Teaching First Nations Children:  Lakehead University

1. CONVERSATION CIRCLE1. CONVERSATION CIRCLE

2. GROUP WISDOM2. GROUP WISDOM

What do teachers need to understand?

HISTORY

Historical strugglesResidential schools

Land issues

DIVERSITY

CulturesPeople

Learning stylesWorldviews

CULTURE

UniquenessDifferencesImportance

Implementation

COMMUNITY

Family and community support (or lack of)Student personal life

Community uniqueness

ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS AND CONSIDERATIONS

AccommodationsExtra needsSocial IssuesIsolation

Lakehead University

What do teachers need to be able to do?

Essential Teacher Action

Access and find resources

Differentiated Instruction

Be open, flexible and sensitive

Form connections (students + 

community)

Honour diversity

Utilize cultural activities

Revise curriculum and adapt 

resources

Classroom Management

Bring in or use community 

mentors in the classroom

Essential Classroom Teaching

Aboriginal History

Identity

Social Issues

Connection to Community

Essential Teacher Training

Specific community training

Mandatory and continuous

Focus on Aboriginal history

Focus on governance and 

structures

Lakehead University

What do teachers need to honour?

People

Self

Students

Elders

Other Teachers

Individual

Family

Principles and Knowledge

Values and Worldviews

Stories

History

Traditional Knowledge and Activities

Circumstances 

Intergenerational Experience

Community Customs

Contributions of FNMI peoples to Canada 

7 Grandfather Teachings

Different Learning Styles

Policies

Community Policies

School Policies

Treaties

Cultural Protocols

Languages

Land

Lakehead University

What do teachers need to know?

SELF‐AWARENESS ROLE AWARENESS STUDENT AWARENESS

CLASSROOM TEACHING SKILLS

Methods that affirm Aboriginal 

individual student  learning

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS 

AND AS A RESOURCE

Elders and Families

CULTURAL RESPECT AND 

SENSITIVITY

HEALTH AND OTHER PROBLEM 

ISSUES

Community nutrition, drug and 

alcohol problems

TEACHABLE KNOWLEDGE 

RELATED TO ABORIGINAL 

EDUCATION

History and Language

ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

Funding and governance 

barriers to Aboriginal education 

Lakehead University

A chart that embodies the 

following principles for 

teachers to be cognizant of 

and  embody in their 

teaching. 

What do teachers need to know?

Some participants opted for a more graphical representation of the ideas they were trying to express. 

This is another representation that the group offered.

Lakehead University

Group WisdomWhat are the essential aspects of a 

framework for a course in: Aboriginal  Peoples: Understanding Traditional 

Teachings, Histories, Current Issues and  Cultures

Lakehead University

In response to this question, the group arrived at the following

cluster of ideas: 

Teaching First Nations Students—Group Wisdom; Lakehead University

First Nations: Holistic Teaching and Learning StylesFirst Nations: Holistic Teaching and Learning Styles

It is important that teachers embody or utilize the following in

their teaching to 

Aboriginal students:

Lakehead University

CONNECTIONS TO 

STUDENTS; RESPECT FOR 

THEIR INDIVIDUALITY

PRINCIPLES AND VALUES 

OF THE ABORIGINAL 

COMMUNITY

LOCAL TOOLS AND 

RESOURCES

EXPERIENTIAL, HANDS‐

ON AND COMMUNITY 

BASED LEARNING

INCLUSION

Principles of Honouring First Nations…Principles of Honouring First Nations…

Respect for indigenous land Diversity of students and 

communities

Education as empowerment Leadership

Resourcefulness Respect for different learning 

abilities

Self‐Awareness Role Awareness

Decolonization Humor

Inclusion

Lakehead University

First Nations: The LanguagesFirst Nations: The Languages

Treatment of Language:Language needs to be…

Respected Revitalized Learned

Importance of Language

Vital Part of Indigenous Culture Collaboration between language 

teachers and classroom teachers

Important Role in Shaping Identity Part of the knowledge of the land

Lakehead University

Community and Teacher as PartnersCommunity and Teacher as Partners

TEACHER

Acknowledge parent and 

community role

Show that they’re fair treaty 

partners 

TEACHER

Acknowledge parent and 

community role

Show that they’re fair treaty 

partners 

COMMUNITY

Bring depth and acquired 

knowledge (especially from Elders, 

historians)

Strengthen culture

COMMUNITY

Bring depth and acquired 

knowledge (especially from Elders, 

historians)

Strengthen culture

PARTNERSHIP TO HONOUR AND EMBODY THE FOLLOWING

Cultural sensitivity Connectivity

Networking Inclusivity 

Lakehead University

Foundations of the Learning SpiritFoundations of the Learning Spirit

Understand the impact of geography of FN 

community

Universal

Respecting Mother Earth, self and others Economic success/struggles

Developing an understanding of spiritual 

beliefs

Researching your ancestors

Relationship to the land Exploring nature

All children need Aboriginal education, history, 

stories, language teachings!

Community focuses curriculum

Spirit Histories are essential and help

Empowerment and success stories Camping (fishing, hunting)

Relationships with the environment Historical Perspective

Lakehead University

Guiding Principles for AQ Course, Development Design and DeliveryGuiding Principles for AQ Course, Development Design and Delivery

Lakehead University

Session Synthesis

Legend

1: First Nations Holistic Teaching and 

Learning Styles

2: Principles of Honouring First 

Nations

3: First Nations: The Language

4: Community and Teacher as 

Partners

5: Foundations of the Learning Spirit

6: Guiding Principles for AQ course 

Development, Design and 

Delivery

Lakehead University

Session Synthesis (cont.)

Lakehead University