Trustee Report

8/9/2019 Trustee Report

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The AboriginalEnhancement Agreement

The Richmond School District’s approach to the process of

developing an Enhancement Agreement and our ideas for

implementing Indigenous Knowledge Systems

Our Visions Our Voices



Abstract 3

An historical overview of Aboriginal Relations 4

Residential schools 5

National Policies 6

What is Indigenous Knowledge? 6

Aboriginal Education in British Columbia 7

Aboriginal Enhancement Agreements: An overview 8My role in the district 9

The demographics of Richmond 10

Current Programming in our District 10

The Richmond School Districtʼs Experience in Developing an EnhancementAgreement

12

Continuing the Development of the Agreement 15

Action Plans for 2009/ 2010 16

Challenges we face in Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge 17

What are our Next Steps? 17

Some ideas for Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge 18

Integrating Indigenous Knowledge with Oral and Experiential Learning 20

A Holistic Approach to Aboriginal Education 21

References 22

Table of Contents



THE ABORIGINAL ENHANCEMENT

AGREEMENT

The Richmond School District’s approach to the process of developing

an Enhancement Agreement and our ideas for implementing IndigenousKnowledge Systems

Report to the Richmond School Board Trustees

June 2010

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Abstract

Across Canada, it is generally accepted that the educational practices in schools are failing

Aboriginal students. Recommendations that will help bring Indigenous Knowledge Systems

together with Western Ways of schooling to improve both the academic and social success of

Aboriginal students in British Columbia will be developed using a framework called the

Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement (EA). The EA is expected to be developed in all school

districts with the development process being unique to each school district. A summary of the

EA process in Richmond, B.C. will be discussed as well as ways Indigenous Knowledge can be

incorporated in meaningful ways both in the district and in the classroom.

Diane Jubinville, Teacher Consultant, RSD #38

June 2010

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An historical overview of Aboriginal Relations

In Canada, the historical relationship between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal people has been

one of dominance and subordination. When Europeans began to establish their own territory in

this vast and unsettled land, their attitude was one of righteousness and superiority. The treatmentof Aboriginal people since colonization has had an adverse effect not only on the Aboriginal

culture itself, but also on the opportunity for all Canadians to understand and appreciate a way of

knowing and being that encompasses a holistic understanding of the environment, of the

community and of oneself (otherwise known as Indigenous Knowledge). Looking back over our

short history, many events have contributed to the loss of Indigenous Knowledge but none more

so than the mandatory church-run, government-funded residential schools for Native children.

The residential school system which operated from 1879 to 1986, requires special attention if one

is to understand the current issues surrounding Aboriginal education.

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Residential schools

When Europeans began to establish

settlements on North American soil, they

saw Aboriginal culture as uncivilized and

savage-like. Lawmakers and church

leaders set about establishing laws to “get

rid of the Indian problem” 1. The Canadian

government saw it as their responsibility to

educate Aboriginal children in Western

ways. The government believed that by

removing children from their homes for

extended periods of time and disconnecting

them from their identity, language and traditional teachings, it would be able to integrate

Aboriginal people into European culture.

However, in the execution of their

assimilation scheme, both physical and

emotional abuse was inflicted on many

innocent children. Finally, after failing to

accomplish its objectives and having

inflicted much pain and suffering, this

brutal approach was ended and the

residential schools began to close in the

1960s. The last residential school closed in

1986. Twenty-two years later, on June 11,

2008, an historic moment occurred when

Prime Minister Harper issued an apology, on behalf of the Canadian Government, to those

families that endured the horrors of residential schooling “for failing them so profoundly” 2.

This event brought a large measure of closure to this unhappy period; however, the effects of

residential schooling continue to be seen in the lives of many Aboriginal people and their

families. Today survivors are sharing their stories and there are thousands of cases being settled

in the courts and through the Truth and Reconciliation Committee 3.



National Policies

In 1991, the Federal government created the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Its

purpose was to propose specific solutions to the problems that confront Aboriginal people and

that plague intercultural relations. Five years later, a five-volume report recommended that

recognition be given to the moral, historical and legal rights of Aboriginal peoples to govern their

collective lives in ways they themselves determine (Castellano, 2000, p.22). Policy was to be

devised to improve every aspect of their lives including land and economic development, health,

family rehabilitation and education by ensuring:

- The participation of Aboriginal people

- The application of Indigenous Knowledge

- The incorporation of tradition to the extent aboriginal people deemed appropriate.

