As a teacher with most of his professional experience in Alberta I have little knowledge of how other provinces set up their Aboriginal policies but I do know that Alberta has some extensive resources related to the matter.

Available at http://www.education.alberta.ca/teachers/fnmi.aspx this site is very comprehensive and contains numerous policies, documents and curriculum information related to Aboriginal Education.

Here is a collection of the most relevant links:

• Languages and Cultures
• Curriculum
• First Nations, Métis and Inuit Services
• FNMI Education Partnership Council
• Resources
• Policies
• Projects and Initiatives
• Aboriginal Learner Data Collection Initiative

Some of the highlights of the site include the Did you know section which is very informative across a variety of subject areas.  This section includes census stats, facts and figures related to the following:

• Language and Terminology
• Residential Schools
• Legislation
• History
• Sports
• Teaching
• Policy Framework
• Aboriginal Veterans
• Statistics

The last section that really caught my eye was a new document focused on Promising Practices in FNMI Education – Case Studies.  This document offers a case study of two schools with High First Nations populations and offers as a great snapshot view of the current state of First Nations education in Canada.

http://www.wycliffecollege.ca/news_details.php?nid=219

This page contains the report to the Anglican Church of Canada summarizing the activities and conclusions of a Consultation that was hosted at Thorneloe University in Sudbury, Ontario in May of 2009. The purpose of this consultation was “to take counsel together on the subject of theological education for First Nations church leaders so that we might begin to fulfil the vision of the Anglican Church’s New Agape (2001) for Indigenous self-determination” (2009). The consultation touched on “curriculum, training standards, modes of delivery and how we can share and develop resources.”

Among the main conclusions were:

• Promote greater inclusion of aboriginal people on educational boards and committees;
• Encourage greater self-determination;
• Work together to produce curriculum and modes of delivery that:

I have been spending some time researching different materials that are aimed at bringing Aboriginal knowledge and history into the classroom.

There are a lot of resources out there and I becoming surprised by the number of them that are developed by educators who are attempting to reach their Aboriginal students through relevant content or promote cross-cultural understanding among their students.

This site is simply a blog article which provides links to a complete First Nations Identities Course.  An overview of this course can be found here.  Feel free to browse these great resources which are all in printable pdf form.

• Ojibwe language handouts and games
• More Ojibwe stuff
• nish bingo
• Syllabics
• More handouts!
• The Great Indian Bus Tour of Toronto: student version
• Final project/summative

There is a lot of material here and would be very useful for any teacher looking for quality Aboriginal Identity focused materials for the classroom.

What I Learned In Class Today

This is a website based on a project developed by the First Nations Studies Program at UBC. I found this site fascinating. Students, instructors and adminstrators (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal) at UBC were interviewed about their most memorable classroom experience.

The 20 minute video is well done and speaks to many of the issues Aboriginal students face in the classsroom. For some reason I was expecting the memories to be more childhood related. This was a very interesting perspective. 

Along with the video the site includes discussion topics, workshop resources as well as background information on the project. An excellent resource for educators.

Vanishing Voices

Description and Relevancy

This is a link to the digital version of the Calgary Herald which is currently featuring a 3 part series on the struggle to protect vanishing and extinct First Nations languages in Southern Alberta.  I thought it quite timely for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the first article examines the perspective of technology and language for these endangered languages at several points. Secondly considering the Robert Harding article in our current module, that examines constructed stereotypes of Aboriginal people in newsprint media, I examined the article closely to detect any of the stereotypes that Harding and previous studies identified.

Links

Part 1

• Article and Video
• Related Story on Language Classes @ Siksika High School
• Image Gallery

Part 2

• Saving Tsuu T’ina: Band hopes new program can revive language, tradition

Part 3 (Will Update)

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/subscribeabnet.htm

This website describes an initiative by the BC Ministry of Education to create a forum which encourages open discussion for those involved in Aboriginal education in British Columbia.

The Abnet forum works similar to Vista in that discussion topics can be started by any listserve member, and similar ground rules apply to ensure respect for all contributors.

In addition to facilitating communication on issues surrounding Aboriginal education, Abnet is also used to publish notifications of events and provides access to relevant resources.

As an educator, this looks to be an exciting project with the potential to positively impact Aboriginal education.

