Profiles of Aboriginal Educators: Footprints for the Future
Yüklə 10,79 Mb. Pdf görüntüsü
|
H O M E C O M M U N I T Y Winnipeg, Manitoba C U LT U R A L I D E N T I T Y Cree - Métis C U R R E N T P O S I T I O N Teacher - St. John’s High School Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 44 3/24/09 3:10:18 PM
students be successful. It is a rewarding experience to be a teacher and this is what attracted me to education. As a teacher at St. John’s High School I believe I am fortunate to hold the responsibility of overseeing our Aboriginal Academic Achieve- ment and Building Student Success with Aboriginal Parents programs. It provides me with an excellent opportunity to develop and enhance our Aboriginal programming within our school and community. I have occasionally been asked if I have ever had any serious difficulties or obstacles to overcome in or- der to get to where I am today. There have not been that many. The most difficult time in my life was losing both my parents and a younger brother at an early age. It was not an easy time, but the encouragement and support of others helped me stay on a good path. It would have been easy to become angry or wallow in self pity, but the support I received helped make sure that didn’t happen. I’m grateful for this sup- port and remain mindful that many students are going through difficult situations of their own. One can never underestimate the effect that caring and en- couragement can have on others. Making good choices also helped to overcome obstacles and allowed me to get to where I am today. One critical choice was the decision to learn about my Aboriginal heritage, to trust in Creator, and to follow my dreams. This ultimately led to mak- ing a career change later in life. I began a career in Aboriginal education. I have learned from the Elders that education is our new buffalo. Not long ago, the buffalo supplied everything that we needed to survive in our past, and today, education will help us flourish as a people once again. Education provides the opportunity to choose your career, attain your dreams, gain economic independence, and ultimately break the cycle of poverty and dependency. More importantly, education can be used to make a positive difference in the communities and lives of all Aboriginal peoples. We have to remember that in the old days we did not focus on the indi- vidual. Rather, it was always about the good of everyone in the community. This is what kept our Nations strong and healthy. Dale Klassen E D U C AT I O N / T R A I N I N G
It thrills me to see R O L E S / R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S
Achievement Representative, Building Student Success with Aboriginal Parents Rep- resentative, Member of Advisory Committee for United Against Racism at Ka Ni Kani Kanichihk, Member of Aboriginal Circle of Educators. I enjoy teaching young children and have a strong desire to work with Aboriginal students and promote Aboriginal education. First, I want to point out that change is possible! The best example I have is my mom, who was Cree. She had a very difficult life. Her mom died when she was six years old and her dad served in World War II. These experiences led to a difficult home life for her. As a result of troubles in the home she spent her childhood in an abusive foster home. In spite of these life difficulties she became a teacher. Together, both my parents taught in a number of First Nation communities in western and northern Manitoba. I realize that although what happened to her never left her, she was able to break a cycle and kept her children from experiencing what she went through. To me this proves that change is possible. Unfortunately, she died of cancer when she was only 40 years old, but she has remained my hero. Second, although this is becoming somewhat of a cliché, it is never too late to make a change and pursue your dreams. I am certainly thankful that I did. Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 45 3/24/09 3:10:19 PM
H O M E C O M M U N I T Y Fisher River Cree Nation C U LT U R A L I D E N T I T Y Cree/Métis C U R R E N T P O S I T I O N Curriculum Writer Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 46 3/24/09 3:10:25 PM
Myra Laramee E D U C AT I O N / T R A I N I N G Bachelor of Education, Masters in Education, Ph.D. Candidate in the academic world, I enjoy being able to tell the authentic story about First Nations and Métis people. I currently work with a team of First Nation people and we collaborate with oth- er First Nations people to create programs and models in edu- cation. For example, I sit on a working group which is working through a process to create an Indigenous Post Secondary In- stitute. I enjoy writing courses which explore the ingenuity of the First Peoples of this land, which provide opportunities for all people to learn about our history, culture and perspectives. Telling the stories of our people is most rewarding. Working with adults is anoth- er part of my work. I conduct workshops, teach courses and facilitate professional development for educators. This work with adults includes working with both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. As an educator of traditional knowledge, I am a Bundle Carrier and a Knowledge Keeper. I have a responsibility to ensure that the traditional teachers who im- parted their knowledge to me didn’t do that for nothing. This means that in any work that I do with people it must be about the integrity of the knowledge of our people. This is probably the most rewarding work that I do. The greatest obstacle I face in my work is dealing with the void; the lack of knowledge people have about First Nations and Métis people. Another obstacle is the racism that still exists in systems that I encounter in my journey. The “Ivory Towers” of mainstream post-secondary institutions is where I focus my at- tention. It is here where I choose to work with allies in a place of learning and collaboration. When asked what or who inspires me to do this work I think about a few things. I think about my dreams and guiding spirits. They have been a source of inspiration and have helped guide my writing about our people and our ways. I was told through my dreams that I had to help our people through writing about what I have learned from the Elders. I took this seriously and counseled with the old women in my life and they encouraged me to write what the ancestors want me to write. I also think about my parents because they have been most inspirational to my work as an educator. I also realize that the greatest teachers I have had and the most profound inspiration have come from the children and youth who have been in my learning care for thirty-one years. I had to make some critical decisions in my life to get to where I am today. For one, I chose life instead of the other road that leads nowhere. This road I chose helped me heal and take control of my addictions and abuse patterns. This choice helped me find my old people. It is important for youth to be aware of their options out there. We need more youth to pursue education as a career because we need our own people to continue to tell our own story. The belief that people had in me was a powerful force in my life. I challenge the adult world to have this same type of belief for the youth that are in their lives. The hardest and greatest belief to secure and maintain in life is the belief you have in yourself. It is important that we all believe in ourselves because I realize that if I believe in me then I can believe in others.
As an educator R O L E S / R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S
instructor and teacher of educators Every person has something to teach and learn. Be the best you can be and let the teacher in you shine while remembering the learning is a lifelong journey. Whatever you do in life, let it be something that will make your ancestors smile and will create a safer place for the next seven generations to come. Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 47 3/24/09 3:10:26 PM
Yüklə 10,79 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
|