(ibid, p.22 )

From this, each Province was to consider policy directions to address the

underachievement of Aboriginal students in school. “Policy makers, Aboriginal leaders

and educators across Canada are striving to make a difference to the tragic national record

of lack of school success for Aboriginal learners” (Wells, 2005).

What is Indigenous Knowledge?

Indigenous peoples come to the table with something of value to offer to the world. Thissomething has come to be called Indigenous Knowledge. Indigenous Knowledge refers to the

long-standing traditions and sources of learning for a First Nations community. It is a collective

knowledge embedded in community practices, rituals and relationships. Many First Nations

people believe that learning is holistic, contextual, repetitious, and relational - it happens at

home, at school, in the community and on the land. There is a transmission of knowledge from

generation to generation and much of the teachings are passed on through the traditions - stories,

songs, dances, dreams and ceremonies. There is a belief that different people will learn different

knowledge – layers of knowledge are transmitted through various relationships until one finally becomes the teacher. (Battiste, 2008; Cajete 2000; Kundoque 2008; Young 2003; Tur and Tur

2005). The Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement Committee feels that the key to the success of

the Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement is linked to providing strong programs on the culture of

Aboriginal peoples to all students, not just the Aboriginal students. What are some of these

programs and how can they be implemented?

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Aboriginal Education in British Columbia

In 1999, the B.C. Provincial Aboriginal graduation rate was 37% compared to 76% for Non-

Aboriginals. (Aboriginal Report - How Are We Doing? 2003/04, http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/performance.htm ). At this

time, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the B.C Teacher’s Federation, B.C.

Ministry of Education and several provincial and federal Aboriginal organizations, which stated,

“We . . . acknowledge that Aboriginal learners are not experiencing school success in B.C. We

state our intention to work together within the

mandates of our respective organizations to

improve school success for Aboriginal learners in

B.C.” (B.C. Ministry of Education website: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/

abed/agreements ).

This Memorandum of Understanding led to

initiatives on the part of the Ministry of Education

to improve the delivery of Aboriginal Education.

One strategy was to establish a framework for the

creation of the Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement (initially known as Aboriginal Education

Improvement Agreement). Through this Agreement, new relationships and commitments were to

be made that would ultimately improve the educational success of Aboriginal students. “These

formal agreements set clear, joint expectations for student achievement gains over five

years” (Wells, 2005).

The Ministry had anticipated that all 60 school districts would have an Agreement in place by

2005. Today, in 2010, 48 districts in British Columbia have signed their first Enhancement

Agreement and some districts have signed their second. The latest statistics indicate that in

2007/2008, the Provincial Aboriginal graduation rate had risen to 49% (compared to 37% in

1999) and the Provincial Non-Aboriginal graduation rate had risen to 83% (from 76% in 1999).

(Aboriginal Report 2003/04-2007/08 - How Are We Doing?) http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/performance.htm ).

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Aboriginal Enhancement Agreements: An overview

An Enhancement Agreement (EA) is a collaborative agreement

between three groups: the Aboriginal community, the

participating school district and the B.C. Ministry of Education.At its inception, the main intent was to try to bridge the gap in

the graduation rates between Aboriginals and Non-Aboriginals.

It focused on academic success and was closely linked to the

District’s Achievement Contract. However, over time, as the

Agreements were developed and implemented in different districts, more insight was gained and

more data collected as to reasons why Aboriginal students were experiencing difficulty in school.

Enhancement Agreement Committees around the Province continued to hear that primarily

parents wanted schools to have some influence over their children’s attitude about school.Parents wanted their children to feel they were part of and accepted by their school community.

Even though this sense of belonging wasn’t a traditionally measurable goal for the purposes of

the Enhancement Agreements, it warranted consideration as being a worthy goal. As a result,

measures were developed (rubrics and survey forms) and the EA became a vehicle to discuss

non-academic issues as well. So, the focus of the EA is now less concerned solely with

graduation rates and more on defining what constitutes both academic and social success for

Aboriginal students in each community or school district.

The Enhancement Agreement is the first step in recognizing the part that we must all play in

supporting students in our community. As community members, it is important to accept the

cultural diversity of our population and to think about ways to respond to and respect our

differences. To ensure success for all of our students, it is incumbent upon educators to enhance

and support the unique talents that students bring to classrooms. It is critical that parents’ and

guardians’ voices are heard and visions are shared. It is necessary to validate students’

experiences in the school system and listen to their views and opinions on their definition of

success and how schools can help them be successful. It is important for new educators coming

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into the school system to understand school populations and to think about ways to improve

current practices to be inclusive of all cultures. Participants in the Enhancement Agreement

process (no matter who you are, we are all participants) will not only be more informed of

Aboriginal issues in education but also they will have a chance to share their thoughts and ideas

on what changes they would like to see in the school system for both Aboriginal and non-

Aboriginal students.

