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HERE ARE SOME MORE SIMPLE TEACHING STRATEGIES FROM EDUCATORS WHO ARE DOING IT...
- From Steve Cooper, Kindergarten/ Grade 1 alternative school teacher:
Because of the environment I work in (an alternative school), we try to let the children drive the curriculum. This means that native studies as a specific subject area, does not come up every year. When it does, I strive to present a balanced perspective and particularly to ensure that any "native studies" includes Native People as a contemporary, dynamic culture and society. I think this is particularly important for smll children as they may only be ifnormed about native culture through cowboy movies or other such pop culture forms... When we have parents with a native background, we invite them to help design programs, share skills or insights with the teaching staff.
(contact Steve through CAAS)
- From Joe Meehan, teacher from North Battleford, Saskatchewan of Native Studies 9/10/11/12, Social Studies Grade 12, as well as university level Native Studies:
In Social Studies 30, I have developed 3 units on Aboriignal Issues which tie into the curriculum themes on Enculturation, Governance and Worldview. They are: Treaty, Bill C-#1 and Treaty Land Entitlement (specific claims). These challenge the commonly-held stereotypes. In Native Studies 20, I have the students do a web-based project in which they study Indigenous Peoples from other countries - this raises their awareness of many common issues and helps them understand colonialism.
(jmeehan@sk.sympatico.ca)
- Bonnie Palko, elementary Grade 6, as well as visual arts, movement and special education resource teacher:
- Inviting in a person of Aboriginal origin to speak to the students;
- Taking the class to the Pow-Wow;
- Using Aboriginal art work, writing, music, and dance as a way to study Aboriginal perspective;
- Using the Pow-Wow yunit designed by a team at the Toronto District School Board (of which Vern Douglas was a part);
- Most importantly:
Before even taking on the classroom teaching component I had to get help from a person of this culture to teach me. In my case, I went to a workshop with Vern Douglas. He announced that "if you aren't going to teach a Native Studies program properly, don't do it at all!" I took up his challenge after struggling for a short time with my 'teacher ego'. I realized that this was a subject I could not just read about and reguirgitate for my students. I was ready to become a student myself. I would not say that my curriculum is perfect - it is evolving and I am always trying to find ways to bring in real people, real art, real issues from the media to enrich my program.
(contact Bonnie through CAAS)
Click here for more Successful Strategies...
REMEMBER: If you have any resources, links, strategies, advocacy initiatives, networks, resource people or other success stories to report, we ask you to click on our "How to Get Involved" button and send us what you've got! With your permission, we'll post up your contributions in our "Resources" section. Miigwetch!
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