3. As aside to begin need to realize that there are differing
definitions of success
The registrar at our institutions define success as the
achievement of a certificate, diploma or degree
For the Aboriginal student success might mean something
entirely different
• Being the first person in their family to attend post secondary
• Returning home with some new skills
• Surviving in a strange environment and returning to the
community with new experiences
4. • These success need to be
documented in some way
and made clear to the
student
• When this happens there is
always the option to return
and to continue on their
path
5. • In the west most of us grew up in a nuclear family –
parents living with their biological children
• The Aboriginal family is all of the persons united by
ancestry, marriage or adoption, living together to survive
6. • Members rely on each other
• The focus is on what we can do together
• Supports
Strength
Unity
7. • There are common cultural threads running through
many Aboriginal cultures
• Life and worldview is a holistic image
• Learning takes place across spheres of spiritual,
physical, emotional and mental dimensions
• Past, Present and Future may also be connected
8. • Cultural Awareness – being aware of and acknowledging
the differences in both the visible and invisible aspects of
culture
• Cultural Sensitivity – behaviors such as choice of words
and distance
9.
10.
11. • In the Aboriginal community members are recognized for
who they are and their gifts to the community
• The concept of “disability” is foreign to their way of
thinking
• Many students do not recognize that they have a
“dis”ability as it is not something that their families and
community have ever remarked upon or considered
important
12. • Pro’s
• Does not affect their
self esteem
• See themselves as
equal members of any
community
• Con’s
• May not be able to
effectively self
advocate
• Not aware of or
connecting to
available services
13. Aboriginal
The heart
• Repetition
• Symbols
• Ceremony
Western
The mind
• Logic
• Sequence
• Definitions
14. Aboriginal
• Happens together
Western
• Individual
• Required individual effort
and work
15. • Holistic
• Observational
• Experiential
• Based on
community and
community
resources
16. • Absenteeism
• Discomfort in school setting
• Reserved personalities – may be expressing their cultural
comfort with silence. (learn a lot through observation)
17. • Recognize Aboriginal ‘ways of learning’
• Avoid singling out Aboriginal students
• Observe student attendance
• Incorporate healthy and positive messages about cultural
identity
• If you combine traditions or teachings in your curriculum be
clear where they came from. It is disrespectful to mix them
into one mythical “pan-Aboriginal” cultural tradition
18.
19. Aboriginal students participate and succeed in an inclusive,
relevant and effective setting.
1. Leadership Development
2. Community Building
3. Mentoring
4. Student Success Strategies
5. Support
20. • Many Aboriginal students return to their own community
and become leaders
• Decision making is by consensus and not top down
• Leadership looks different for every individual and every
community
21. • The Cplul’kw’ten (Gathering House) at TRU fosters a learning
community within the student body
• In community members rely on each other and focus on what
they can do together
• Support the strength and unity of the community
22. • TRU has a mentorship program for Aboriginal students,
many “mentees” become mentors
• Steps for successful mentorship
• Taking the time to understand their unique story and in
the process sharing your story
• Making a connection and the development of trust –
takes time
• Finding commonalities – doing things together
• Being together to create hope (goal)
• Modelling
23. Orientation to the University Community and the Kamloops
community
• Transition Planner – on campus (funding, courses, housing ,
daycare, back to basics
• Life Skills Coach – really the wider community resources
person
Events to support an Aboriginal student
• Sekusent – orientation
• First Friends Feast
• Wednesday – circle and lunch
• Elders
• Pow wow
• Round Dance
24. • The concept here is to “walk with” the student not to help
or assist
• Not helping but supporting
• Need to be mindful of our language
Example: do a few questions together, not just show
them how
Teach by example
Storytelling – ask for their stories
Hinweis der Redaktion
Reminds me of one of my past students:
Nicole
Came from Canim Lake took kitchen assistant program – first time lasted until about Christmas, very homesick lived in residence
A few years later returned with her preschool son
This time lived off campus with family
Got her food safe certificate
Completed the program except for the final practicum
Went home worked in the community day care preparing snacks and hot lunches for the children, her son also attended the daycare
To her, to me and to her community she was successful, but not to the registrar
Failing Forward
John C. Maxwell
“To Métis people, the words community and family are almost
interchangeable. Métis people view not only their relations as
family, but friends, neighbours and workmates can all be a part
of what a Métis person considers part of the family. In Métis
culture, children are not solely the responsibility of their parents.
The whole community traditionally shares in the task of raising
the next generation. Elders, grandparents, aunts, uncles, trusted
friends, leaders and other community members all have their
vital role to play in shaping the future of our Nation.”
– Métis Family Services
in Kainai Board of Education et al. 2005, p. 127
In Aboriginal communities, relationship is a key element that brings a sense of connection and belonging. We may hear community members, especially Elders ask when they are first getting introduced to someone new, “Who are your people – who are your family and community?”
Individual recognition is greatly valued and appreciated. It is important when working with Aboriginal learners that we guild positive, consistent working relationships as soon as possible and for students to feel that they are appreciated and valued for who they are.”
(Draney, 2009)
These common threads running through many Aboriginal cultures are
sometimes referred to as foundational worldviews. They reflect the
guiding principles and traditional values of Aboriginal societies. They
suggest the way Aboriginal peoples see themselves in relation to the
world.
Traditional Aboriginal education is based upon these worldviews—it is
a holistic process where learning takes place across different spheres of
human experience including spiritual, physical, emotional and mental
dimensions. Worldviews may also consider relationships and
experiences of the past, present and future as interconnected.
“our” students
We do not own people
They are “the” students, or “The Retail Worker” students
Aboriginal worldview recognizes that each student has a unique pattern of learning. Traditionally, each individual was seen as having a gift. The whole community helped individual young people determine how to use their strengths and gifts to serve the community.
The concept of learning disabilities is at odds with the holistic framework of Aboriginal education. Even the term identifies only a part of the person, the part that does not function well as a learner within the education system.
Parents, band members and the community are at times reluctant to have their members assessed or labelled.
Stories about banack and our talking circle
Web of life
“All things and all people, though we have our own individual
gifts and special place, are dependent on and share in the
growth and work of everything and everyone else. We believe
that beings thrive when there is a web of interconnectedness
between the individual and the community, and between the
community and nature.
Everything we do, every decision we make, affects our family,
our community, it affects the air we breathe, the animals, the
plants, the water in some way. Each of us is totally dependent
on everything else.”
– Evelyn Steinhauer
Decision-making styles
In some cultures, decisions are made by a leader; in others, they are
made by delegation or by consensus.
In many Aboriginal families, decisions are made collaboratively rather
than by one individual. This allows everyone who is affected by the
decision to have opportunity for input. Rather than making decisions
on the spot, time is often taken for reflection.
Strength in ”power with”
In Aboriginal cultures, worldviews reflect “power with,” rather than
“power over.” The image for this concept is a circle, and all living
things are viewed as equal within the circle. “Power with” is a
dialogue, where everyone stands on the ground, face to face.
The image for “power over” is a pyramid, with those at the top holding
the greatest power. “Power over” is a hierarchy, where the few stand
above the many.