Through the process of listening to stakeholders and collectively deciding on goals for the

EA, all parties can take joint ownership of the initiative. This process exemplifies a collaborative

effort where “people sit together and talk meaningfully about how their Indigenous knowledge

could be effectively used for education and for living a good life and to think about possibilities

for overcoming problems experienced in their communities” (Archibald, 2008, p.81).

My role in the district

I have been a teacher in the Richmond School District in the French Immersion program for 18

years. As an RTA (Richmond Teachers’ Association) member, I had applied and was chosen to sit

on the Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement Committee for the school year 2007/08. In

the spring of 2008, the school district made a stronger commitment to the EA development and

decided to hire an individual with First Nations ancestry to help with the process. I applied for

the position and was fortunate to be selected. My decision to apply was twofold: first, I felt my

heritage would give me some credibility to speak for the Aboriginal community in Richmond as

we went through the process and second, I was taking my Masters of Education in

Administration and Leadership and I felt that perhaps this was a time to build on and apply some

of my leadership skills in the district. This new role would be an opportunity to learn how

initiatives such as this are built from the ground level (ideas into practice) and an opportunity to

get to know and to help the almost invisible Aboriginal culture in Richmond. In September

2008, I became the teacher consultant responsible for facilitating the development of the district’s

Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement.

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The demographics of Richmond

Richmond is a suburb of Vancouver with a population of approximately 175,000 and an

Aboriginal population of approximately 1,300 people, which is less than one percent of the city’s

population (Statistics Canada 2006 Community Profiles www.statcan.gc.ca). The Richmond

School District has an identified Aboriginal student population of 212 out of a total student

population of approximately 23,000 for the current school year (2009/2010). This number

represents approximately 1% of the whole student population in Richmond. Richmond is situated

on unceded traditional Musqueam territory and does not have it’s own First Nation Band. The

Aboriginal population in Richmond is a diverse group, representing nations from all over

Canada. However, the predominant Aboriginal groups are from the prairies and B.C.

In Richmond, the Aboriginal graduationrate for the past four years of data has been

the same as or above the Provincial

Aboriginal graduation rate. Also, in the

most current student performance data,

2007/08, the Aboriginal graduation rate in

Richmond was 74% compared to 78% for

Non-Aboriginal students (Aboriginal Report

2003/04-2007/08 How Are We Doing? SD 38 Richmondhttp://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/performance.htm). This

performance not only exceeds the

provincial graduation rate but it also has a big implication for Richmond’s Enhancement

Agreement. It means that we will be able to define student success in a broader sense than merely

in academic performance.

Current Programming in our District

Our district-based support service includes two First Nations Resource teachers who work

for the school district as well as a First Nation support worker who works for the Richmond

Youth Services Agency (RYSA) and is partially funded by RSD#38 through a Community Links

grant. Anyone who has self-identified as being of Aboriginal ancestry and would like to access

additional services outside the schools are welcome to consult directly with Pathways, the

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Aboriginal program of RYSA. In our elementary and

secondary schools, Aboriginal Education has for the most

part been seen as an addendum to the current curriculum.

Aboriginal children are either pulled out of their classes

individually or all the Aboriginal children in one school

are pulled out of their regular classes to come together to

discuss and learn about their culture. Occasionally,

classroom teachers work with one of the two First Nations

Resource teachers and together they teach aspects of Aboriginal culture to the whole class. The

district has also on occasion been able to offer the

Social Studies course “First Nations 12” in a couple

of the High schools but the percentage of students

who take this course is very low. From all the

community gatherings the EA committee has held to

date, the data reveal that learning about Aboriginal

history and culture is desirable and necessary for all

children in the school system, not just for Aboriginal

students. It is this integrating of Indigenous

Knowledge throughout the current curriculum that will

enrich our understanding of Canadian history and

culture and in essence help us to build a socially

responsible society that will not repeat it’s errors and

atrocities of the

past. “[It] is one of

the most important

things that we want

to do in the

educational system, which is why we call it a systemic

initiative; there is a need to broadly re-conceptualize and

revitalize Native knowledge and to integrate it thoroughly

…” (Kawageley, 2001, p.55).

