Statement of Research Interest

Topic: I would like to focus my research treasuring native emotion as described by Dr. Lee Brown, while using the Circle of Courage.

For my research topic, I wanted to talk about how we can treasure ‘native emotion’ and to know that it is okay. Dr. Lee Brown explains that emotion is often left when discussing Indigenous history. In order to reconcile, Dr. Lee Brown identifies 5 major components to emotional education. I would like to focus my research on finding SEL tools that educators and students can use when discussing these difficult topics. More specifically, I would like to look into the principles from the Circle of Courage (belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity), as this framework provides an Indigenous point-of-view of the emotional damage that Indigenous families have gone through and are continually battling. It is important that teachers and peers support children/adults who have emotional and behavioural challenges, instead of being judgemental. Like I said in my Week 3 post, we don’t choose our families, their past, their living situations, but one thing we can do is provide our students a framework that strengthens their emotional health. As educators, we must be sensitive to our audience, by asking ourselves “what would an emotionally healthy family or community look like” (Lee, 2011).

I would like to develop a website that allows educators to access authentic resources (books, articles, videos, podcasts, lesson plans, etc.) that provides knowledge and support, from an Indigenous perspective. As a non-indigenous educator, I find it extremely frightening to teach about Indigenous education as I do not want to offend them in any way.

I hopefully will be working in a group with Danielle and Natalie as they share the commonality of using the principles of The Circle of Courage as a strategy to approach teaching/learning about Indigenous affairs. I would love some feedback!

Some of the resources that I will be using are:

Brendtro, L.K., Brokenleg, M., & Van Bockern, S. Reclaiming Youth at Risk: Our Hope for the Future. Bloomington, IN: National Education Service.

Brendtro, L.K., Brokenleg, M., & Van Bockern, S. (2013). The Circle of Courage: Developing Resilience and Capacity in Youth. International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity.

Brown, Kym. (2005). Understanding the Circle of Courage. Salisbury District Education Office.

Grieves, V. (2009). Aboriginal Spirituality: Aboriginal Philosophy, The Basis of Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing,Discussion Paper No. 9, Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, Darwin

J.C. Caldwell , (1993) Health transition: The cultural, social and behavioural determinants of health in the third world. Social Sciences and Medicine 36 (2), 125–135).

Sinclair, R. (2004). Aboriginal Social Work Education in Canada: Decolonizing Pedagogy for the Seventh Generation. First Nations Caring Society of Canada (FNCFCS).

WEBLOGS- Resources

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