Author Archives: aisaac

Module 4, Post#5: First Nation Spirituality

In 2007, The Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs Secretariat issued a document that outlines the symbolism behind different spiritual traditions of the First Nations People. In simple terms, it explains the meaning behind: naming ceremonies, sunset and sunrise ceremonies, sacred medicines, medicine circles, talking circles, pow-wows, eagles, Elders, dance and so on. This could be a useful learning tool for students looking for definitions that are easy to understand.

The resource is also useful for educators looking to build their background knowledge before beginning a unit on indigenous culture. In our discussions during weeks 10 and 11, we took a look at mainstream teachers who are teaching in Northern remote communities. One of the ideas that came out of this discussion was the fact that many of these teachers feel il-equipped to transmit knowledge of indigenous culture and spirituality. This is also true for those teaching student populations outside the indigenous community. It can be challenging for teachers to impart indigenous spirituality, particularly if they themselves do not feel a strong sense of spirituality or connectedness with the natural environment. Without a teacher who values these concepts, it is difficult to inspire students. It is important that educators are enthusiastic about teaching indigenous studies. Although the afore-mentioned document will likely not bolster teacher’s excitement about the topic, it will provide them with a firm foundation of knowledge and understanding.

Module 4, Post#4: An Indigenous Graphic Novelist

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I have found a fantastic literary resource, best-suited for HS students studying the history and culture of Canada’s First Nations. David Alexander Robertson, a Cree writer, has developed a series of best-selling graphic novels. What is so important about his works is that they focus specifically on educating youth about indigenous history and contemporary issues. David advocates for First Nations People through the education of today’s youth, weaving his message about social change into his written work, as well as during his speaking engagements. Since the series is written from the author’s first-hand experience, we as educators can be sure that the information and emotions that are being described are accurate portrayals. For more information about David A. Robertson, click here. You can also listen to the author speak about his work at the following CBC radio interview.

Robertson’s most well-known series is called 7 Generations. The series’ main character is an Aboriginal youth named Edwin. The series walks readers through 7 past generations as Edwin, who lives in the present, tries to make terms with what his ancestors had to survive in throughout Canada’s history. Wow. As an educator, I can envision myself using this text to evoke discussions on how our past can shape our present and our future. Students can be encouraged to make connections to this idea – have their ancestors experienced prejudice? Have they themselves experienced any form of prejudice in the past? How has this impacted their self-esteem? This discussion will transition nicely into how today’s indigenous youth are impacted by their peoples’ history. Before sharing these graphic novels with your class, it would be best to pre-read the book and consider whether your students are mature enough to handle to heavy topics being explored (alcoholism, abuse, suicide). I would only recommend these texts for students in High School or older.

Module 4, post#3: The Use of Social Media

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The use of technology in the classroom has proven to increase students’ engagement. There are a number of valuable social medias that afford students the opportunity to interact with their classmates about a learning topic and share their information and ideas online. These tools can be valuable during any studies, including a unit on indigenous culture.

In my experience, I have found the following two forms of educational social media to be most beneficial in the classroom: Edmodo and Google Apps for Education.

For those of you unfamiliar with Edmodo, it allows students to share their information with others through a platform that looks similar to Facebook (without the privacy issues). Students can access files that have been linked by teachers and can also share links with the class. If you have assigned a group activity, such as to co-create a digital version of an indigenous story, students can share their work with others via Edmodo. Teachers can track students’ performance on a task and can also collaborate with other teachers around the world, possibly teachers who are members of the First Nation or who have a deeper understanding of the culture than themselves.

Google Apps for Education (GAFE) allows each student to access shared documents or presentations through Google Drive. For example, the teacher could make a unit outline using Google Presentations. Students would then have access to the slides from each lesson, even at home, and they can add information to these presentations throughout the unit. The first slide might include a KWL Chart. As homework, students can add what they already know and what they would like to learn. Students can update this chart throughout the unit, adding what they have learned.

Using technology to teach indigenous studies can help make the topic appealing to today’s tech savvy students. If the goal is to get Junior/Intermediate/High School students interested in indigenous culture, social medias such as Edmodo and GAFE can be building blocks toward reaching that outcome.

Module 4, Post#2: Manitoba Teacher Guidebook

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The Manitoba Education and Training staff compiled a list of unit plans for Elementary teachers that are geared at teaching students to value indigenous beliefs and culture. The guidebook begins by outlining indigenous cultural values such as; respect, caring, honesty and faith. These values coincide well with the character education program of any mainstream school. The value of faith may need to be introduced differently in a mainstream school environment, but it is a concept that can be tied in with hope and finding inner strength.

The guidebook offers three units for each grade from Kindergarten to Grade 4. Each unit touches on indigenous culture while highlighting practical applications for the students and engaging, cross-curricular activities that are meant to get students excited about the culture.

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/abedu/abdocs/K-4_resource.pdf

Module 4, Post #1: A True Story

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If you are searching for a novel to use during a unit on indigeneity and a way to introduce the topic of residential schooling, “Fatty Legs: A True Story” by Christy Jordan Fenton is a great choice.

Hook students’ interest in the novel they will read called Fatty Legs: A True Story by watching the following YouTube trailor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwwRuINStHA

After reading the text, the teacher can ask students to make connections and consider how they would feel if they were taken from their parents and sent to live at a residential school where they were unable to speak their native language.