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The Richmond School District’s Experience In Developing

an Enhancement Agreement

Like other Enhancement Agreement Committees, the objective of the Richmond School

District’s EA Committee is to generate goals that will help ensure the success of our Aboriginal

students. This objective aligns itself with the District’s core objective of continuous improvement

in student achievement and more specifically with the District’s policy of Inclusion, which is the

commitment to give all learners an opportunity to fulfill their potential and reach their greatest

success.

The EA committee is comprised of several members from the Richmond School District as well

as the community at large: the Education Consultant from the Musqueam First Nation, the

Richmond School Trustees, Richmond Museum and Heritage, Richmond Youth Services Agency,Vancouver Coastal Health, Richmond District Parent Association, an Area Superintendent, the

Richmond Teachers’ Association (RTA) president and RTA members, administrators, educational

assistants, parents and students. Our First Nation neighbour to the south is the Tsawwassen First

Nation, who do not wish to join our committee at this time. We have written letters asking for

their participation and I have visited them in person. It is not mandatory for them to sign our

Agreement as we are on unceded Musqueam traditional territory, however, their participation is

welcomed and there is always a chair for them at our meetings. The EA Committee was formed

in the spring of 2007 and continues to meet on a monthly basis throughout the school year. Itsmeetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend and the committee continues to gain

membership. In the first year of its existence, the bulk of the committee meetings were to clarify

the process of developing an EA. The committee heard from guests from other districts who

shared with us their EA development experiences. It took that first year for everyone to come to a

deeper understanding of what the mandate and process was all about.

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The main data gathering approach used in developing Enhancement Agreements is the

community gatherings. Community gatherings provide opportunities to hear the voices of all

stakeholders. In collaboration with these groups, EA goals are created, targets are set and

performance indicators are established which are then reviewed yearly for a period of five years.

In the fall of 2008, the EA Committee met with two members of the Ministry of Education

Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement Branch, Victor Jim and Eric Mahon, to formulate our

thoughts on how the Richmond EA process was going to begin. This was an invaluable meeting

as it was from here that we were able to articulate a plan for our first community gathering as

well as come up with the idea of holding student forums for our high school students. We felt that

this latter initiative was an important step in the process as Aboriginal students are clearly a key

stakeholder. Accordingly, they needed to be involved and their

voices needed to be heard.

The committee decided that one of our first steps should also

be to inform district staff of the EA process and development.

To this end, we developed a slide presentation to help define

the EA, explain the purpose behind it and outline what the

district’s process was in its development. I presented this to

both the RTA Executive Committee as well as to all the Elementary and Secondary School

Administrators in the fall of 2008. I also undertook to the administrators that I was available tocome to any school that would like a presentation on the EA.

In January 2009, the EA committee held its first

community gathering. It was an open invitation to the

community, to educators and to Aboriginal families to

attend a community feast and gathering to hear the

purpose of the Enhancement Agreement. Individual

invitations were mailed to each identified Aboriginal

family and posters were put up around the city in

community centres, the museum, libraries and in all

the elementary and high schools in the district. The

evening consisted of a salmon dinner, entertainment, speakers from the Ministry Branch of

Aboriginal Education and a special guest, Mr. Robert Davidson, the well-known Haida artist. A

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Musqueam Elder, Mrs. Rose Point, opened

the evening and First Nations protocol was

followed throughout the evening (gifts for

Elders, youth serving dinner to the Elders,

etc.) A breakout session was incorporated

into the evening where people formed small

groups and were asked to respond to the

following questions: who are asked to define

what success looks like for their children,

what is needed to achieve that success, and

how success will be measured. Facilitators recorded the answers and comments and we ended the

evening with door prizes. Approximately 150 people attended and by all accounts the evening

was a success.

The committee organized four additional community gatherings for the spring of 2009 –

one in each quadrant of Richmond. Again, invitations were mailed to all the identified Aboriginal

families in the district and posters were put up around the community. The

same format was followed at each meeting with different speakers and

different Elders opening the gathering. The group discussion questions

were also used in the presentations to the Aboriginal high school students,

to teachers in their school groups and to community groups (Richmond

Intercultural Advisory Committee: City of Richmond, UBC Conference:

“Investigating our Practices”, Richmond Youth Services Agency).

Additionally, all who attended the gatherings (community members,

parents, teachers, administrators and students) had the opportunity to fill

out questionnaires, which provided us with more specific data. By

providing all of these opportunities to hear the voices of all stakeholders and by soliciting

responses through questionnaires, the committee has to date gathered solid data that will be used

to establish specific goals unique to our district and our Aboriginal students.

