Module #1 – Post #5

Howard, Cynthia.  (2010). Suicide and aboriginal Youth: Cultural Considerations in Understanding Positive Youth Development. Native Social Work Journal. Vol 7, pp. 163-180. http://zone.biblio.laurentian.ca/dspace/bitstream/10219/388/1/NSWJ-V7-art7-p163-180.pdf

I chose to incorporate this resource because one area that I have been very interested in during my progress through MET is why we continue to support and foster an educational system that demands linear learning, directs students based on a system of success that judges and labels them before they are able to experience and engage and thus often deems them failures causing serious personal, social and emotional effects. Having worked with youth at risk, specifically within the Shelter system, the youth were so young; they have educational experiences that haunted them and prevented them from returning to seek education.  They were told that they were not smart enough to take courses outside of the “basic” stream and therefore were already being grouped into the troubled/remedial stock.

Suicide rates on reserves is on the rise, many reserves have declared a state of emergency due to the high rate and the state of the community that is left in despair. This article provides a synopsis of the state of Aboriginal Youth today, how they fair in the legal system, suicide rates, societal challenges, and where Aboriginal Youth fit in terms of finding their identity as a disenfranchised minority.

Risk factors associated to Aboriginal Youth and suicide include “psysio-biological, socio-economic, situational or caused by cultural stress” (Howard, Cynthia. 2010. Pp.170).  Mental disorders and conditions were less documented in terms of causes and risks – that is very interesting!

This publication provides context for suicide in Aboriginal youth as being an overall societal problem as opposed to individual or family problems, I recommend reviewing this article if you are interested in the context of Aboriginal youth within their communities and the barriers they are up against in modern society.

Module #1 – Post #4

Brant, Janice. The Aboriginal Curriculum Toolbox; Cultural Philosphy, Curriculum Design and Strategies for Self-Directed Learning. Ningwakwe Learning Press. 2006.

http://www.nvit.ca/docs/aboriginal%20literacy%20curriculum%20toolbox%20cultural%20philosophy_%20curriculum%20design%20_%20strategies%20for%20self%20directed%20learning.pdf

Generally, I find it very helpful to find resources for creating and implementing curriculum, as there seems to be lots of recommendations and research available however little in terms of practical implementation and practice. I wanted to provide this second resource for educators because it allows us to compare between resource sources, as well as options for the way in which we implement new ideas and test them out. Unlike the document I posted earlier, from the Province of Manitoba, this document provides more detail in regards to classroom activities/group activities, how to conduct Greeting circles for example, what the objective is, why it is done, the resources you require and the time requirements. This sounds very structured, however, for an educator introducing these kinds of activities for the first time, we often need direction.

This document also provides tips throughout, regarding barriers and challenges that are often seen with activities such as these in the classroom and how to overcome them (ie. communication barriers pp. 12).

Week #3 we discussed emotional learning, this document really touches on how to incorporate all aspects of our lives into learning (emotional, physical etc) and ways in which we validate those feelings for each other and create a safe space to do this. Throughout the MET program, we have touched on self-directed learning, and how to engage and support students in this process; this document re-affirms the importance of self-directed learning to allow them to explore their own interests, fostering initiative, engagement and allowing them to bring their own experiences and perspectives into the learning environment.

Module #1 – Post #3

Ashlee Cunsolo-Willox, Professor and Researcher. http://ashleecunsolowillox.ca/

I wanted to share the website/research of a Professor I use to have at the University of Guelph, her work is very interesting and I have been following her for years. Ashlee focuses on utilizing traditional Aboriginal storytelling to address issues such as health and wellbeing of land and individuals.

Ashlee has been working within communities mainly in the Nunatsiavut region, collaborating with community members to use Aboriginal traditional knowledge to better understand the impacts of climate change on mental health. Ashlee is also interested in capacity development and has sought out digital media to record, preserve and transmit traditional stories to modern youth living in these isolated communities.

Under her publications tab, you will find an array of publications where I am sure you will find a topic that peaks your interest. Her research attempts to integrate technology resources to support Aboriginal communities as they live on the margin, experiencing high rates of suicide, medical and mental health concerns, loss of spirituality, tradition and custom and tighter restrictions on country food harvest. Ashlee attempts to engage and evoke a sense of pride and leadership within the community, facilitating avenues to build capacity and social justice from within rather than from outsiders.

I think that this would be very difficult to do the above, however the time and relationship building that has been done within these small communities (ie. Nain, Rigolet, NL), has proven to be very effective. I have followed Ashlee’s website and materials for almost 6 years and I highly recommend finding someone/research that interests you and watch it evolve. It is quite a process, especially when it is qualitative and front line.

Module #1 – Post #2

Integrating Aboriginal Perspectives into Curricula, a resource for Curriculum Developers, Teachers and Administrators. Manitoba Education and Youth. http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/docs/policy/abpersp/ab_persp.pdf

This resource is quite interesting; as it attempts to provide an aboriginal perspective on everything from land, history, spirituality, community, family, and education to be included in all levels of learning within the current curriculum in Manitoba. The intention behind the document is also to advance the perspective and contributions of aboriginal peoples in Canada and acknowledge those contributions as we do with Anglophone and Francophone realities.

Outcomes that the authors wish to achieve include (pp.2):

• Improving the academic success of aboriginal students
• Eliminate stereotypes that exist
• Improve overall quality of life for aboriginal peoples
• Increased representation of Aboriginal peoples in academia
• Increased representation of Aboriginal peoples in the workforce

This document recognizes the Euro-centric and Western-centric perspective that has influenced Education; this has resulted in skewed perspectives and understandings of Aboriginal culture and identity and has thus been instrumental in transferring negative experiences in learning for Aboriginal peoples.

I recommend reviewing this article because in my searches, I have found few documents like this one that provide background information and concepts for educators and program designers to address all students in a more inclusive way, as an overall Educational goal for the province.  I myself would like to incorporate some of the recommendations and curriculum ideas presented in this document. The section on Elders made me think of an activity: Students understand the role of Elders within Aboriginal communities, and then compare how elders are seen within their families and communities. Why and how are these roles different?

Module #1 – Post #1

Aboriginal Culture in the Digital Age. Aboriginal Voice Cultural Working Group Paper – http://www.kta.on.ca/pdf/AboriginalCultureinaDigitalAge.pdf

This article looks at the way in which information and communication technology (ICT) are being used within aboriginal culture and how they could be used to support cultural preservation, renewal and possible impacts that ICT’s have on daily life for aboriginal people.

Important points made in this article include a section on cultural and spiritual identity, the dynamics of culture (history, tradition, spirituality, language etc), and

One of the reasons I chose to include this article is that because it does provide hopeful references and information regarding the use of ICT within cultural contexts. The idea of not using ICT’s in today’s modern world seems almost impossible, everyday interactions demand the use of technology of all kinds. “While it will never replace face-to-face contact with Elders, teachers and peers, ICT may serve as tools to reinvigorate language usage, especially with the younger generations who, by and large, have experience with technology and a high level of comfort with it.” (Pp.5)

The authors are very interested in what ways ICT has threatened culture and will continue to threaten aboriginal people and in what ways people can prevent this, and preserve their culture. I thought that this approach was unique, because ICT is often just blamed for bringing a Western cultural affront to all, demanding adoption to survive in modern society. However, this article attempts to examine what it is about ICT’s that are threatening and the ways that this threat can be harnessed to be advantageous for aboriginal communities.