Profiles of Aboriginal Educators: Footprints for the Future
Yüklə 10,79 Mb. Pdf görüntüsü
|
I chose to stay in school, even when it was most irrelevant and boring. I followed what I wanted to learn about the most and never gave up. I realized that change can only come through education and through educating all people. I believe that when enough people know the truth there is a political will to make change happen. This is why it is important for our youth to pursue education. A significant part of my own educational journey was accepting that traditional, spiritual leaders had knowledge that was important to the formation of our First Nations identity. It is this information that needs to be sought out and brought into the education system. Nora Ross really inspired me to pursue education. She currently works for the Province of Manitoba, and is originally from Berens River. Nora was a girls’ counselor at the residence in Cranberry Portage around 1970-71. She read an editorial I wrote in the school newspaper on how to teach and thought I would be a good teacher. At first the school guidance counselor tore up the university application Nora had given me with the admon- ishment that “teaching elementary school is women’s work.” Nora promptly got another application for me, we filled it out and the rest, as they say, is history. My career in education has been very long. I remember a time early in my teaching career when, under the authority of non- First Nations bosses, people were afraid of teaching students about their heritage. Today this fear still exists. Many non-Aboriginal people, including some of our First Nations people who follow a Christian faith, are uncomfortable about teaching our heritage. Yet nothing in the teachings of Christ, nor in the denominations that try to follow his teachings, says, “Thou shall not sweat,” or “Thou shall not honor the Creator in the way of your people.” So fear of change is the biggest obstacle I have dealt with in my work as an Aboriginal educator. Today I enjoy my current position because it allows me to meet with elders and other traditional knowledge keepers to do the research necessary to support my work and position. I also enjoy creating and delivering presentations and providing information to teachers which they can use to portray our peo- ple in a positive way. This is information that helps Aboriginal students feel a sense of pride. Dan Thomas Giizhibaawasi Makwa ndAnishinaabewinikaas, Waabishkima’iingun E D U C AT I O N / T R A I N I N G I received a permanent teaching certificate at Brandon University. 69 As a student R O L E S / R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S
a document titled “First Nations Teachings and Practices”, as well as a set of Ojibwe values posters in Ojibwe, also translated into English. When the truth is brought out by a person, and others pick up on that message, great change can happen. It doesn’t happen overnight, but over the course of one’s life one can observe tremendous change because we persevere. Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 69 3/24/09 3:11:30 PM
H O M E C O M M U N I T Y Waterhen, Manitoba C U LT U R A L I D E N T I T Y Anishinaabe Métis C U R R E N T P O S I T I O N Aboriginal Education Consultant/Aboriginal Academic Achievement Support Teacher Inner City and North District schools. Go out there and find your culture, identity, language and fulfill your dreams and aspirations. Become successful leaders, teachers in whatever career choice or decision you make in your lives. Remember to never stop trying; even when everything seems to get tough or when you struggle. Stand up tall, be proud of who you are and never give up. The greatest thing you can do to help yourself is to believe in yourself and know that we all have the courage to be great. If you have dreams, chase them; there is nothing you can’t do if you follow your gifts. If at first you do not succeed, try, and try again. We fail only when we fail to try. The second time is always easier. The choice is yours and we all can be successful! Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 70 3/24/09 3:11:37 PM
in a small Métis community with the Ojibway language and cus- toms. I come from a family of twelve and both my parents, David and Helen Campbell, are fluent Ojibway speakers. Growing up in a community surrounded by rivers, lakes, forests and rocks was very important to me. I realize that experiencing nature and being a part of it daily helped me understand that we are all inter-connected. It also made us much closer as a community. My parents taught us a lot of good teachings, as well as how to work. We lived and survived off the land, we hunted, fished, trapped and gardened. This was a very healthy way of life when I was growing up and it has made me what I am today. I remember as a student the feeling that I may not be successful. The supports from family and friends helped me to overcome my fears. Their support helped me complete my education degree. Over the years, with all my positive supports, I devel- oped courage, along with hope and perseverance to fulfill my dreams and to go on and never give up. One of the greatest things I did to encourage myself was to go speak to my Elders. This usually involved having conversations with my father and mother, my uncle (Pat Campbell), and my aunts (Margaret McIntyre and Clara Aneechin). They are my mentors and through their walk of life and sharing of wisdom, they gave me courage and guidance to walk a good life. They encouraged me and told me I could be successful too. My parents and family members are very important to me. I have a great family who really encouraged and supported