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Continuing the Development of the Agreement

The committee met again in September 2009 to decide upon our next steps in the

Enhancement Agreement process. At this meeting, the idea of using a “four pillar” concept of

the Enhancement Agreement process was put forth. Many districts have used the Medicine

Wheel or the Circle of Courage from Dr. Martin Brokenleg as the model for their

Enhancement Agreement goals. Our four pillar model or a longhouse with four house posts

can be connected to the idea of four main groups of stakeholders in our Enhancement

Agreement process: children/students, parents/families, elders/communities, teachers/

educators. The voices of these four groups need to equally and comprehensively be sought and

considered in order to give this Agreement its clarity and vision. The number four has

significance to the local First Nations (four directions, four seasons, four stages of life, four

aspects of development, etc.) and this model resonates with these notions. It acknowledges thatif any of the voices are not heard, that the whole process is out of balance and therefore the

“roof” and protection of the structure cannot protect the inhabitants. The four posts can also be

imagined as the four human aspects of life: intellectual (educators), spiritual (Elders), physical

(family support) and emotional (individual students).

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With all the data that were collected in the spring

2009 and the four-pillar concept accepted by the

committee, our next meeting in the fall of 2009

was an evening session to begin to look at the

collected data. We divided the committee into 4

groups to correspond with the pillar groups:

students, parents, educators and Elders. Each

team answered the following questions:

1.What are some of the common themes found in

the data? 2. What do we still need to know/

should we know? 3. How do we get the needed

information? / How do we connect to each groupfor feedback?

The findings of each team were reported to the

larger group and suggestions and comments were

given. At the end of this meeting, the committee

decided action was needed in the following areas:

more relationship building with the Musqueam

First Nation Band; more dissemination of the

Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement process to

the Aboriginal community and school district

personnel; and more Aboriginal voice in the

process. This response led to some action plans

that would continue to move the process along:

i). A presentation to the Musqueam Chief and

Council on the EA progress to date;

ii). The creation of a social network or medium

to build a bigger profile of the EA in the district;

iii). Another community gathering for all families

to hear more Aboriginal voice in the process.



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Action Plans for 2009/ 2010i). In November 2009, Nancy Brennan, our Area

Superintendent and I gave an up-to-date progress report of the

EA development to the Musqueam Chief and Council. The

chief, Mr. Ernie Campbell and others on the Council were

impressed with our development and they were very pleased

we were involving them at this stage in the process. They

passed a motion to continue to support and guide us

throughout the process. This support is, and will continue to

be, important for the development of the EA.

ii). The second action plan for the committee was to

produce an interactive social network for the community

and district staff to access information on the

Enhancement Agreement as well as to respond to

questions or add their ideas. The blog created and

launched on the district website has a twofold purpose: to

inform the public about the Richmond School District’s

Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement development and

progress, and to serve as a resource for educators to

promote understanding of Indigenous Knowledge. The

Musqueam First Nation translated the title of our blog into the Hun’qumi’num or Musqueam language.

As well, they are also willing to continue to provide the district with resources as we need them.

iii).The third action plan for the EA committee, that of holding

another community gathering, took place on March 30, 2010.

This informal gathering was meant to encourage more of the

Aboriginal Community to become involved in the process. The

Aboriginal Youth Centre in Richmond, Pathways, hosted this

parent night and our session formed part of the evening. As a

committee, we presented the Enhancement Agreement process

to date and invited dialogue and feedback from the participants.

iv). Finally, in the latter part of this school year, the District organized an administrative task so that a 0.2

position will be added to support the Enhancement Agreement process. This is an indication of the

commitment to the success of this initiative. Andrea Davidson, a newly appointed Vice Principal in the

District, is a founding member of the EA Committee. She is on the writing committee, has taught First

Nations 12 and she has a passion for Aboriginal education.



What are our Next Steps?

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Challenges we facein Incorporating IndigenousKnowledge

Incorporating Indigenous

Knowledge into the curriculumwould give all students, both

Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal,

to learn another way of

knowing different from that of

the dominant Eurocentric

knowledge system. Through

these connections and learning

opportunities, the district as a

whole could look forward to not

only continued and improvedsuccess amongst all students

but an increase in tolerance and

respect for Canada’s Indigenous

cultures and ways of knowing.

This would be the true meaning

of integrating Indigenous

Knowledge into the curriculum

rather than teaching Aboriginal

culture as a separate course or

only to Aboriginal students.

