FIRST NATIONS, METIS

AND INUIT SUCCESS IN

SCHOOLS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DECEMBER 9, 2016

INTRODUCTION
What do you think a Non-FNMI person needs to do
in order to make a student feel a greater sense of
belonging?
Not just teachers, but everyone in a school community.

DISTRICT GOALS AND ST. FRANCIS JUNIOR HIGH GOALS

PG. 3 SFJH STUDENT HANDBOOK

5. Aboriginal students achieve the same levels of success

at school as non-Aboriginal students in an environment
where cultures and values are respected and reinforced.

4 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS

Presentation # 1
Introduction / Personal Education Journeys

Presentation # 2
History of First Nations Education

Presentation # 3
Current Issues in First Nations, Metis and Inuit Education

Presentation # 4
Blood Reserve

WHY THE NUMBER FOUR?

With the guidance of my Mentor, we chose to develop our sessions in a
series of four. Four is a significant number most First Nations cultures,
but in particular, Blackfoot culture, Siksikaitsitapi. The number four
appears in all aspects of life.
Four dimensions that leads to a balanced life (physical,
metal/emotional, social, spiritual) , four seasons, four stages of life
(childhood, teenage, adult, Elder) four directions.
We chose to honour the number four through our sessions with the
school.

OVERVIEW OF SESSION ONE

INTRODUCTION/PERSONAL EDUCATION JOURNEYS
We began our session with a Smudge ceremony. We want to encourage our
school community to learn more about tradition and culture within our school.
Next, we discussed our personal education journeys and how they correspond
to the ways that we view education today.
We introduced our staff to Blackfoot culture to get a better sense of
belonging.
We closed with a transition into our next session, which is a history of First
Nations, Metis and Inuit education in Canada.

OVERVIEW OF SESSION TWO HISTORY OF

FIRST NATIONS EDUCATION IN CANADA
Understanding the role that education plays from a historical context and dismantling
the typically Eurocentric views of education and relating them back to present day
issues in education.
Following a timeline evidenced in Education is Our Buffalo.
4 stages:

Stage1:
Stage 2:
Stage 3:
Stage 4:

Alliance 1500 -1763 (Royal Proclamation)

Marginalization 1763 1867 (BNA Act)
Wardship 1867 1969 (White Paper)
Self-Sufficiency 1969 Present (response to White Paper, Truth and Reconciliation)

Residential Schools 7 generations to overcome Cultural Genocide

How many students are still in close proximity to Residential Schools?

OVERVIEW OF SESSION THREE CURRENT

ISSUES IN FIRST NATIONS EDUCATION
Racism / Stereotypes / Xenophobia
For many students, they are facing challenges in their daily life that
many people will never see in their lifetime.
Funding On Reserve/Off Reserve (Debunking the myth)
Geography for On Reserve students Approximately half our students
come in from the Reserve.
How are these factors affecting student belonging and success in school?
Student success is correlated to feeling a sense of belonging in school.

OVERVIEW OF SESSION FOUR THE BLOOD

RESERVE
Tour of the Blood Reserve It will be beneficial for
educators to get a sense of the conditions of the
Blood Reserve. Too often, people have misconceptions
about a place that they have never seen.
As mentioned previously, a large number of our
students live On Reserve.
Visiting the four communities of the Reserve

Old Agency
Stand Off
Moses Lake
Laverne

WHAT DO YOU THINK A NON-FNMI PERSON NEEDS TO DO IN

ORDER TO MAKE A STUDENT FEEL A GREATER SENSE OF
BELONGING?
The first is understanding the past in order to make sense of the
present.
It is important to ensure that you do not assume a student knows their
history
One of the most important strategies anyone can have is just taking
interest in your student, making them feel welcome and important.
Setting students up for the cycle and culture of success.