Tag Archives: teaching resources

Mod 4:2 This is the classroom

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation is the professional organization representing the teachers of Saskatchewan. This is the Classroom is blog created by the STF that discusses important issues that affect teachers in this province. First Nations and Metis issues are always at the forefront of our educational consciousness and this blog has put together some well written posts about the Treaty Essential Learnings and First Nations education. The posts are written by teachers, for teachers so they are easy to read and informative.

http://thisistheclassroom.ca/category/understanding-complexity-in-metis-inuit-and-first-nations-education/#.UpgfKSiySPE

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 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 2, Post #2: Canada’s History for Kids

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I purposefully selected a topic that would become practical for me in my future teaching career. My paper will include a variety of teaching resources that provide accurate, authentic portrayals of Indigenous People and that promote fun, interactive means of teaching them.

The Canadian government has produced several websites aimed at teaching children about Canadian indigenous culture. I realize there could be debate among Indigenous People about whether or not government-directed teaching resources are considered an authentic account. However, I found some sites offered a great teaching ideas. “Canada’s History for Kids” is a website that includes interactive games, fun facts, video clips and profiles of students living throughout the country (including on reserves and in the Arctic): http://www.canadashistory.ca/kids/home

The site also promotes Heritage Fairs, which “encourages students to explore Canadian heritage in a dynamic, hands-on learning environment.” Students use the medium of their choice to create a project that tells stories about Canadian heroes, legends, milestones, and achievements. They then present their findings at public exhibitions across Canada. I personally think this is exactly the type of project which can get students excited about studying indigenous cultures. Researching an indigenous hero and taking on the role of this character would encourage students to put themselves in someone else’s shoes for a moment.

Canada’s History for Kids. Government of Canada, Department of Canadian Heritage. http://www.canadashistory.ca/kids/home.aspx. Web. 3 October 2013

Module 2, Post #1: Canada’s Centre for Digital and Media Literacy

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Looking to extend what we learned from this week’s readings, I stumbled upon the website for Canada’s Centre for Digital and Media Literacy. I was surprised, but encouraged to see that the Centre provides a wealth of insight about the following topics:

The common portrayals of indigenous people in media
Indigenous people in the news
The development of indigenous broadcasting in Canada
The impact of stereotyping on young people
Indigenous expression in the art and media
The importance of media education

The website walks its readers through a historical development of the indigenous identity, as portrayed through mainstream media and examines the impact of media’s portrayal. It also offers teaching resources for parents and teachers, including detailed lesson plans on topics such as “Bias in the News” or “Who’s Telling My Story.” I found this to be a very useful resource that will support my research paper, aimed at teaching teachers how to effectively educate their students about indigenous cultures in the world.

I would recommend that everyone view this site. It was both informative and practical: http://mediasmarts.ca/diversity-media/aboriginal-people/common-portrayals-aboriginal-people