Students can complete comprehension questions for each chapter at the link below: http://www.annickpress.com/content/lessonplans/Fatty%20Legs%20Lesson%20Plan-1.pdf

There is also an opportunity for students to participate in a Book Talk, using the guidance of this link: http://www.annickpress.com/content/Book-Talks/FattyLegs/

Module 3, post #5 – Grand River Rafting Company

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My final project will be a teacher guide for educators in Ontario who are teaching indigenous studies. A great way to appeal to students and make learning hands-on is through field trips. The Grand River Rafting Company, located 1 hour west of Toronto, offers a variety of customized field trips on native studies. The company has developed several field trips designed to honour indigenous history and culture.

Field trip topics can focus on Iroquois history and famous people, interactive dancing, edible medicinal hiking and the art of making arrowheads. The company will also organize tours of the last residential school in Southern Ontario, a Mohawk chapel, the home of famous poet named Pauline Johnson, a local Six Nations Reservation and a local Iroquois restaurant.

The field trips are guided by local indigenous people, and will therefore provide students with a real-life account of indigenous life. The tours highlight many of the most defining aspects of indigenous culture: nature, natural medicine, craftsmanship, drumming and dance. A field trip with the Grand River Rafting Company would be highly beneficial for students of all ages.

http://www.grandriverrafting.ca/native-studies-curriculum-ontario-trips-0

Module 3, post #4: Four Directions Interactive Teachings

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Four Directions Teachings is a visually engaging, audio-narration about indigenous knowledge and philosophy. Elders representing five of Canada’s First Nation groups (M’ikmaq, Mohawk, Ojibe, Cree and Blackfoot) explain their culture’s creation stories, traditional ceremonies, prayers, elders and dance.

I learned a number of interesting facts about indigenous culture from this site. For example, indigenous language is made up mostly of verbs because the culture believes that everything is alive and has a spirit. Therefore, there are fewer words to describe inanimate objects. I also learned that as Mohawks count the numbers 1-10, they are recounting the Mohawk creation story. That is because their word for the number one is the the name of the sky woman who first created the sky, the number two is the same word for twins because the sky woman’s daughter gave birth to twins, and so on… What a great way to help indigenous people remember their creation story. These are the kinds of interesting facts that I would have loved to learn in my intermediate or high school years. In my opinion, this web-site is a very engaging teaching tool.

Module 3, post #3: Seven Gifts for Cedar

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As I was looking through a web-site on First Nations Literacy, I came across a suggested story called Seven Gifts for Cedar, written by a Metis named Dimaline. The story is of a seven-year old girl named Cedar, who lives in a big city with her mother, but who visits her Dad on a reserve near Georgian Bay every summer. Cedar receives seven gifts through these summer visits; humility, wisdom, respect, bravery, honesty, truth and love — these are the seven Ojibwe teachings.

As I read the plot summary, I was immediately interested in this story because it ties in well with character education. I can also envision using this story to engage students’ critical thinking skills. The question of dual-identity could be raised, comparisons between urban and rural living can be made and the importance of being good stewards to the Earth.

I also found a teacher guide that accompanies this story. It includes lesson plans, chapter questions and suggests activities such as; a mock debate, scene re-enactments and a film screening of Paddle to the Sea. Click here for access to the guide.

Module 3, post#2: Beginning indigenous studies in Kindergarten

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One of the truths that came out of our discussions the past two weeks has been that southern teachers teaching in northern, indigenous communities feel ill-prepared to incorporate indigenous culture into their teaching. The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Education (OISE) has compiled a list of teaching resources, links and lesson plans for its teacher candidates, specifically on how to integrate aboriginal studies seamlessly into the Ontario curriculum.

This link will take you to a video clip of one teacher candidate, Nathan Goold, who developed a unit on Aboriginal perspectives for a Kindergarten class. One of the difficulties Goold faced during his planning was a lack of resources geared at the Kindergarten level. He discovered that most resources were aimed at students in Grade 5, since that is when the Ontario curriculum requires indigenous studies. Nevertheless, Goold was able to find two picture books that tied into indigenous culture and he found that his students were able to comprehend the cultural elements within them. He hopes that he has laid the ground-work for future learning about the culture.

As one follow-up activity, Goold had his class prepare and taste bannock. Food is always a great way to make learning engaging and memorable, and tasty! For Goold’s full lesson plan, click here: Nathan_Goold_-_Making_Bannok_with_Recipe.

Module 3, Post #1: BC Teacher Guidebook

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In my quest for teaching resources, I came across a guidebook called Shared Learning: Integrating BC Aboriginal Content k-10, which was developed by the BC Ministry Education. The guidebook offers a variety activities that could easily be used in the classroom to meet the provincial curriculum expectations. Along with its lesson plans, the guide offers resource lists and assessment tools. This resource receives high praise in my books!

Recognizing that the integration of indigenous culture is mutually beneficial for mainstream and indigenous students, the guide highlights themes and activities that can be used in all subject areas, according to divisional level. Kindergarten to Grade 3 activities include indigenous storytelling in language arts and trading games in mathematics. The section for older students suggests activities that demand a little more critical thinking. Students are challenged to delve into deeper issues, many of which we have discussed in our course. The guide outlines lessons on the stereotyping of indigenous people in media, the impact of the Indian Act, the aboriginal view of science, the importance of indigenous role models, indigenous ways of teaching and the use of technology to learn about important indigenous people. Thinking back on my elementary education, we never explored these big, important ideas, even though they are crucial in understanding the past and present relations between indigenous and mainstream populations.

Imagine how much stronger the ties between mainstream and indigenous cultures would be if everyone knew and understood what we have been learning in this course. The BC Ministry of Education is doing it right by raising these valuable questions and teaching these issues at a young age.

Shared Learning: Integrating BC Aboriginal Content K-10, 2006. British Columbia Ministry of Education, 2006. http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/shared.pdf Web. 24 October 2013.