me. I remember my grade one and grade five teachers as very good role models. I wanted to be a teacher like them. They had good qualities, they were kind, caring and had a good sense of humour. They told me that someday I was going to be successful with the abilities I had. I felt special and proud of what they shared with me and deep down I carried their messages and be- lieved that I would make it come true. I therefore believe I had good mentors, but in order to be successful I had to find myself as an Anishinabe woman. I had to make the right choices for myself and family. I graduated in October, 1998 with a four-year Bachelor of Edu- cation degree through Brandon University. In 2002, I then applied to the University of Manitoba to complete a post-bac- calaureate in Education and graduated in October, 2004. I am currently enrolled at the University of Manitoba and plan to pursue a Master’s degree in Aboriginal Education. As an educator I have had a wonderful ten years of great learn- ing experiences. Within my current position I support initia- tives in the new and existing curricula by integrating Aborigi- nal perspectives for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. I provide students and teachers with the necessary skills to develop a better understanding and respect for the history, cul- ture, traditional values and knowledge of Aboriginal people. The purpose of my position is to provide Aboriginal perspec- tives that are integrated rather than having isolated activities taught sporadically. I enjoy being able to share my knowledge, experience, and gifts as an educator. It is rewarding to know that I am making a difference in a person’s life. I take pride in my work and this gives me a great sense of accomplishment. My journey as an educator and also as an Anishinabe woman makes me feel very proud of who I am. Having been given the opportunity to develop positive relationships with colleagues, students and fellow community supports will definitely allow me to grow and help strengthen Aboriginal education. It is very important for our youth to pursue education as a career, because of our time and place in this world. With the hardships we encounter as Aboriginal people, we need to con- tinue to work harder to survive in our changing society. It is important to choose a career where you can share your talents, gifts and values as a person. Teaching is a profession that helps children understand the diversity of cultures and values that make our country strong. It is a career that will allow you to make a difference in a child’s life just like your favorite teacher may have made in yours. Geraldine Whitford E D U C AT I O N / T R A I N I N G
My story begins R O L E S / R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S
with supports for the integration of Aboriginal perspectives. Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 71 3/24/09 3:11:37 PM
H O M E C O M M U N I T Y St. James Assiniboia, Winnipeg, Manitoba C U LT U R A L I D E N T I T Y Aboriginal - Canadian C U R R E N T P O S I T I O N Grade four classroom teacher Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 72 3/24/09 3:11:45 PM
Jennifer Lee Jane Williams E D U C AT I O N / T R A I N I N G Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education 73 R O L E S / R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S
a teacher ever since I was young. It began when I was in grade two because I wanted to be like my teacher. She was organized, kind and fun. I also enjoyed learning. But the most notable experience that pushed me to be a teacher was being a mentor to my two younger sisters throughout their childhood. It was magical to see them grow and to be a part of that. I wanted to be able to relive that magic by helping other children experience the joy of learning. Today as a teacher I love that I continue to learn. I love to share the gift of knowledge with others and with my students. I realize that I had to overcome obstacles in order to become a teacher. For example, it was difficult to make the leap to attend university. Initially, I did not see university as a real option for me. I had no close family or friends who attended university and I had no money to pay for it. However, I was unhappy with the few job opportunities available without higher educa- tion and after a few years of working and living on my own I pushed myself to apply to university. I went for my dream even though I knew it would be tough. I now realize that university opened up a lot of doors for me. I not only had more career options, I also met all kinds of different people who came from different backgrounds and who offered different perspectives. My life has become richer as a result of these experiences and now I am able to inspire others to go for their dreams. I have wanted to be Have faith in yourself and go for your dreams. Never stop learning. Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 73 3/24/09 3:11:45 PM