Creating

a sense of need to incorporate

Indigenous Knowledge in a

school district that has such a

small percentage of identified

Aboriginal students will not be

an easy task. Through the

questionnaires in our data

collection, the responses

indicate that teachers already

endeavour to provide a rich,

diverse learning environment

for all students. However, there

remain challenges.

Through lack of time and

resources, teachers see the

implementation of an

Enhancement Agreement as

something more put onto their

plate. In fact, their question

becomes “What exactly are we

trying to enhance?” If teachers

have no Aboriginal students in

their class, or if administrators

do not have Aboriginal studentsin their school, they do not see

this as something in which they

need to be involved. Also, many

classroom teachers feel ill-

equipped to teach First Nations

culture much less to try to

integrate aspects of Indigenous

Knowledge into their pedagogy.

Only through education and

open discussions on

demystifying the culture and

explaining its importance in the

Canadian fabric will this feeling

of unresponsiveness change.

For all stakeholders, the

introduction of Indigenous

Knowledge needs to be done

respectfully, unassumingly and

gradually.

*Goal development: A small writing committee has been established to sort and analyze the data in more

detail. We have met on a number of occasions to identify what sort of themes are emerging. At our last

EA Committee meeting, we shared with the larger group what we have found to date. This process will

continue into the fall as we work on the draft goals that will be unique to our district.

*Approval of the draft goals: In the fall we will take the goals to the Richmond Aboriginal community

for their approval. We will also seek input from the Musqueam First Nation. Once the approvals fromMusqueam and the Ministry have been obtained, we will start the final drafting of the Agreement, which

will contain both the approved goals and a set of strategies for achieving those goals.

*Signing of the Agreement: With the Agreement completed, a signing ceremony will take place in the

district to mark the beginning of the implementation stage. This working document will be reviewed and

reported on every year for the next five years. It is our hope that the Agreement will be signed by the

summer of 2012.



Some ideas for Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge

Our first Enhancement Agreement will have goals focusing on integrating First Nations culture

into the curriculum. Indeed, “Enhancement Agreements not only stress the importance of

academic performance but also make explicit how integral First People’s traditional culture and

languages are to Aboriginal student development and success. These values are reflected in one

of the fundamental elements of Enhancement Agreements, which requires school districts to

provide strong programs on the culture of local Aboriginal peoples on whose traditional

territories the districts are located”. (Morin, 2004, p.202)

• A working partnership with the Musqueam Education Department is most important so that

schools can seek guidance and support in providing a meaningful culture education program.The Richmond Museum has already developed a Musqueam Education Kit in collaboration

with the Musqueam Band. This kit could be made into multiple copies for the District and

show-cased to educators. Also, our blog could be expanded into a resource website where, with

Musqueam Band’s approval, people could learn simple phrases in the Musqueam language.

• More partnership programs and initiatives with the District’s

First Nation resource teachers and the support worker at

Richmond Youth Services Agency would be beneficial to the

students. By pooling resources and working together to plan

community events that highlight cultural activities such as

National Aboriginal Day, Pow Wows, carving and art projects,

drumming and singing events and many other experiences,

students would ultimately develop a strong sense of belonging

and pride in their cultural heritage and take more leadership

roles in their own community.

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• With the help of the Musqueam Education Department and other First Nations groups, ongoing

professional development with guest speakers, after school workshops, study groups and in-

class demonstrations would help all educators integrate aspects of Indigenous Knowledge into

their pedagogy. Assistance in lesson planning from the First Nations resource teachers as well

as school-based action research initiatives to encourage greater understanding of Aboriginal

Education could provide direct support to Aboriginal students. By readily offering the course

First Nations 12 to all high school students either at their school or on-line would enable more

students to learn about Aboriginal history. This year, our district is changing the name to British

Columbia First Nations Studies

11/12 in order to alleviate the often

misunderstood title (First Nations

Studies) that implies it is only for

First Nations students.

• Acknowledging we are on unceded traditional Musqueam territory at the beginning of public

meetings would go a long way in educating people about the local Aboriginal community and

respecting the Musqueam First Nation. Incorporating some of the aspects of the local First

Nations traditions whenever possible such as an Elder opening a district professional

development day, or a Witnessing Ceremony at a conference, at a workshop or in the classroom

is also another way to teach the traditions of the local culture without having to learn their traditions out of context.

