Sioux Lookout District Education Directors and District Education Planning Committee Focus Group – February 2 nd 2010 Sioux Lookout, Ontario Facilitator: Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Ph.D. Chippewa of Georgina Island FN
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Sioux Lookout District Education Directors and District Education Planning Committee Focus Group – February 2 nd 2010 Sioux Lookout, Ontario Facilitator:
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Slide 1
Sioux Lookout District Education Directors and District
Education Planning Committee Focus Group February 2 nd 2010 Sioux
Lookout, Ontario Facilitator: Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Ph.D.
Chippewa of Georgina Island FN
Slide 2
Thought to Ponder We cannot talk about being an intelligent
person without knowledge of and access to all the levels of our
intelligence capacity the intelligence of the body, the mind, heart
and spirit. The intelligence of the mind, for instance, does not
operate to its fullest creative, discriminating, and encompassing
potential without its active partnership with the intelligence of
the heart. FN Centre, Regional Health Survey, 2005
Slide 3
Fund for Year One FNSSP has developed a work plan for the
funding available for Year 1 that includes a broad spectrum of
commitments which need to be prioritized by KERC if they are to be
met by the March 2010 deadline.
Slide 4
Work Plan to-dateincludes Review of School Success Plans and
the Process for School Evaluations Adapt school review tool if
necessary Develop Indicators of success* Complete 5 school reviews
before the end of March Deliver training at the community level on
the success planning process
Slide 5
Work Plan continued Support communities that are ready to
implement their school success plans Liaise with EdQualAcctOffice
with the goal of developing a northern version of the EQAO test*
Complete Canadian Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) in all communities
Develop performance measures that will indicate success (some
already identified)*
Slide 6
Education Supports Needed Developing of three key components:
1. School success plans 2. Student learning assessments
standardized testing based on Provincial standards * 3. Performance
measurement: development of performance goals, indicators, and
school information systemsbecause if it cant be measured, it is not
a goal, it is merely a wish*
Slide 7
First Nation Student Success Program(FNSSP) The goal of the
program is to support First Nation educators plan and make
improvements in 3 priority areas: Literacy Numeracy And, perhaps
most significantly, student retention and graduation
Slide 8
Kwayaciiwin Ed Resource Centre Three Components to discuss
today: 1. What is the value of education as a mechanism for the
preservation of culture and community inspiration? 2. What does the
research tell us? 3. What questions do we need to ask ourselves,
our kids, our teachers? 4. Where do we see ourselves in 20
years?
Slide 9
Four Early Questions 1. How valuable an experience do you plan
for this session to be? 2. How much risk are you willing to take?
3. How participative do you plan to be? 4. To what extent are you
personally invested in the well-being of the whole? Please take 5
minutes to answer each individually, then a few minutes to share
your thoughts with your group.
Slide 10
Responses to 3 components 1. All see great value in the
immediate move to preserve culture and language as elements of the
formal education system, and, are willing to fight for it. 2. Where
do we see ourselves in 20 years? This is an important consideration
based on the youthful population in our communities. There is a
strong desire to see kids speaking the language fluently.
Slide 11
The Value of Education? Gives our people the ability to develop
new adaptable, holistic learning models that will help to map the
relationships between learning purposes, life experiences and
knowledge outcomes across an entire life span; affirm FN, Inuit and
Mtis values and beliefs; thereby providing a basis for developing
positive new frameworks for measuring learning successes
Slide 12
Value It is estimated that there are 300,000 Aboriginal
children and youth who could enter the labour force over the next
15- 20 years, we want to ensure that their entry is positive and
rewarding. Education will ensure higher levels of social capital
and will provide a culture of trust, participation, collective
action, reciprocity, and community health.
Slide 13
Aspirations? The core idea is for us to agree on educational
practices, standards and measurements so that not only some
students aspire to learn and graduate from level to level, but all
learners of all ages are included. This will require changing our
(learned) assumptions about what success looks like in the
classroom, within the community, and in mainstream society.
Slide 14
A Story Question! What is the story about education, this
community, or this organization that you hear yourself telling most
often? The one that you are wedded to and maybe even take your
identity from? What is your attachment to this story costing you,
your children, your future? Take a few minutes and answer these
questions individually and then share.
