THEOFFICEOFFIRSTNATIONEDUCATION

DEPARTMENTOFEDUCATIONAND EARLY CHILDHOODDEVELOPMENT‐ NEWBRUNSWICK

RESPONDINGTOTHETRC’SCALLSTOACTION

BillPatrick Artists:PaulineYoung,MetepenagiagLearningSpecialist NatalieSappier,Neqotkuk

OVERVIEW• TheOfficeofFirstNationEducationanddistrictsupports

• CallstoActionandotherguidingdocumentsforNBeducators

• Whythisworkissoimportant

• Whatourstudentsaresaying

• OFNE’sinitiatives

EDUCATIONASHOPE

“DespitepainfulexperiencesAboriginalpeopleshavesufferedinthepastcenturyormore,Aboriginalpeoplestillseeeducationashavinghopefortheirfuture,andtheyaredeterminedtoseeeducationfulfillitspromise.”

‐Dr.MarieBattiste,DecolonizingEducation

THEOFFICEOFFIRSTNATIONEDUCATION

• SachaDeWolfe,Director• BillPatrickandCraigWilliamson,LearningSpecialists• LynnWolverton,AdministrativeSupport

DISTRICTSUPPORTSASD‐W:TwoFNSubjectCoordinators:SarahFrancisandDonnaWhite

ASD‐E:OneFNSubjectCoordinator:TracyLandry

ASD‐S:OneFNSubjectCoordinator:MarkPerry

ASD‐N:OneFNSubjectCoordinator:MatthewSweezeyTwoFNLeads:ElizabethPrice,PatriciaMiller

CALLSTOACTIONBYTHETRCEducationforreconciliation

62.Wecalluponthefederal,provincial,andterritorialgovernments,inconsultationandcollaborationwithSurvivors,Aboriginalpeoples,andeducators,to:

i.Makeage‐appropriatecurriculumonresidentialschools,Treaties,andAboriginalpeoples’historicalandcontemporarycontributionstoCanadaamandatoryeducationrequirementforKindergartentoGradeTwelvestudents.

GUIDINGDOCUMENTSFOREDUCATORS:THEEDUCATIONACT

7.TheMinister(may)shall prescribeorapproveprogramsandserviceswhich

(a)respondtotheuniqueneedsofMi’kmaqandMaliseetchildreninaccordancewithanyagreemententeredintounderparagraph50(2)(b),and

(b)fosteranunderstandingofaboriginalhistoryandcultureamongallpupils.

2000, c.52, s.10; 2017, c.7,s.1

ESSENTIALGRADUATIONLEARNINGSGraduateswillbeable,forexample,to:

• examinehumanrightsissuesandrecognizeformsofdiscrimination;

• demonstrateunderstandingoftheirownandothers’culturalheritage,culturalidentityandthecontributionofmulticulturalismtosociety.

• reflectcriticallyonethicalissues

IT’SPARTOFOURPLANObjective6oftheeducationplan:“Everyoneattheirbest”‐

• ItisimperativethatweacknowledgeandaffirmthehistoricalandculturalcontributionsofFirstNationcommunitiesandindividuals.Thisgoalissupportedby ensuringthatallcurricula,pre‐schooltoGrade12,accuratelyreflectthehistoryandcultureofFirstNationPeople.

• AswerespondtotheTruthandReconciliationCommissionofCanada:CallstoAction,itisourresponsibilitytoensurethatallNewBrunswicklearnersunderstandandappreciatethegenerationalimpactofIndianresidentialanddayschooling.

• Tothisend,wewillensurethatFirstNationrealities,experiencesandcontributionstoCanadiansocietyareembeddedthroughouttheK‐12educationalsystem,therebybecomingafoundationalunderstandingforallNewBrunswicklearners.

REFLECTINGCRITICALLY

TheAtlanticCanadaEnglishLanguageArtsCurriculumdescribestheimportanceofcriticalliteracy‐

CRITICALLITERACY• Criticalliteracyequipsstudentswiththecapacitiesandunderstandingwhicharepreconditionsforeffectivecitizenshipinapluralisticanddemocraticsociety.

• Criticalliteracycanbeatoolforaddressingissuesofsocialjusticeandequity,forcritiquingsocietyandattemptingtoeffectpositivechange.

WHYITISSOIMPORTANTTOADDRESSTHECALLSTOACTION

“ThelifeofatypicalAboriginalin21st centuryCanadaremainssignificantlyworsethanthatofanyotherdemographicgroup,withratesofpoverty,addictionandviolencegrosslydisproportionatetotheirpercentageofthepopulation.”

http://www.thecanadaguide.com/first‐nations

POVERTY

IndigenouschildreninCanadaare morethantwiceaslikelytoliveinpovertythannon‐Indigenouschildren.

