Module 3 – Entry 5
Tyler Ohashi
As I continue my journey looking for how to incorporate Indigenous education into my practice I have come across this “Guide for Educators” produced by COPA.
COPA is a Francophone not-for-profit organization, offering services in both French and English. Founded in 1995, we are a recognized center of excellence in the field of violence and bullying prevention by advocating for equity and inclusion.
What landed me at this document was a search for barriers that Indigenous people face with respect to education. What I found was an entire section titled “Facing Barriers” that looks at:
- Culture and Identity
- Language
- Spirituality
- Contribution to Canada
- Land, Treaties and Relocation
- The Indian Act
- Residential Schools
- Intergenerational Trauma
- Bullying and Racism
- Bullying and Suicide
- Lateral Violence
- Internalized Racism
- Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
- Marginalization
- Indigenous Children and Youth in Care
- Study Away from Home
- Working in Reserve Communities
- Parents in Prison
Obviously, there is a lot to unpack here. The good news is that this document highlights each of the above briefly. I like this because there were many barriers here that I had not thought about till coming across this document.
Furthermore, the next sections of this document look at “Caring and Sharing” and “Moving Forward”. Finally, there is an entire section dedicated to a “Film Guide” that can be used to facilitate discussions using short animated films with provided discussion questions and strategies for teaching.
Short animated films can be found here –> Films
Overall, a very useful document.
Reference
COPA. (n.d.). Joining the Circle – A Guide for Educators. https://www.metisnation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/educatorsguide_en.pdf.
Hi Tyler,
This is great! I especially like the animated films and how it supports multiple Indigenous languages. The guide has great discussion questions as well. Thanks for sharing!