Author Archives: brendan clark

Teaching the Medicine Wheel – The Canadian Educators Association

This post from the Canadian Educators Association (CEA) introduces the concept of the medicine wheel and explains how the approach can be used to create a culturally relevant educational process for aboriginal learners and demonstrate a holistic teaching approach to all learners. The approach acknowledges the holistic nature of aboriginal education and a balanced approach to learning and change. The resource acknowledges that the medicine wheel has many interpretations because the concept is shared across many aboriginal communities who describe the wheel in slightly different ways. The resource describes the practical application of the medicine wheel by describing the Anishinaabe Bimaadiziwin Cultural Healing and Learning Program whose teachings were designed to balance the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self based on the medicine wheel.

http://www.cea-ace.ca/sites/cea-ace.ca/files/imagecache/Original_size/edcan-v54-n3-bell-figure2.png

module 2 post 5
Brendan Clark

MAKING THE CLASSROOM A HEALTHY PLACE: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFECTIVE COMPETENCY IN ABORIGINAL PEDAGOGY

MAKING THE CLASSROOM A HEALTHY PLACE: THE DEVELOPMENT OF

AFFECTIVE COMPETENCY IN ABORIGINAL PEDAGOGY
By

FRANCIS LEE BROWN

B.A., The University of Washington, 1971

M.A, National University, 1981

This resource is the thesis of Lee Brown whose interview was featured in module 1 which is available online. The thesis goes into depth discussing the role of affective competency in aboriginal education and how the importance of emotional intelligence in education is supported by research. Brown analyzes the literature on the topic and also explains a number of case studies including students and teachers who participated in the Native Training Institute in Kamloops B.C in the 1980’s. The thesis argues for the importance of the inclusion of aboriginal values and emotions in education. Brown argues that the connection between emotional intelligence and learning is not just important for aboriginal healing but for all learners. from a cognitive neuroscience perspective.

https://www.tru.ca/__shared/assets/Lee_Brown_2004_Aboriginal_Affective_Pedagogy23690.pdf

Module 2 Post 4

brendan clark

Tanya Tagaq takes on cyberbullies and stereotypes

Inuk throat singer Tagaq relieved after online harrasser’s Twitter account shut down

By Connie Walker, CBC News

I found this article interesting because it ties together the conversation around online identities of aboriginal people, cyberbullying, and Nanook of the North. This story covered by the CBC discusses the online harassing of an Inuk throat singer after she posted photos of her infant child next to a freshly killed seal. Anti-seal hunting activists verbally attacked her online until one of the offenders’ Twitter account was removed after a police investigation. Her performances include a version of Nanook of the North where she addresses stereotypes by creating her own music to accompany the famous film. The article includes links to her performances and Twitter feed

http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/tanya-tagaq-takes-on-cyberbullies-and-stereotypes-1.2669892

Module 2 Post 3

Brendan Clark

Aboriginal Perspectives on Social-Emotional Competence in Early Childhood

From: The International Indigenous Policy Journal Volume 4
Issue 4 Educational Pathways of Indigenous Learners Article 2

Authors: Melissa Tremblay, Rebecca Gokiert, Rebecca Georgis, Karen Edwards, Berna Skrypnek

This article from the International Indigenous Policy Journal presents findings from research on social-emotional competencies of young aboriginal learners. Using a focus group approach, the researchers engaged in dialogue with young learners, parents, service providers and young adults. They conclude that aboriginal learners require additional skills to navigate the cultural context of educational institutions and the article goes on to suggest some practical applications of their research results.

http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1151&context=iipj

Module 2 – Post 2
Brendan Clark

Integrating Aboriginal Teaching and Values into the Classroom

What Works? Research into Practice: A research-into-practice series produced by a partnership between The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat and the Ontario Association of Deans of Education

This resource calls upon research in aboriginal education to explain the importance of self esteem for the success of aboriginal learners. The publication highlights an Aboriginal Model of Self Esteem which describes the self as made up of the intellectual, spiritual, emotional-mental, and physical. The resource provides a guide to practical implementation of holistic ideas by referring to the Ojibwe Good Life Teachings and discussing the implications of teaching respect, bravery, wisdom, humility, honesty and truth.

https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/Toulouse.pdf

Brendan Clark
Module 2 Post 1

Tony Bates Associates Ltd: Research on Distance Education for First Nations/Aboriginal Students

The Tony Bates Associates Ltd is a private company which specializes in consulting and training for e-learning and distance education. The site consists of a number of resources surround e-learning but I found the resource page which focuses primarily on distance education for First Nation/Aboriginals to be the most relevant. The site links to a few related publications but mainly focuses on an article about the experiences of First Nations students who have participated in postsecondary distance ed in rural settings.
Research Page:

http://www.tonybates.ca/2014/02/25/research-on-distance-education-for-first-nationsaboriginals-from-irrodl-vol-15-no-1/
Article on First Nations experiences of post secondary rural Distance ed:

http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1357/2770
Module 1 Post 5
Brendan Clark

Support 4 Northern Kids – Emotional Suppression Article

Support 4 Northern Kids is an organization that supports youth in northern Ontario in order to promote healthy living and healthy communities. The main site offers information about services available, community events, and other resources. I was specifically interested in the resource page and an article titled: “HEARTSONG: EXPLORING EMOTIONAL SUPPRESSION AND DISCONNECTION IN ABORIGINAL CANADA”. The article makes links between residential schools, community disruption and the emotional suppression that is commonplace in many aboriginal communities. The article explores causes as well as traditional healing.

Main site: Support4northernkids.ca

Article: http://www.support4northernkids.ca/uploaded/Heartsong%20Final.pdf

Brendan Clark

Module 1: Post 4

Aboriginal Youth and Emotional Intelligence

The following article was linked to the White Path Consulting website. White Path Consulting claims to be “a leader in the area of emotional and social health”. The organization offers programs which deal with addiction, violence, youth life skills and employment readiness. I was specifically interested in the “Research” section of the their web page and an article titled “Generalizability of the emotional intelligence construct: A cross-cultural study of North American aboriginal youth”. The article outlines a study related to aboriginal youth and emotional intelligence.

Main Page

http://whitepathconsultinginc.com/

Article

http://whitepathconsultinginc.com/research/Generalizability%20%26%20youth%20%232.pdf

Module 1 Post 3

Brendan Clark

The First Peoples’ Language Map of B.C

The First Peoples’ Language Map of B.C is an online interactive map which allows users to view a map of British Columbia which highlights the various linguistic regions of its First Nations Communities. Users can switch the base layer of the map from terrain view to street or satellite view and can layers which show First Nations internet connectivity and areas which contain “sleeping” languages or those which have no fluent speakers. The site also offers a large list of First Nations communities and languages spoken. The First Peoples’ Language Map of B.C creates an excellent visual of the diversity that exists amongst aboriginal communities as well as the issues related to historical First Nations communities and current political boundaries.

http://maps.fphlcc.ca/

Module 1 Post 2
Brendan Clark

The Inuit Broadcasting Corporation

The web page of the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation offers information about its goals as “Nunavut’s public producer” of media, as well descriptions of its current programming. Inuit focused news stories are available as well as video clips from various segments. I was specifically interested in the kids section of site which links to latest issue of the Inuit comic “Super Shamou” and the interactive site of a kids show “Takuginai.ca”, which is offered in two aboriginal languages as well as english and french.

Module 1 – Post 1

Brendan Clark

http://www.nac.nu.ca/index.php

http://Takuginai.ca