Module 1 – Post 1 – BC Government attitudes towards technology education for Aboriginal people

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http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/aboriginal/

This is a group of pages within the home site for the “Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation, and Technology and Responsible for Multiculturalism”.

I went to this site because I wanted to determine what the BC government’s official approach to the use of technology in Aboriginal Education was, and I wanted to see if that approach was sensitive to the concerns raised in Module 1, about technology posing a threat to indigenous cultures. The site states that they “help address challenges and barriers faced by Aboriginal students, provide resources for educators that support Aboriginal students, and support training programs that increase the skills of Aboriginal people”.  The site was helpful in showcasing the government’s programs and initiatives related to Aboriginal Education, and provided links to other involved ministries. However, everything that I saw was related to the promotion of technology education for Aboriginal people; there was no presence or voice that suggested moderation or specific cultural protections. I did find one interesting document though; that indicated consultation with the Aboriginal people of BC: http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/aboriginal/docs/MoU.pdf  It is a brief document, signed by 13 Chiefs, council leaders, and politicians. It’s a scan of an original document, worth looking at just to see the different signatures and the groups they represent, all united together on one page with a shared commitment to creating “improved levels of participation and success for Aboriginal learners in post-secondary education and training in British Columbia”.

Alana

Aboriginal Math Education – Module #1

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Weblog #1:

Issues in Teaching Mathematics to Aboriginal Students

This research paper discusses issues primary teachers encounter in relation to mathematics education for Australian Aboriginal Students. The teachers feel they have a difficult time trying to create learning opportunities for a vast array of abilities and disabilities and the lack of time they have to cover an extensive and demanding curriculum. The teachers that a large contributor to the problem is the fact that feel they haven’t have enough teacher preparation in the education program in order to effectively meet the needs of Aboriginal Australian Students.

 

Weblog #2:

One Laptop Per Child Canada

“it’s not a laptop project, it’s an education project”

The OLPC program distributed up to 5,000 XO (next generation) laptops to children aged six to twelve in Aboriginal communities across Canada.  Participants in this program will be able to access culturally relevant education and resources with the netbooks.  The OPLC has 8 programs that are directed towards Aboriginal Learners ranging from Literacy, Numeracy, Food, Music, Finance, Science and Health.

 

Weblog #3:

Empowering Aboriginal Peoples Through Education

This very short Huffington Post article by Keith Beardsley is in agreement and reaction to former Priminister, Paul Martin’s comment that

“Most Canadians would not send their children to the kind of schools that Ottawa condemns aboriginals or certainly First Nations on reserves to go to… This is the youngest and fastest growing segment of our population. They’re also the most vulnerable. And for us to essentially not give them the kind of education … that other Canadians get, is simply wrong.”

In this article, Keith makes the point that change will only come through education of the younger generation and not simply by throwing money at the problem.

 

Weblog #4:

Math Catcher: Mathematics Through Aboriginal Storytelling

The Math Catcher: Mathematics Through Aboriginal Storytelling project includes the creation of short stories and animated films that teach learners about mathematics in a story format through the power medium of stories involving Aboriginal characters.  These mathematical resources serve to promote mathematics education among students in Aboriginal communities as well as in urban settings.  Through Aboriginal short stories, students can identify themselves as characters in the stories and the connection of their culture to mathematics.

 

Weblog #5:

Aboriginal Mathematics K-12 Network

This website contains resources (lessons, problems, etc), articles, new, and events pertaining to Aboriginal Mathematics Education.

Weblog 3: ‘Research into Practice’

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Hi everyone,

For my third post to our weblog, I was interested in looking into more focused strategies for how technology can be used to teach aboriginal students. I’ve been fascinated by our discussions so far, but at the same time, I’m eager to know more about concrete strategies class teachers can use to reach students from indigenous populations. So, my research took me to Ontario where this brief resource that has a clear focus: “How can schools support Aboriginal student success?”

This resource also includes “An Aboriginal Model of Self-Esteem” which visualizes for us interconnected aspects of self – a topic that we have been discussing with Brown and Marker’s work. There is also a structure for ‘Honoring Aboriginal Student Learning Styles’ which looks (briefly) at HOW to adjust classes to accommodate for learning.

I find this really interesting – I hope you do too!

