Possible Title: Teaching the Teacher: a Look at How Canadian Schools Portray its Indigenous Population
Issues surrounding Canada’s indigenous population have long intrigued me. My undergraduate studies raised questions about the role of the mainstream population in threatening indigenous culture, through displacement and residential schooling.
As we read through the course readings and I gain more knowledge, I am interested in studying possible supports that could alleviate the historical tensions between indigenous and mainstream populations.
More specifically, I am interested in exploring what role Canada’s school system can play in reviving and inspiriting its nation’s indigenous culture. As an educator, I am eager to extend my knowledge of the teaching methods available to promote a positive, accurate portrayal of Canadian indigeneity, in the hopes that improved education will lead to improved relations between the two cultures.
My research will be founded on Marker’s seven suggestions for the classroom, as well as the writings of Mohawk leader Lamb, who describes the ideal relationship between the two populations. Chad Solomon, a member of the First Nations, is currently actualizing some of Marker and Lamb’s recommendations. His educational program “Rabbit and Bear Paws,” uses humour and interactive puppetry to teach native traditional stories to indigenous and mainstream populations alike.
List of resources:
http://rabbitandbearpaws.com/presentations
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/aiq/summary/v027/27.1lambe.html
https://circle.ubc.ca/bitstream/handle/2429/44152/Balfe_W_Letting_Go_LLED590_2013.pdf?sequence=1 (Section 4, pages 37-47)