Slide 15
Our story is Education was imposed from the outside not that
long ago, and we experienced residential schools. This history had
a negative effect, and our parents are still not ready to be
involved. We see education as providing access to a good life, but,
we want our children to have a stronger identity, speak their
language, and be proud of who they are as future leaders and
teachers in our communities.
Slide 16
What does the research say? That we understand and recognize
that two ways of knowing will foster the necessary conditions for
nurturing healthy, sustainable communities. That we must all work
together to define and articulate a comprehensive definition of
what is meant by learning success and develop, fund and implement
an appropriate framework for measuring it.
Slide 17
Research We are and have been developing culturally relevant
curriculum, language and cultural programs, and creating
educational institutions. We need more research on the positives
rather than continuing a focus on the deficits it negates learning
outcomes. We need to speak more effectively to our unique
pol/soc/econ/spiritual realities
Slide 18
Articulating our Unique Realities 1. The most positive and
unique spiritual reality we have as a people is 2. The most
positive and unique political reality we have as a people is 3. The
most positive and unique social reality we have as a people is 4.
The most positive and unique economic reality we have as a people
is
Slide 19
Responses to questions The most positive and unique spiritual
reality we have as a people is that we have maintained spiritual
practices in our communities that embrace both Christian and
traditional beliefs. We are respectful of the Church, yet still
have respect for and an interest in how our people lived and
practiced ceremony and prayer before the period of contact.
Slide 20
Spiritual We have respect for education and school attendance
and we relate our childrens education to the spiritual relationship
we maintain to the land.
Slide 21
Responses to questions The most positive and unique political
reality we have as a people is good chiefs and councils in our
territory. We are willing to help each other and help other people.
We are doing our healing work We are an exceptionally resilient
people.
Slide 22
Responses to questions The most positive and unique social
reality we have as a people is our strong sense of family and
community. Our belief in our schools. The healing that we are doing
in our communities.
Slide 23
Responses to questions The most positive and unique economic
reality we have in our communities is that people want to better
their lives and know education will help. We continue to be able to
live off the land and feed our families. We have a large labour
force that we can concentrate on developing.
Slide 24
And, the ultimate effect is The most profound effect these
articulated factors are having on the self values and identity of
our infants, toddlers, children, youth and adults is
Slide 25
Response to the effects? As we move forward and speak to our
values and vision for the future. Our children will have a stronger
sense of confidence in who they are, their history going back
before the newcomers arrived, and they will have a better sense of
identity out of their own language and culture.
Slide 26
Thoughtful question What have I done (or not done) to
contribute to the very thing I complain about or want to change?
Take a few minutes to answer this question and then share your
response with the group. As a group come up with one really good
idea on how (I) we can participate in ensuring that the change or
impact we want happens within the next (?) years.
Slide 27
Responses to question We have become involved as educators,
parents and community members. We are advocating on behalf of our
schools. We are increasingly aware of the need to teach our own
history, speak our language to our children from birth on. We are
open to ways to protect our language and culture for the
future.
Slide 28
Research We need more research on the full- spectrum of
lifelong learning, from pre- natal, infancy, adulthood through
elders. Standardized Assessments do not reflect the purpose or
nature of holistic learning. Current data measure learning success
within the framework of the formal system and does not reflect
experiential or traditional educational activities.
Slide 29
What is Practice? In the Scholastic World Practice means action
as opposed to ideas, and denotes what is actually happening in the
classroom and stands as the expected or habitual method of
teaching, interacting, and learning with our children at every
level of academia. Exercise Put your heads together and answer the
following questions
Slide 30
What Practice questions do we ask? What educational practices,
programs, and human resources are already in place? What works best
and at what grade level, why? Does this change as the student moves
through the system, why? And, when? What is/would be unique in a
FNs education system that might have transferability to the present
system?
Slide 31
Responses Stronger cultural influences in each school, and
grade will help kids have more confidence in themselves. We need to
build pride in who they are and advocate for higher education from
birth to graduation. We need to be directive in regards to what we
need for our futures, administrators, accountants, HS and language
teachers.
Slide 32
Reponses We know that things work well to grade 6, and then
there is a transition issue. There is another transition issue from
grade 8 to 9, and then from grade 9 on. We see the need to put more
attention on the transition periods to ensure that our kids are
ready to move from grade to grade and different forms of
curriculum.