Ginelle

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

Recording and pronunciation of the Secwepemc language

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The following is a video of the Secwepemc (Shuswap) language that demonstrates what the elder is doing with her mouth in order to pronounce the words.  I’ve heard only a handful of words being pronounced here in 100 Mile House but I’ve never actually listened to a recording like this which goes through the basic vowels and shows how to form words.  I think it’s time that I start studying videos like this and appreciate learning this local Shuswap dialect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l23LOp0OUys

The woman speaking Secwepemc on this video is from the Splatsin Shuswap nation which is located near Enderby, B.C.  The following is a link that explains a little bit about this community.

http://www.splatsin.ca/about/

It must be a real challenge for the young people who are learning this language to be able to learn it and speak it correctly and fluently.  When you think of “true immersion”, you need to be surrounded by the language 24 hours a day and not be influenced by other languages, especially English.  The French Immersion system experiences the same phenomenon.  The majority of the students speak English already before entering the program, so therefore, when they arrive in French Immersion Kindergarten, the teacher is the only one who actually speaks French (which is really not “true immersion).  Of course the most ideal immersion would be to take French Immersion students and drop them into a French Kindergarten class in France for a year.  Unfortunately for Shuswap (or other aboriginal students), this is almost impossible, unless they have the opportunity to attend a Shuswap language immersion school like Chiet Atahm on the Adams River reserve. However, even under these circumstances, English and other languages are always present, especially once the students leave school.  It doesn’t help either that there is a lost generation of aboriginal speakers due to the damaging affects of the residential schools.  I sure admire these people for their determination and courage to try to revive their language and traditions in today’s society.  However, this is where they are probably very grateful to have the modern technology of video recorders, tape decks or even iPads so that they can record the precious stories of their elders.

The shame of residential schools in Canada

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In order to research the generation loss of aboriginal languages due to the horrible suffering of First Nation students as a result of being sent to residential schools in Canada, I first need to research residential schools in general and read about the shameful way that Canada’s non-aboriginal government dealt with our Frist Nation people.  This site even discusses the official apology, presented by prime minister, Stephen Harper, on my birthday, June 11th, 2008.

http://www.shannonthunderbird.com/residential_schools.htm

Sad story after sad story about how children were forcibly taken from their homes when they were 6 years old (abused and forbidden to speak their own language or celebrate their culture) and then returned when they were 14.  Some never made it home and died at the schools (the reasons of death were covered up).  Horror stories about what went on in these residential school took years before they reached the ears of those who could do something about it.  (Hare, 2011) discusses the rigorous, religious indoctrination that went on and how students were punished for speaking their own language.  One girl told her story, after leaving school, that her tongue hurt every time she spoke her langue.  It was the result of the physical and psychological damage that had been incurred at school, when she had a needle stuck into her tongue every time she spoke her native language. The most tragic part was that when (and if) the children returned home, they lived divided lives since they could no longer relate to their families.

Secwepemc Cultural Education Society

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Still on topic of the Shuswap people and the importance of conserving aboriginal languages, I came across this site which is excellent because there are many newsletters (in English as well as the Secwepemc language).  This site contains archives of newsletters and currents issues that are posted and can be easily read on-line.  The Secwepemc Cultural Education Society (SCES) is a non-profit organization devoted to preserving and promoting the language, culture and history of the Secwepemc people.  It is vital for the Shuswap to maintain their language and values (before they are lost forever), and I feel that societies such as this are the key to helping to support this endeavor. This reflects the reading by (Hare, 2011), where it is quoted:

“Indigenous languages are important.  When talked about in English, you miss out on the meaning.  Language has a direct relationship with the land”.  In order for the Shuswap to hang onto tor their values, it is vital that they know their language.

Their Vision Statement

The vision statement of the Secwepemc is Metéltwecw-kt Es Knúcwetwecw-kt
“Everyone come together to help one another.”  This emphasizes the concept of family and community instead of focusing on the individual, which (Hare, 2011) also discussed in his article.

http://www.secwepemc.org/node/61

Within the site I came across this declaration (written in both English and in Secwepemc).  I am very interested in the topic of collecting and recording the memoirs of the elders.  This has now given me some more ideas to see if I can find some podcasts to listen to and to see what fluent Shuswap  sounds like.  Also, in this declaration, are the signatures of 17 Shuswap Band Representatives, our local Canim Lake Band included.  It’s fun to see that Elsie Archie is the signature here from Canim, probably the grandmother, mother or aunt of the incumbent chief, Mike Archie.

http://www.secwepemc.org/files/Shuswap%20Declaration%2004.pdf

Reference

Hare, J. (2011). Learning
from Indigenous knowledge in education. In D. Long and O. P. Dickenson
(Eds.), Visions of the heart, 3rd Edition (pp. 91-112). Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.