H O M E C O M M U N I T Y Blood Reserve, Cardston, Alberta C U LT U R A L I D E N T I T Y Blood First Nation C U R R E N T P O S I T I O N Retired - Part time Counseling I have fond memories of my early childhood days living with my parents, extended family and siblings. Life was beautiful until it was marred when my oldest brother, Allen at age seven was taken to St. Mary’s Residential School. I soon found out that my siblings and I would eventually follow the same route. Sum- mer and Christmas holidays were really special because that was when my whole family was together once again. Being the third eldest of the children, I had many respon- sibilities and learned at an early age to care for my younger siblings. I took great pride in being our mother’s right hand girl. My father, mother us seven children are all survivors of the Residential School system. Since my school did not teach beyond grade-eight, my par- ents approached the Indian Agent about sending me to a high school. They were told that I had to stay at the Residential School until my 16 th birthday and that if they insisted on sending me to a high school; they would be responsible for my tuition, books, all school supplies, room and board. Since my parents did not want to deny me the opportunity of following my dream of a nursing career, they registered me at Lacombe Home Private School in Calgary, Alberta. This is when I became the first St. Mary’s graduate to attend a non-First Nation high school. Although I had to leave home again, this time it was my decision to realize my dream. Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 74 3/24/09 3:11:54 PM At Lacombe Home, I was the only First Nation student in our classroom of Grades 7-9. My excitement was soon drowned in tears when I saw that the stack of books issued to the Grades 7 and 8 were books totally unfamiliar to me. This is when I felt like a fish out of water. My teacher took me aside to find out the problem. She reassured me that it was not my fault that I was in such a situation and explained to me that the Residential Schools were given the option to follow the provincial curricu- lum or the curriculum issued from Ottawa if they did not have qualified teachers. Unfortunately, Indian Affairs at that time did not believe that First Nations children would ever pursue higher education. It became clear to me then, the reason why studying at St. Mary’s was so easy. Knowing that I needed a better academic foundation, my teacher gave me the option of repeating Grade 7 and 8 or take 2 years for Grade 9. She also emphasized that all Grade 9 students must write the Alberta Department of Education final exams. Three years to get to Grade 10 was just too much for me, so I decided to take Grade 9 for 2 years. At that point, my teacher issued me Grade 7 and 8 Math., Science and Language Arts texts and told me to follow these two grades when she is teaching them and if I needed extra help, she would be there. Furthermore, she explained my situation to the total class and gave them permission to help me whenever possible. I often reminded myself that my parents were spending so much money for my education: money that was being taken away from my whole family’s use, especially my siblings. This thought always spurred me on to work harder, to complete all assignments, to achieve good marks and to reach my career goal so that the money would not be wasted. Whenever, I would mention to my parents that so much money was being spent on me, they would remind me that during the summer holidays, I too, contributed to the farm work, so selling more cattle and pigs to pay for my education was the family’s wish. With hard work and help from my teacher and classmates, I passed the Departmental exams that first year and returned to Lacombe Home for three more years to complete high school. By this time, my calling to a nursing career had switched to education. I was accepted at the University of Alberta from where I received my Standard Teaching Certificate and was one of eleven student- teachers who received an award for passing the practicum with Honors.
My first school was in Grouard, Alberta and to this day, some of my former students still keep in touch. I completed my Bachelor of Education degree through correspondence and summer schools at the University of Alberta. Later, I received my Masters in Education from the University of Manitoba. In those days, during the late 40’s and 50’s, I was often the only First Nation teacher in a school. My great love for teaching inspired me to forge ahead in spite of many obstacles; even discrimination did not deter me to persevere. At Teachers’ con- ventions, I used to scan faces hoping to meet another First Nation teacher; however, there never was one.
As an Aboriginal educator, I have been fortunate to have been involved in many new developments. I have also worked hard to advocate for change in different areas and levels of the education system. Since my arrival in Winnipeg, in 1957, I have taught two-years in Norway House, at six schools in Winnipeg, at the Universities of Manitoba, Brandon and British Columbia. I have written 4 volumes of Elders Stories from my home reserve, coordinated the development of Mokakit Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Curriculum K-8 and was the first woman Director of the former Native Education Branch, a position I held for nine-years. I have volunteered on numerous boards and I am a founding member of the Keteyatsak Elders and Seniors Inc. Presently, I enjoy counseling at Yellowquill College twice a week There are so many individuals who have helped me along the way, however, I maintain that God, our Creator has helped and guided me through difficult and happy days. I thank our Creator for having given me a good life with a wonderful family and many good and true friends. Flora Zaharia E D U C AT I O N / T R A I N I N G Bachelor of Education, Masters in Education 75 R O L E S / R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S Counselor Yellowquill College – twice a week. I want all you students to know that if I was able to accomplish my dreams under very difficult circumstances, you too can do likewise. Once you set your goals, do everything to reach them, no matter how many obstacles are along the way. Remember, our Creator helps those who help themselves. Yüklə 10,79 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
|