Slide 33
More Practice Questions If the system is credible at one level,
where does it shift? Is this FNs, Federal, or Provincial? What can
we do about it? Is this shift academic, or is it expenditure
related? How, and how is it not? Why? What cultural recognition and
practice does exist for FN students now, and can we focus and build
on this today? Is this fully accessible to all (FN) students?
Slide 34
Responses The system is credible in some areas, what is not is
the funding that is provided to us and what the government and
education authorities accept as credible in regards to cultural and
curriculum changes. The entire system needs to be changed, and this
is a good time because everything is shifting in education because
of computers, technology and new knowledge.
Slide 35
Responses The system is not credible in providing more money to
programs that have lower results rather than putting more money
into areas that are proving to be developing best practices and
where children are succeeding with higher test scores. Cultural
programming is accessible to children, but it needs more
authority.
Slide 36
What are Standards? An object, quality, measure, or degree of
excellence serving as an example or principle or standard to which
others conform or should conform or by which the accuracy or
quality of others is judged. Exercise Put your heads together and
answer the following questions
Slide 37
What Standards Questions do we ask? Did you experience success
or failure with the system in place, why? Why Not? Can you
articulate that experience and pin it to the wall for examination?
What was the point of your frustration and at what level of the
academic process did it occur for you? Then, and now? How committed
are you to ensuring alignment within the education system for your
children today, and for the future?
Slide 38
Standards responses Many of the present advocates for education
did not have an opportunity to acquire a higher education, although
some have acquired a degree later in life. Research shows that many
Native people go back to school as adult learners and graduate with
teaching and administrative degrees. We all need to see education
as life long.
Slide 39
Standards responses The thing that helped some of the community
members get a higher education was fear of failure or in the
positive a determination to succeed. For some it was the support of
a mentor or individual that they wanted to please. The motivator
was at other times the desire to have a better life or
choices.
Slide 40
More Standards Questions Does the (known or unknown) parenting
a child receives have anything to do with the standards by which
the child is judged in any area? Why? Why Not? Does the worldview
of the family and community get reflected in the standard
assessment for living/learning well in the scholastic worldview
they now inhabit? Why? Why Not?
Slide 41
Standards continued What about those students who are deemed
special/complex needs or gifted by the current assessment tools? Do
those tools apply to Aboriginal students now? What about
application of the phrase good enough? When it is used, what comes
to your mind? What does it actually mean in social and
psychological terms? How can this be re-stated?
Slide 42
Responses The schools do not now recognize or make special
consideration for special needs or gifted children, so we lose
them, The suggestion is to create a peer mentoring program to match
the special needs and gifted and create a support for the special
students, and a task for the gifted students that will give them a
place to use their talents and need for success.
Slide 43
Responses We need to re-state many things for the building of
confidence and pride in our students, and this means acknowledging
the students and rewarding their efforts with incentive pieces
congratulating them regularly, actively listening to them,
providing peer-to-peer programs, including tutoring, financial
incentives where possible for attendance, grades.
Slide 44
Who is responsible for each element (credibility, fairness,
appropriateness, trust and continuity, responsibility) and how can
these people (parents, teachers, students, elders) be more fully
engaged and held accountable? How committed are you? To what degree
do we expect this and how do we implement it throughout the entire
system and at each grade level? Standards continued
Slide 45
Current Research and Approaches As provinces and territories
move to implement Canada-wide testing of students, the goals of
education embodied in such testing are defined by non-Aboriginal
authorities. Some Aboriginal parents and communities may share
these goals, but it should not be assumed that they will place them
above their own goals for the education of their children.
Self-determination in education should give Aboriginal peoples
clear authority to create curriculum and set the standards to
accomplish their education goals. (RCAP, 1996)
Slide 46
Accepted community well-being indicators 1. Housing conditions
strong link between good housing and well-being. 2. Social
well-being and learning land, community, language, traditional
skills. 3. The residential school system talking about and healing
impacts from the past. 4. Family Living arrangements one parent
home, adoption, no parent present, or forced boarding for early
teens.
Slide 47
Accepted community well-being indicators 5. Health and learning
diabetes, suicide, hunger, obesity, consistent recreation. 6.
Low-income families food safety, clothing allowances, books,
recreation. 7. Learning and employment role modeling, productivity,
more choices. 8.Demographics and geography where people live,
access to knowledge, adult learning by internet, access to
training.