Adams Lake Indian Band

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In furthering my interest into the Chief Atahm Shuswap Immersion school, I wanted to look into some general information about the Adam’s Lake Indian Band and to read up on their history.

http://www.adamslakeband.org/?q=node/1

Within this site I checked out some of the upcoming events on their calendar.  One that caught my eye was the Dream catcher conference that is held in September. The conference this September will be their 5th annual meeting. I have included a Youtube video link that shows some highlights of the conference which is aimed towards aboriginal youth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTAD-9WqXU8

When watching this video, I realized the overwhelming influence of the English language and how, especially in the popular entertainment industry, our First Nation youths are totally immersed.  Many of them chose to perform popular English language songs at their fun talent show.  There were some who sang in Secwepemc and played drums and sang, which offered and eclectic, comfortable atmosphere for the youth.  One boy, who sang O Canada, even made fun of the words in the song by repeating after the lyrics “Glorious and Free”….”o so free”.  Which got me thinking of the recent graduation ceremonies at my school in 100 Mile House just last weekend.  When the chief of our local Canim Lake Band (also Shuswap), Mike Archie, got up to sing the traditional welcoming and play his drum, I was wondering why the non-aboriginal students didn’t know these traditional songs.  Just then, I heard patches of voices in the crowd starting to sing along with Mike.  It gave me shivers.  I then looked up at the graduates and many of our First Nation grads (who were all easy to find since they are all wearing nice, white stoles with the Canim Lake Band symbol embroidered onto them), were singing their hearts out along with their chief.  If everyone knows O Canada, then I’m sure that all of us could learn some traditional songs.  I can just picture the graduation ceremonies with the entire crowd belting out the Shuswap welcoming song together. That would be amazing.

Also, what I liked about this conference was that it worked with youth on traditional Shuswap activities such as cleaning and smoking fish and paddling a canoe, which are so important when trying to allow these youth to discover their identities.  This reflects the video discussion with Dr. Lee Brown, when he stresses the importance of “emotions organizing themselves as values, and values identify themselves as identity.  Getting the youth emotionally and physically involved with their heritage with help them to feel good about themselves and how to develop healthy self confidence.

One final thing about this video from the conference that I noticed was that along with the traditional aspects of Shuswap life, students were welcome to use their modern western influences, especially with technology (working with cameras and video, using projectors, singing in microphones with music accompaniment etc.).  I feel that this is extremely important because it allows these aboriginal youth to be proud of their heritage and also allows them to share with and participate in activities positively with the dominant, non-aboriginal mainstream culture.

Me7 qilqeltes te su7ec, have
a nice day

Language Revival & Endangered Languages…by Velasquez

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Module 1, Post 1

I enjoy languages (I speak 3-1/2 languages) and will probably be doing my final paper on language revival/dying languages.

Here are some of the website and articles I’ve been looking at:

http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/

This site covers endangered languages from all over the world. I had no idea my place of birth was home to a few of them! And I had no clue how many languages were on the verge of extinction. I think if I head down this research path I’ll probably focus on Central/South America or the Middle East. While this is a great starting point, that’s all it is. The technology behind reviving a language is a whole other kettle of fish.

Module 1, Post 2

There’s no single cohesive way to record or revive a language:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/enduring-voices/

http://www.livingtongues.org/talkingdictionaries.html

There’s audio recordings, video recordings, databases, online tools, apps, and written documentation, analogies, deciphering, enciphering, translation, transliteration, and guess work!Here’s a fellow who may point the way to some more ideas…I’ll contact him to see what his thoughts are:

http://challengingtraditions.wordpress.com/2013/04/

One of my concerns (and Coppélie hints to this) is the notion of technology being the silver bullet (didn’t the education world go through this a decade ago?):

Digital is not the savior of dying languages. We may be able to archive the languages, but languages are dead unless people speak them, and to speak them they need to interact with others and withing an environment that’s not hostile to that language. This may be something to explore…the archiving of languages vs. actually reviving them…the technology that exists today is mainly for archival purposes, not for reviving languages.

