Embracing the Needs of First Nation Children Through
Embracing the Needs of First Nation Children Through the Voices of First Nation Early Childhood Educators Rosie S. Mosquito, Executive Director & Kim Falcigno, Academic Director AFN First Nation Directors of Education National Forum Halifax, February 13, 2019
Nishnawbe Aski Nation 49 communities In Northern Ontario
Established in 2001 To provide culturally appropriate education and training programs that meet the needs of the people and communities. • Nishnawbe Aski Nation Resolution # 96/64
Our Mission To achieve excellence as a leader in the innovative design and delivery of quality postsecondary and training programs which meet the holistic educational needs of Nishnawbe Aski Nation and other learners in a safe, inclusive, supportive and culturally enriched learning environment.
Our Mandate 1. To develop, design & deliver post secondary education programs & services to meet the education & cultural needs of the members & communities of NAN & other learners. 2. To enhance, organize & coordinate the delivery of post secondary education & training programs and services which promote and support NAN culture, traditions, teachings, beliefs, language, values & lifestyles.
Post Secondary Education Programs, 2019 1. Bachelor of Education Degree 2. Business Diploma 3. Chemical Addictions Worker Diploma 4. Early Childhood Education Diploma 5. Indigenous Classroom Assistant Diploma 6. Indigenous Wellness Addictions Prevention Diploma 7. Personal Support Worker Certificate 8. Practical Nursing Diploma 9. Police Foundations Diploma 10. Social Service Worker – Native Specialization Diploma
Other Education Programs, 2019 1. 2. 3. 4. Academic and Career Entrance Aboriginal Mining Skills & Trades Entry Program Airport Management Training Program Basic Radiological Technician
Meeting Holistic Educational Needs • NEED: Oshki-Wenjack ECE alumni (approximately 65) working in day care settings and schools in First Nation communities in NAN and northern Ontario asking for leadership training opportunities to improve programming for early learners in their work places.
Current Situation - Where Are We? • 93 percent of children of Ontario’s far north lag at least two grades behind in school • The education gap sets-up our children for failure as they proceed in their education and is a contributing factor to the 60 to 80 % high school drop-out rate • The 49 NAN communities include some 9, 000 school aged children, of which approx. 3, 000 are between 0 to 12 years of age.
Re-Visioning - Gathering the Experts Building a Community Oversight Committee: • Lori Huston, ECE Program Coordinator (transitioned to ECE Faculty during this project). • Brenda Mason, Elder-in-Residence, Oshki-Wenjack • Dr. John Hodson & Nadine Hedican from Maamaawisiiwin Education Research Centre in Thunder Bay working in the diverse field of Indigenous education/research. • Marilyn Junnila, Executive Director of Shkoday Abinojiiwak Obimiwedoon, an Aboriginal Head Start Program for children aged 2 to 6 years-of-age, in Thunder Bay. • Academic Director & Special Projects Coordinator at OSHKI-WENJACK.
Re-Visioning Begins by Hearing the Voices of Community The Scoping Exercise to develop innovative and responsive programming for the Early Childhood Educators: To hear their voices Oshki-Wenjack conducted a Needs Assessment of the Indigenous Early Childhood Educators comprised of the 2017 graduating IECE class & Alumni. The question: What professional development do you need to do your job better?
Bringing the Re-Vision into Reality The scoping exercise led to development of an innovative, comprehensive PD strategy that included: • Two Leadership Institutes (one week each) Institute 1: Lectures, Workshops and Training Institute 2: Experiential Learning in a Child Care Setting • Formative & summative research study to measure change. • Funding support secured from Indigenous & Northern Affairs
The Knowledge Necessary to Bring the Re-Vision into Reality: Institute 1 Topics • Child Development • Indigenous ECE Leadership • Child Care/Early Learning • Indigenous Language (brain development, creating resources, using puppetry for languages). • Culture, Teachings & Knowledge Exchange with Elders & participants. • Behavioural Issues (FASD, Speech/Language, ADHD, etc. ) • Funding – Chief/Council, DSAAB, Ontario Ministry of Education • Proposal & Report writing skills • Ontario College of Early Childhood Education – portfolio/continual development.
The Knowledge Necessary to Bring the Re-Vision into Reality: Institute 1 (cont’d) • Self-Care (Spiritual, Emotional, Mental, Physical wellness). • Mentoring/Role Modeling – (Recognizing own strengths & building creative leadership). • Community Asset Mapping (Awareness of resources in the community i. e. people, places, materials/resources, etc. ) • Action Research Development (Understanding concept & importance of research within early learning). • Networking – For self, children and families • Advocacy for early learning in communities & with families. • Family Support & Education – Parental involvement, Community
The Knowledge Necessary to Bring the Re-Vision into Reality: Institute 2 Topics • Land Based Education - outdoor play, outdoor education & integrating language. • Proposal Development - proposal strategies, budgeting & writing. • Nutrition - teaching to children, gathering & harvesting foods, teaching to family. • Brain Development - making resources, creating a holistic learning environment.
The Knowledge Necessary to Bring the Re-Vision into Reality: Institute 2 (cont’d) • The Culture of Change - understanding change, building a strategic vision, community support, overcoming resistance to change. • Biwaase’aa Programming - land based, language and cultural teachings for ages 7 -13. • All Teaching Modules are designed to be experiential and encourage knowledge exchange among participants through ongoing dialogue.
The Action - WORKSHOP OVERVIEW An Invitation • 13 stations for each Canadian province & territory. • Groups gather around each station. • Groups decide whose “uncomfortable truth” will be discussed. • Record the evidence of the current Vision of selected topic, eg. graduation rates, loss of language, or the incarceration of your youth • Group uses the Medicine Wheel Model to build a Re-Vision that changes the reality.
The Action - WORKSHOP What Action needs to take place to make the Revision real? The Re-Vision What Knowledge – What change needs to be do you want to gathered? see? What Relationships need to be created?
The Action - WORKSHOP Report Back to the Bigger Group Volunteers share their response to the Workshop discussion on selected topics.
Meegwech IECE Leadership PD Institute 1 Participants
Contact Information Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute 106 Centennial Square, 3 rd Floor, Thunder Bay, Ontario P 7 E 1 H 3 www. oshki-wenjack. ca Rosie S. Mosquito Executive Director 807. 626. 1889 rmosquito@oshki. ca Kim Falcigno Academic Director 807. 626. 1883 kfalcigno@oshki. ca
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