The Provincial First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning Project centers on creating a cohesive strategy for educators to explore their understanding of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content as it relates to educational programming for all students.
The ARPDC First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Moodle courses and resources are formatted to align with the learning outcomes from the Alberta Program of Studies. There are over 85 courses related to English, Math, Science, and Social with resources which include First Nations, Métis, or Inuit content or perspectives. The resources embedded in the courses are intended to serve as options for educators to consider in their curricular programming. The overarching goal is for educators to connect with their regional First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Communities for guidance on appropriate resources to effectively teach First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content to all students.
The ARPDC First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Moodle courses and resources are formatted to align with the learning outcomes from the Alberta Program of Studies. There are over 85 courses related to English, Math, Science, and Social with resources which include First Nations, Métis, or Inuit content or perspectives. The resources embedded in the courses are intended to serve as options for educators to consider in their curricular programming. The overarching goal is for educators to connect with their regional First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Communities for guidance on appropriate resources to effectively teach First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content to all students.
The Faculty of Education sponsored the development of this First Nations Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) Curriculum Collection. It is a collection of lessons and resources designed to help pre and inservice teachers incorporate First Nations, Métis, and Inuit content in their teaching across subjects and grade levels. One can browse through the collection or search by categories (e.g. subject, title, key word, grade, etc.). One can contribute to the collection by creating and submitting new lessons or resources that will become available upon approval by the manager of the collection.
This resource will help classroom teachers and staff better serve the needs of their First Nations Métis, and Inuit students. The contributors to this resource include Aboriginal Elders, teachers and psychologists as well as other members of Alberta’s Aboriginal communities. This resource offers information about First Nations Métis, and Inuit cultures and perspectives, practical ideas, and sample strategies that will help teachers meet the needs and recognize the gifts of First Nations Métis, and Inuit students. Many of the sample strategies are good for all students and are relevant for a range of educational settings and contexts.
The resource Walking Together: First Nations Métis, and Inuit Perspectives in the Curriculum was designed to help teachers understand the holistic nature of First Nations Métis, and Inuit ways of knowing, to provide opportunity for First Nations Métis, and Inuit Peoples to share their perspectives on topics important to them, and to demonstrate First Nations Métis, and Inuit perspectives in teaching and learning experiences.
The Blackfoot Digital Library is a great way to incorporate First Nations Métis, and Inuit perspectives. Especially locally. This website offers a map of Alberta that shows where specific artifacts, field notes, recordings, and people are from. Therefore, you can incorporate local elements into your teaching. In addition, his Library is intended for use by anyone who wants to learn about the Blackfoot people and our culture, or wants to contribute to the growth of our site by offering material such as photographs or recordings. Anyone, is also encouraged to add to the Blackfoot Digital Library, in order to help it expand.
Project of Heart is an inquiry based, hands-on, collaborative, inter-generational, artistic journey of seeking truth about the history of Aboriginal people in Canada. Its purpose is to:
- Examine the history and legacy of Indian Residential Schools in Canada and to seek the truth about that history, leading to the acknowledgement of the extent of loss to former students, their families and communities
- Commemorate the lives of the thousands of Indigenous children who died as a result of the residential school experience.
100 Year of Loss, is great resource for teaching about Residential Schools in Canada. The program is comprised of two main components: the Edu-kit and the mobile exhibition. Throughout the research, planning, design, and development phases of 100 Years of Loss, the LHF worked closely with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis curriculum developers, researchers, and curators, and drew upon a wealth of Survivor testimony. This method assured that the program was developed in a culturally respectful manner and that the materials accurately reflect the experiences of Survivors. It designed to raise awareness about the history and legacy of residential schools and includes companion educational resources for students in grades 9-12. The exhibition consists of eight thematic pods (4 in each official language), and a wavy wall that presents interweaving timelines, and lends itself to week-long activities or events, such as Aboriginal Awareness Week. The 100 Years of Loss curriculum, targeted to Canadian youth aged 11-18, includes a timeline, videos including Survivor testimonies, and a Teacher’s Guide with six customization lesson plans (12-24 hrs of activities), teacher resources and extension activities.
Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in the spring of 2013. It grew out of Phyllis' story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the Mission, and it has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually.
Orange Shirt Day is also an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.
Orange Shirt Day is also an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.
The Learning Circle has been produced to help meet Canadian educators’ growing need for elementary-level learning exercises on First Nations. The Learning Circle is organized in thematic units, each with its own teaching activities. Units are designed to give teachers and students simple but effective exercises, projects and activities that will encourage students to learn more about First Nations. Educators can follow some of the exercises as stand-alone units on First Nations topics, or integrate them with existing curricula on Aboriginal peoples. Most exercises in The Learning Circle can be completed in one period.
The website Empowering the Spirit will provide opportunities to expand your understanding of literacy and numeracy practices from First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives and gain tools and strategies to support First Nations, Métis and Inuit and all students’ success in your community. First Nations, Métis and Inuit students experience greater success as engaged participants when learning is authentic and connected to their personal values and life experiences.First Nations, Métis and Inuit students and families need to feel that the curricula honors their perspectives, histories, languages and cultures. Inspiring Education calls for a greater integration of multiple perspectives, including cultural perspectives, in learning experiences for all students.
Guiding Voices is a curriculum development tool for inclusion of First Nation, Mètis, and Inuit perspectives throughout the curriculum. Guiding Voices has been created to guide development and evaluation of provincial and locally developed curriculum. In addition, Guiding Voices help curriculum developers add accurate and relevant of First Nation, Mètis, and Inuit perspectives and content into curriculum.
Website created by: Kayli O'Donnell & Brittany Mahon