-us/syilx-nation/syilx-intellectual-cultural-request/

I found this as I was researching the land that I am living and working on here in Kelowna. I found it very powerful that the Syilx people are requesting for people to ask permission and are ensuring that their traditions, art, music etc are used appropriately and accurately. I’m quite curious how often this hasn’t happened and how I, as a teacher who is lucky enough to have Indigenous Advocates that work so closely with us, would be approaching this.

Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning (M1P5)

UBC has made a series of curriculum bundles for Indigenizing education. The subjects range from storytelling to STEAM.

These are not lesson-plans, but frameworks that could be adapted for your local community. Besides being an excellent toolkit, this resource can also serve as a model for curriculum design. Each resource includes clear connections to the First Peoples’ Principles of Learning and the BC Curriculum. They also provide important information for educators on how to use the frameworks in a respectful and humble manner.

Module 1, Post 4 | Indigenous Education in Ontario

With a child just entering the elementary public-school system in Toronto, I looked into what kind of Indigenous education my child will be receiving from the TDSB (Toronto District School Board). I found it a bit difficult to find this information – but I located an “Arts” curriculum guide dated 2009! A note informed me that it was replacing the 1998 curriculum, and it appeared that other elements on the webpage were recently updated (2021).

In the curriculum, there were a few objectives that factored in the inclusion of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit arts and culture in Grades 3 and 6.

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/grade1.html

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/arts18b09curr.pdf

Module 1, Post 3 | First Nations University of Canada

Interested in what makes the First Nations University of Canada different than other higher education institutions in the country, I discovered the following:

  • The application of a wholistic approach that places the learner at the centre – i.e., a focus on building relationships with the students, heavily subsidized child-care options, tutoring support
  • An emphasis on the importance of physical spaces – i.e., there is a sacred and ceremonial tipi on the premises that guests are not allowed to enter
  • A strong reliance on teaching subjects through a lens of Indigenous ways of knowing
  • A community-oriented approach that takes learning out of the classroom

https://www.fnuniv.ca/

Module 1, Post 2 | Isuma & Inuk Artist Asinnajaq

I was so pleased to see IsumaTV come up in this class via Ginsberg’s “Screen Memories.” Described on their website as “a collaborative multimedia platform for indigenous filmmakers and media organizations” the production company is creating space for Indigenous storytellers to have a wider audience.

Without a doubt, though self-produced representation, communities are better positioned to preserve and explore the dynamics of culture identity. Interested in knowing more about what they do, I watched an interview of Isuma founders Zacharias Kunuk, Apayata Kotierk, Norman Cohn who sat down with Inuk artist Asinnajaq to talk about their production goals, after which I looked up Asinnajaq to see what kind of art she made.

I found this 2017 film she created, called Three Thousand, here: https://www.onf.ca/film/three-thousand/.

Diving into the NFB’s vast archive, she parses the complicated cinematic representation of the Inuit, harvesting fleeting truths and fortuitous accidents from a range of sources—newsreels, propaganda, ethnographic docs, and work by Indigenous filmmakers. Embedding historic footage into original animation, she conjures up a vision of hope and beautiful possibility.

Module 1, Post 1 | CFAT

In one of the first readings I engaged with for this course the Australian Centre for Appropriate Technology was mentioned. Intrigued, I visited the site to learn more about what they do.

Serving and represented by Aboriginal communities, the organization conducts research, designs, develops and teaches appropriate technologies, and delivers technical training to Indigenous people living in remote areas to support their tech needs.

Curious to know what kinds of technology the organization was prioritizing, I discovered that their focus areas include clean energy production, ICT, transport services, as well as essentials like housing, water, and sanitation. Their website highlighted some the challenges in serving these remote communities – meeting their needs requires collaboration, including a co-design process and training for operational use and upkeep.

So far, in the course we’ve exploring how remarkably unneutral technology is and how its application and expectations can be culturally harmful in that it can be inflexible and produce adaptation (both voluntary and insidiously) through engagement – this organization seems to be countering that through a successful approach that empowers communities through consultation, transparency, collaboration, and active participation.

MOD #1 POST #5: Learning Bird

Learning Bird : https://learningbird.com/

Learning Bird is a company that works with schools and communities to build local Indigenous culture, language, and history into the classroom content through school resources, school programs, and language programs. Part of their services includes helping Indigenous communities digitalize their cultural artifacts and languages, provide teacher professional development opportunities, and develop curriculum. Their platform includes an LMS to support distance and differentiated learners and a bank of multi-modal resources to support teachers in their classrooms. However, this is a paid platform and requires a subscription to use their services.