Module 1, Post 3

I think there’s an inherent problem in trying to revive a language outside of a given culture that is dying or has disappeared. I don’t say this to be mean, but just to point out that things like idiomatic expressions, subtle meanings, and things like double-entendres and jokes are often heavily dependent on context, without an environment or a mind who understands the environmental/social context of a dying or dead language its potency is lost; it would be akin to looking at a game board and not knowing the rules, including the sneaky ones that don’t let you build a hotel!

There’s plenty of fodder for this approach to endangered languages:

Peter Ladefoged  Another View of Endangered Languages Language Vol. 68, No. 4 (Dec., 1992), pp. 809-811

Ken Hale, Michael Krauss, Lucille J. Watahomigie, Akira Y. Yamamoto, Colette Craig, LaVerne Masayesva Jeanne and Nora C. England Endangered Lanuages. Language Vol. 68, No. 1 (Mar., 1992), pp. 1-42

Nancy C. Dorian  A Response to Ladefoged’s Other View of Endangered Languages Language Vol. 69, No. 3 (Sep., 1993), pp. 575-579

Module 1, Post 4

There’s also the political/cultural dimension to language.  Dominant cultures tend to eradicate other cultures, either forcibly or through other means (often economic in nature) that requires them to learn the language of the “empire”

Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald Language Death by David Crystal Journal of Linguistics Vol. 38, No. 2 (Jul., 2002), pp. 443-445

http://www.worldaffairs.com.au/reviving-endangered-languages/

There’s also the cost involved in reviving a language:

http://www.meertens.knaw.nl/ss17/contributions/abstract.php?paperID=360

This is an interesting and less explored area of reviving a dead language. There’s the financial cost, the political cost, as well as a social cost. I’ll have to do a little more digging around on this topic.

Module 1, Post 5

The topics surrounding language revival/dying languages are many. I think I’m going to start a small web to see which direction I should take my research. Maybe focusing on one particular language instead of theory would be a better approach.

Here are some videos I’ve been watching to get a better idea of what I’m getting into…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rRgoP1nG3c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCVWltWfbBA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbE53FKUV5g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB7kLNwKEVU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxZAbA3NuEM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTk3JL01TZ0

If you have any suggestions or would like to discuss this topic further, I’d love to hear from you!

Chief Atahm Elementary School

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Hello everyone,

As a think back on my own childhood, I remember all of the lazy summer months spent on Little Shuswap Lake with my family.  I never would have thought that 40 years later I would be interested in researching this area again, wanting to know more about the Shuswap people who own the land that our cabins were on. When I was doing my reading for ETEC 521 this week, I smiled when I dicovered in the article by (Hare, 2011), that there was Shuswap (Secwepemctsin) Immersion going on in an elementary school on the Adams Lake reserve. Located near Chase B.C., (next to my summer stomping grounds), Chief Atahm Elementary school is running Secwepemctsin Immersion (no English until grade 5).  I was immediately intrigued.  As a French Immersion, Spanish and Music teacher myself, I am very interested in the transmission of language.  I’m looking at doing my research in this area and I’m also looking into the former residential school system and how it affected (almost destroyed) several generations when it came to the transmission of aboriginal languages.

Now many of the 34 First Nation languages spoken in B.C. are endangered since only 4 dozen people speak them fluently and many are elderly.  In this article about the Chief Atahm Elementary School, it talks about parents (who were unfortunate victims of the residential schools themselves), who spoke the Shuswap language fluently themselves but didn’t want to teach it to their child in fear that they wouldn’t be accepted in universities.  Now their children and grandchildren want to regain their identity and learn the language and traditions in a school which is run entirely by the Shuswap teachers and parents.

http://thetyee.ca/News/2011/09/06/Chief-Atahm-Elementary-School

Reference

Hare, J. (2011). Learning from Indigenous knowledge in education. In D. Long and O. P. Dickenson (Eds.), Visions of the heart, 3rd Edition (pp. 91-112). Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.

Modern Reality: the health of Aboriginal Youth

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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.