‐CanadianCentreforPolicyAlternatives(CCPA)‐2016

MENTALHEALTHISSUES

SuicideratesamongFirstNationyouthare5to7timeshigher

thanotheryoungnon‐aboriginalpeopleinCanada.

AGROWINGPOPULATIONTheAboriginalpopulationincreasedby

20.1%between2006and2011‐comparedwith

5.2%forthenon‐Aboriginalpopulation.

InJuly2015,TheCanadianHumanRightsCommissiontoldaUnitedNationspanelthattheplightofCanada’sAboriginalpeoplesis‐oneofthemosturgentcivilrightsissuesfacing

Canadatoday.

VOICESOFFIRSTNATIONSTUDENTSWhattheyaretellingus.

CULTURALDISCONTINUITY• ThereisoftenadisconnectforFirstNationstudentswhentheyleavecommunitiesandgotoprovincialschools.

• Oncommunity(reserve),theylivewithinafamiliarculture.

• Whentheyareattendingprovincialschools,theyoftenfeelpressuretochangethemselvestobeacceptedandtobecomesuccessful.

CULTURALDISSONANCE• Asenseofdiscomfort,discordordisharmonyarisingfromculturaldifferencesorinconsistencieswhichare unexpectedorunexplained andthereforedifficulttonegotiate.

• Whenstudentsexperiencethisineducationalsettingstheybecomevulnerabletoeducationaldisadvantage.

• Thisculturaldissonancecanhaveaprofoundandnegativeeffectonacademicachievementandthepersonaldevelopmentofstudents.

• Studentslookingtoreconcilethisdissonancemaytrytoalignwiththedominantculture’svaluesinanattempttofitinand,indoingso,maybetraytheirownsenseofself.

RESIDENTIALANDDAYSCHOOLS’IMPACTTheseschoolserodedandunderminedallaspectsofwell‐beingforAboriginalpeoplesincluding:

– Disruptionofthestructure,cohesionandqualityoffamilylife

– Lossofculturalidentityandlanguage– Lossofparentingskills

Result:Devastatingandongoingimpactsonthehealthandwell‐beingofIndigenousindividuals,families,andcommunities.

JUSTICEMURRAYSINCLAIR

OURINITIATIVES

• TreatyEducation– Grades3,4,and5.(MOU)• SocialStudiesmodules‐ Grades7,8,9• NewNative(Indigenous)Studies120curriculum• FirstNationLiteracylessonsK‐12• FirstNationArtlessonsK‐12• Mi’kmaqandWolastoqey Language‐ online/face‐to‐face• FirstNationMusiclessonsK‐12• SecretPathProfessionalLearningsession• ProfessionalLearningforGuidanceCounsellors• CulturalImmersioncampforteachers‐ July2018• Tradesinitiatives‐weldingstations/tinyhouses• PLDay‐ Sept.1st,2017‐ over10,000visits

OURINITIATIVES,CONTINUED• LeadershipcourseforIndigenousstudents• IndigenousKnowledgeKeepers/ArtistsProfiles

• VirtualBookandCultureClub• DaySchoolSurvivors’Resource• Portalsite• BlanketExercisesupport‐ ASD‐W• EducationforReconciliationpresentation

OURCOMMITTEESNATIONALCOMMITTEES;• CMEC’SIndigenousEducationCommittee• CMEC’sNationalResourceBase• NationalRoundtableonEducation• PromisingPracticesinSupportingSuccessforIndigenousStudents(OECD)

REGIONALCOMMITTEES:• AtlanticEducatorsforReconciliationINTERGOVERNMENTALCOMMITTEES• IntergovernmentalCommitteeonAboriginalRelations.• WorkingTeamofthePreventionofViolenceAgainstAboriginalWomenandGirls.

OURCOMMITTEES,CTD.NBCOMMITTEES• Objective6/TRCFulfillment• PAEC• Enhancement• EPP‐ FNEIIANDTNEGI• TreatyEducation• RedShawl• Band‐OperatedSchoolPrincipals• AESI‐ AboriginalEmploymentServicesInitiative

INCLOSING“ThedecolonizationofeducationisnotjustaboutchangingasystemforIndigenouspeoples,butforeveryone.Wewillallbenefitbyit.”‐Dr.MarieBattiste,DecolonizingEducation

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?

bill.patick@gnb.ca