Slide 48
What are Measurements? The concept of measurement follows the
concept of indicator. An indicator is defined as a statistic that
helps to quantify the achievement of a desired outcome graduation.
A measurement reflects how the indicator will be quantified in
defined units. Exercise Put your heads together and answer the
following questions
Slide 49
What Measurements Questions do we ask? What are some examples
of successful students outside of standardized indicators such as;
gets As, does not miss classes, or passes required tests. What
makes these students successful? When we share those examples, what
stands out as the most common traits? Can we quantify those
characteristics to more effectively encourage our youth?
Slide 50
Responses Students who walk with confidence and care for their
own appearance. Those that can speak up and share their ideas in a
good way in classes, in public. Those students who speak their own
language as well as they speak English. Those students who are
respectful of others, including the elders and leaders.
Slide 51
Responses The demonstrating of respect is an important trait in
our young people. We can build on and support this characteristic
by being verbally encouraging, speaking up ourselves as examples,
going into classes to speak to culture, language and traditions,
and creating incentives and peer mentoring programs that reward
leadership behaviour and helps to build confidence.
Slide 52
More Measurement questions The fact that Native science is not
fragmented into specialized compartments does not mean that it is
not based on rational thinking, and that it cannot be measured.
Knowledge that plants provide valuable medicines; when they are
harvested; how they use decoys; and how they are to be replenished
are measureable outcomes.
Slide 53
Another thought to ponder Gregory Cajete (Tewa Scientist)
suggests that Indigenous scientific and cultural knowledge of local
environments and pedagogy (teaching) of place offer many
opportunities for comparative research into how traditional
Indigenous ways of learning and knowing can expand our
understanding of basic educational processes for all students.
Slide 54
Measuresget creative! Can we include the amount of sleep a
child receives on a nightly basis as a measurement of success
during their day? What about the receiving of a healthy diet? Is an
obese child an indicator? What about their experience of love? Can
we develop a method, delivered with incentive that asks some
fundamental questions about a childs life experience?
Slide 55
Responses We have to consider the influences on a childs life
outside of the school setting. How a child does in school is
directly related to how they live when they are not in school.
Parental influence and community conditions are very relevant to
the results. Part of the measurement process must be the health and
well-being of children.
Slide 56
Responses We can measure how much a child sleeps, they need 10
hours from ages 0-18 to be effective learners. We can measure the
nutritional needs of a child by asking some non-invasive questions
about food intake, we may need to reinstate food programs to ensure
effective learning. Recreation is a consideration for health.
Slide 57
More Measurements to think about? Who are the most significant
partners necessary to filling the data gaps and meeting the
challenges of producing, advocating, and implementing new
practices, standards and measurements in Aboriginal learning and
progress? What is your contribution and commitment to ensuring that
these partners are brought on board today?
Slide 58
Responses The participation of the Chief and Council as full
partners is very important. If they do not actively show their
support, the rest of the community does not participate either.
Leadership is important. The parents and the teachers are also
important to the success of defining these measurements and
implementing them.
Slide 59
What we now have that works We, have the bestbecause We, have
the most effectivebecause We, have the mostbecause We, have the
greatestbecause We, have the onlybecause We, have the
smartestbecause We, have the most unusualbecause We, have the most
interestingbecause
Slide 60
What would it take? To, implement an on-the-land cultural
component into your present curriculum on-reserve, off-reserve? To,
implement a language nest or immersion for your k-3/4 grade
students? To, implement a something fabulous happened in our
community today program in your school, community, or local
press?
Slide 61
What would it take? To, establish a mentoring program (peer to
peer?) at your school, in your community? To, participate in at
least one field trip per academic term with your child or someone
elses, (role modeling)? To, provide one hour per month to tutor or
have an open door to one student? To, bring in one elder or
political representative to speak to your class?
Slide 62
Closing Thoughts Real change in ourselves, and in our
interactions with others is difficult to achieve and sustain: This
is not intended to be discouraging it is intended to be real. At
the end of the day, building and sustaining a positive community
culture can be of enormous personal and professional benefit to
teachers, students and parents. As Anne Lieberman says: When
everyone works together to transform themselves and their schools,
they rediscover why they came into teaching and life in the first
place and why they have persisted. (Lieberman & Miller 1999:
90)