• The Enhancement Agreement Committee believes it is necessary that the district demonstrates

we are committed to a long-term relationship with

the Musqueam First Nation. The EA committee

started this process by meeting with the Chief and

Council in the fall. Further relationship building

with Musqueam could be some sort of visualrepresentation of the Band in our Board Office, in

the schools and ideally in any new school district building. This acknowledgement could be in

the form of a plaque, welcome post, painting, weaving, or other art forms deemed appropriate

and would announce to the community and visitors our relationship with Musqueam.

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Integrating Indigenous Knowledge withOral and Experiential Learning Aboriginal communities in North America traditionally disseminated

information orally using what is know as The Oral Tradition. Laws,

subsistence practices, spiritual beliefs and genealogical records are just some of the types of information that have been passed down

orally for thousands of years. Traditional stories, legends and songs

are several common methods for oral knowledge dissemination. Although many Aboriginal

languages are extinct or disappearing, there is a resurgence of some languages at the university

level. “In September 1999, for the first time, the University of Winnipeg offered Cree and

Ojibway courses” (Young, 2003, p.103). Repetition and intergenerational teachings are important

aspects of the oral teachings. Providing students opportunities to make oral presentations is a way

to practice speaking skills and use a traditional dissemination method. In a language education

classroom oral teaching and learning is especially useful.

Place based, contextual and hands-on learning are

all examples of experiential learning, which is a

powerful way to activate multiple senses. Learning

that takes place in the natural world provides

students a change of scenery, stimuli and a way to

complement didactic learning. A strong connection

to the land is a common tenet found in Aboriginal

education theory and provides an opportunity for

teachers to bring learning to locations to which

students may have a connection outside the

classroom. Numerous examples could be shared

within schools of ways to integrate nature and learning. Organizing outdoor education camps,

planting outdoor gardens, and encouraging community projects are just a few examples.

A few examples of culture-based projects that I recommend based upon what I have learned from

the literature and from my experiences are:

-Have students share their culture and family traditions

-Invite Elders or other family members to talk about their occupations, traditions and

culture

-Establish an on-going participation of Elders in school activities

-Have all students research family history

-Have students identify their own strengths and needs to enhance life skills

-Have students explore their own values and identify and appreciate who they are and

their place in the world

-Make the school community inclusive of all cultures

-Encourage community projects

-Teach local cultural knowledge

! 20



! 21

A Holistic Approach to AboriginalEducationCultivating a holistic

(intellectual, emotional,

spiritual, physical) framework

for the support and

development of relevant

Aboriginal curriculum and

resources will enable educators

to address the needs of all

students while integrating

Indigenous Knowledge.

Research has shown that

pedagogical practices or changes need to be system-

wide in order to be successful

(Jones et al., 2006) For change

to happen in an institution, it

must not be seen as something

separate but rather something

that can be integrated into our

everyday lives. In our school

district we see this in programs

that are being implementedacross the district in behaviour

support plans and

environmental sustainability. If

people see these initiatives as

something extra they need to

do, on top of everything else

that is demanded of them, they

won’t do it. The behaviour

support system is being

welcomed because staff are

looking to children to take

more responsibility for their

behaviour and the system has

proven to work. When the

whole school buys into it, then

it isn’t on the shoulders of only

a few people to fix the problem.“The ultimate test of the

validity of knowledge is

whether it enhances the

capacity of people to live

well” (Castellano, 2000, p.33)

As a society we need to be able

to engage with all types of

knowledge in order to live

together in harmony. When

authentic (not stereotypical)

Aboriginal culture is reflected

in textbooks and in the

hallways and classrooms of our

schools, when traditional

practices are celebrated, andwhen all Aboriginal students

feel pride in their heritage

because they know where they

come from and who they are,

then the healing process for all

Aboriginal people will have

truly begun. “The knowledge

that will support their survival

in the future will not be an

artifact from the past. It will bea living fire, rekindled from

surviving embers and fueled

with the materials of the

twenty-first century.” (ibid, p.

34).

By respecting the diversity of the

Aboriginal cultures represented in the district and

in the Province and continuously improving the

district’s Aboriginal programming, the desiredoutcome would be a greater connection of

Aboriginal learners to their culture and a feeling

of pride in who they are. Through the

Enhancement Agreement process of listening to

stakeholders and collectively deciding on goals,

all parties can take joint ownership of the

initiative. Trust has to be established again in the

school systems and

learning must be

made meaningful for

Aboriginal childrenand families if

authentic Aboriginal

culture is to be

integrated with

Western ways of learning. Clearly all children

would benefit from intercultural sharing and

living in a more respectful society.



References:

Archibald, Jo-ann. (2008). Indigenous storywork: Educating the heart, mind, body and spirit .

