Aboriginal StudentsI seek to understand and honour Aboriginal ways of learning in how I run my classroom. I’ve also made an effort to attend a number of professional development seminars dedicated to understanding Aboriginal cultures and approaches to education.
During ED2500, my group and I researched and conducted a lesson on the history of, and contemporary issues related to, Aboriginal education in Canada and Alberta. I became familiar with the Alberta Education resources (right), as well as the work of Drs. John and Virginia Friesen. I’m mindful of the guidance in these resources as I plan my instruction, assessment, and classroom management, especially with Aboriginal students. I also participated in a First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) workshop during PSI, and consequently aimed to incorporate FNMI content into my lessons. For example, I used First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI)Mary Youngblood's albums for musical accompaniment to my yoga lessons, I used Small Number Counts to 100 in multiple languages in both my social studies and my math classes, and I introduced my class to A Tribe Called Red and showed them a buffalo jump in social studies. I also tutored a young Metis girl and made a point to familiarize myself with cultural traditions, seeking ways to integrate that into her practice with writing and drawing. She taught me that buffalo were like a moving Walmart. During my PSIII practicum, in my ELA 20-2 class, I intentionally included texts by Aboriginal writers and explored issues of representation of Aboriginal people in media. I read, listen to, and view texts by and about various Aboriginal people in Canada, including many from the National Film Board of Canada and CBC’s 8th Fire. 8th Fire draws from an Anishinaabe prophecy that declares now is the time for Aboriginal peoples and the settler community to come together and build the '8th Fire' of justice and harmony. I genuinely want to be a part of this. I hope to learn the language and culture of at least one First Nations group in Alberta, and have been grateful for the bits of instruction I had in learning Blackfoot during my education degree. Oki! Tsa niita'pii? |
ResourcesThese are my favourite resources. I have more on Diigo.
Walking Together - Alberta Education This resource was designed to help teachers understand the holistic nature of Aboriginal ways of knowing, to provide Aboriginal peoples to share their perspectives on topics important to them, and to demonstrate Aboriginal perspectives in teaching and learning experiences. Our Words, Our Ways - Alberta Education This resource was developed in collaboration with the Aboriginal Learning Services department of Edmonton Catholic Schools. The resource provides information about First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) cultures and perspectives, and sample strategies for meeting the needs and recognizing the gifts of FNMI students. Aboriginal Perspectives - U of Regina This site contains information that aids teachers in including Aboriginal perspectives in their lessons. They have used video material featuring aboriginal people as a base for constructing teaching resources and they invite teachers to use these resources. They also encourage teachers to use this video material to construct their own lessons. |