Connecting First Nations and Public School Classrooms (CTF Report)

In  January, First  Nations leaders met  with Prime  Minister  Harper  and  senior  cabinet ministers as part of the Crown-First  Nations Gathering. The official  website of  the  meeting read: “The Crown-First Nations Gathering is  an opportunity to come together  as partners—as our ancestors  did at the time of treaty—to  strengthen  our relationship and set  a  path forward to give life to First Nations rights, build strong First Nations economies, boost First Nations education and foster healthy citizens and safe communities.” While  dialogue  is   extremely  important  at the national political level, we at the Canadian Teachers’   Federation  believe  that  dialogue  is equally important between teachers and students.

The  2010 CTF Study of Aboriginal Teachers’ Professional  Knowledge and Experience in Canadian Schools  informed  us  that  Aboriginal  teachers value the opportunity to teach Aboriginal culture and  history,  to  foster  responsible citizens,  to challenge the negative stereotypes  of Aboriginal people, to  serve as role models, and to  have a positive impact on children and youth. By positively acknowledging  the lives,  culture, and history of Aboriginal people, and by acknowledging the racism experienced by  Aboriginal  teachers and students, those involved in this twinning of cultures project will  promote the  creation of  a caring citizenry and secure communities.

One of the Aboriginal teachers who took part in the CTF study noted:
“As a former First Nations student and now a teacher, I’ve realized how ashamed I was of being Native. However,  education has taught me that once you’ve learned about yourself and  your culture, you become more accepting of yourself and others. Teaching has a way of changing a person without them even knowing it … and the effects are profound and everlasting. I still remember the teacher who “inspired”  me to become more than I thought possible. If  I can do that for others, that’s certainly a profession I  want to be a part of.”

This is why CTF, in partnership with the Assembly of  First  Nations (AFN),   is  proud to  introduce a pilot  project, through its  Imagineaction program, that  attempts to  bridge  the  distance between Aboriginal     and   public   school classrooms and to offer a common virtual platform to share stories. This pilot  project offers  the  opportunity to enrich awareness  and knowledge of First Nations culture for  all  students in  Canada. It  provides a  link  to  bridge cultural distances, to  increase understanding, and to motivate action. The pilot project offers the possibility of focusing on our respective communities and learning from one another, and of  celebrating commonalities and respecting  differences.  Most  importantly,  this project  offers  a  platform  for  reflection,  critical thinking,  leadership, action,  creativity, and empowerment of the individual student.|

I  would  like  to  commend the  Elementary Teachers’  Federation of  Ontario for  championing Aboriginal education in Canada through their longstanding  support of   the  Lieutenant  Governor’s Summer Camps and  Literacy  Initiatives,  raising issues such as the dire situation in Attawapiskat at the  CTF Board, and developing  resources for teachers that promote equity and social justice. We hope ETFO members will participate in this new program.

For more information  on this pilot project: imagine-action.ca or email: info@imagine-action.ca