Vancouver: UBC Press.

Armstrong, Jeannette. (2008). An Okanagan worldview of society. In Melissa Nelson (Ed.),

Original instructions: Indigenous teachings for a sustainable future (pp. 66-74). Vermont:

Bear & Company.

Augustine, Stephen Hereditary Chief of Mi’kmaw Grand Council. (2008). Preface. Oral history

and oral traditions. In Renee Hulan & Renate Eigenbrod (Eds.), Aboriginal oral traditions:

Theory, practices, ethics (pp. 1-5). Halifax: Fernwood Publishing with the Gorsebrook

Research Institute.

Battiste, Marie (2008). The struggle and renaissance of Indigenous knowledge in Eurocentric

education. In Malia Villegas, Sabina Rak Neugebauer, & Kerry R. Venegas (Eds.), Indigenous

knowledge and education: Sites of struggle, strength, and survivance (pp. 85-91). Cambridge,

MA: Harvard Education Review Reprint Series No.44.

Castellano, Marlene Brant. (2000). Updating Aboriginal traditions of knowledge. In George Dei,

Budd Hall, & Dorothy Rosenberg (Eds.), Indigenous knowledges in global contexts: Multiple

readings of our world (pp. 21-36). Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Cajete, Gregory. (2000). Indigenous knowledge: The Pueblo metaphor of Indigenous education.

In Marie Battiste (Ed.) Reclaiming Indigenous voice and vision (pp. 181-191). Vancouver:

UBC Press.

Freeman, Milton M.R. (1992). The Nature and Utility of Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

Northern Perspectives 20(1), (pp.1-7).

Jones et al. (2006). Culturally Responsive Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support: A Case Study

in One School With a High Proportion of Native American Students. Multiple Voices, 9(1),

(pp. 108-119).

Kawageley, Oscar. (2001). Tradition and education: The world made seamless again. In Keith

James (Ed.), Science and Native American communities: Legacies of pain, visions of promise (pp. 51-56). Lincoln Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press.

Krohn, Elise. (2008) Teaching in Indian Country. Journal of Democracy & Education. 17 (2),

(pp. 39-43).

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Kundoque, Green, Jacquie. (2008). Reclaiming Haisla ways: Remembering oolichan fishing.

Canadian Journal of Native Education 31(1), (pp. 11-23).

Morin, Heather. (2004). Student Performance Data and Research Tools to Ensure Aboriginal

Student Success. In Aboriginal policy research: Setting the Agenda for Change: (Vol. 1 and 2

pp. 193-206). Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Settee, Priscilla. (2008). Indigenous knowledge as the basis for our future. In Melissa Nelson

(Ed.), Original instructions: Indigenous teachings for a sustainable future (pp. 42-47).

Vermont: Bear & Company.

Tur, Ngitji Ngitji Mona & Tur, Simone Ulalka. (2005). Conversation: Wapar munu mantaku

nintiringanyi – Learning about the dreaming and land. In Gus Worby & Lester-Irabinna

Rigney (Eds.), Sharing spaces: Indigenous and non-Indigenous responses to story, country

and rights (pp. 160-179). Western Australia: API Network, Autralian Research Institute,

Curtin University of Technology.

Wells, Nancy. (2005). Synthesis of Aboriginal Education Across Canada Policy Directions. SAEE

- Society for the Advancement of Excellence in Education. Retrieved from

http://www.saee.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=619&Itemid=55 June 2010.

Young, Mary. (2003). Anishinabemowin: A way of seeing the world, reclaiming my identity.

Canadian Journal of Native Education 27(1), (pp. 101-107).

Footnotes

1Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/529578/Duncan-Campbell-Scott,

June 2010. Head of the Department of Indian Affairs and founder of the Residential

School System, 1920.

2 Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Text of Apology, 2008. Retrieved from

www.fns.bc.ca/pdf/TextofApology.pdf . June 2010.

3 A cornerstone of the settlement agreement is the Indian Residential Schools Truth and

Reconciliation Commission. This commission presents a unique opportunity to educate all

Canadians on the Indian residential schools system. It will be a positive step in forging a newrelationship between Aboriginal peoples and other Canadians, a relationship based on the

knowledge of our shared history, a respect for each other and a desire to move forward

together with a renewed understanding that strong families, strong communities and vibrant

cultures and traditions will contribute to a stronger Canada for all of us. (Prime Minister

Stephen Harper, Text of Apology, 2008. Retrieved from www.fns.bc.ca/pdf/ TextofApology.pdf ! June 2010.

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