In researching Aboriginal science education I stumbled upon the works of Australian science educator and writer Michael Michie.  Michie has assembled some great resources as well as founded the Indigenous Science Network Bulletin.  His work has focused mainly on Aboriginal Science Education and how best to integrate modern scientific views with traditional Australian Aboriginal teachings.  This bulletin has been in operation for over 12 years and contains a wealth of information in this area.

Michie has also collected many links in his research and was kind enough to categorize them for readers on a links page.  Although the list is not extensive and was last updated in 2006 the content is extensive and timeless.

Here is a list of some of Michie’s research.  Maybe some of it will be useful for those studying from an Australian or science perspective.

• Border crossings: Understanding differing worldviews of science through the Northern Territory science curriculum (GASAT/IOSTE, Perth, 1997)
• Beyond bush tucker: Implementing Indigenous perspectives through the science curriculum (with Jane Anlezark and Didamain Uibo, CONASTA47, Darwin, 1998)
• Interfacing Western science and Indigenous knowledge: A Northern Territory perspective (with Mark Linkson, ASERA30, Rotorua, NZ, 1999)
• Where are Indigenous peoples and their knowledge in the reforming of learning, curriculum and pedagogy? (UNESCO, Bangkok, Thailand, 1999)
• Providing teacher support materials for curriculum developments incorporating intercultural understandings in teaching science (with Mark Linkson, ASERA31, Fremantle, 2000)
• Revitalising Indigenous science education: A synthesis of the Northern Territory experience (NTIER, Darwin, 2000)
• ‘Compliance’ in health: Learning lessons from indigenous science education (with Fred McConnel, AMA Conference, Darwin, 2000)
• Why I think indigenous science should be included in the school science curriculum (ASERA32, Sydney, 2001)
• The role of culture brokers in intercultural science education: A research proposal (ASERA34, Melbourne, 2003)
• An affirmation of the place of indigenous knowledge in developing globalised science curriculum (Indigenous Science Network, 2004)
• Teaching science to Indigenous student: Teacher as culture broker or is it something else? (NARST, Vancouver, 2004)
• “Teachers as culture brokers”: Work in progress (ASERA35, Armidale, 2004 – this is a Powerpoint presentation, not a paper)
• Lost in a sea of literacy: Numeracy and Indigenous adults (12th Annual Conference of Adults Learning Mathematics, Melbourne, 2005)
• Engaging with Australian Indigenous science (CONASTA 54, Melbourne, 2005 – website)
• Writing about Australian Indigenous Science for a junior secondary textbook: Some considerations (ASERA36, Hamilton, NZ, 2005)
• Language-Culture Incommensurability in Science in Non-Asian Indigenous Peoples (Workshop on Southeast Asian and Japanese cultural influences on the understanding of scientific concepts, Penang, Malaysia, 2005)

First Nations University of Canada

First Nations University of Canada (2003)  was formerly known as the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College which was founded in 1976. The university boasts programs which are designed to specifically address the needs of Aboriginal communities. Programs at the university include: Indian Communication Arts, School of Indian Social Work, Indian Fine Arts, Intercultural Leadership Program, Department of Indigenous Education, a multitude of programs related to the health sciences and many more.

The FNUC allows students of all nations to learn in an environment of First Nations cultures and values.Their mission statement ” To enhance the quality of life, and to preserve, protect and interpret the history, language, culture and artistic heritage of First Nations.”   

Links

First Nations Veterans Memorial

First Nations Pedagogy

Indigenous communities around the world are creating programs of significant value to cultural preservation and indigenous empowerment.

Resources available:

• First Nations pedagogy, curriculum, education, and ways of knowing and being
• Curriculum development, Consultant and Writing services related to First Nations education and knowledge
• Theory:
  • Related to the unique and sacred tenets of First Nations pedagogy, education and Way of Life
  • Curriculum:
    • Examples, principles and services related to the development of First Nations governed,
    • Developed and implemented curriculum from K-12
    • Post-secondary, and continuing life-long education

Links to other sites:

Many interesting articles:

1. Indigenous knowledge and pedagogy in First Nations education
   1. Article by Battiste, M. (2002): extensive literature review with recommendations for the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
   2. Long term strategies for institutional change in universities and colleges: Facilitating native people negotiating a middle ground.
      1. Bobiwash, A. R. (1999). Center for World Indigenous Studies

Usefulness for research on Indigenous knowledge, media, and community reality:

This site offers insights about “the ways of knowing, learning, and teaching inherent to the traditional methods of informal and formal aboriginal education.”

Address: http://firstnationspedagogy.com/index.html