“Building
Bridges & Capacity”
Written By:
Bruce Stonefish
IEC Executive Director
Most Canadians still give low priority to the issues of importance
of Aboriginal peoples. Aboriginal people in Canada continue to suffer
the damaging effects of bias and racism at the hands of other Canadians.
The news media generally devotes little effort to providing information
on Aboriginal issues. Very few institutions try to bridge the differences
between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people or between different
Aboriginal peoples. Without accurate knowledge, it is all too easy
for negative stereotypes and simple ignorance to strangle communication.”
(RCAP: 1997)
Building Bridges – means working within the existing systems
to reform or supplement existing services and programs to better
facilitate the needs and aspirations of First Nations peoples. The
following is a list of some of the areas that will require clear
definitions, comprehensive strategies for implementation and funding
commitments in order for them to become realities:
• Traditional
Knowledge & Traditional Teacher/Elder Accreditation Initiatives
• Culturally and Community based Curriculum Reform
• Supplementation of Existing Curriculum with Curriculum
Resource Development
• Teacher Education, Professional Development and Certification
• First Nations Language Instruction and Curriculum &
Resource Development
• Community and Parental Involvement Programming
• Jurisdiction, Representation and Funding Roles & Responsibilities
• Policy, Accreditation and Legislative Development and Affirmation
• Life-long and Holistic Learning Programs & Initiatives
• Second Level Service Coordination and Development
• Individualized Educational Programming/Planning Initiatives
for all students
• Infrastructure, Technology, Transportation and Accessibility
Planning and Service Delivery
• Research & Data Collection
• First Nations Educational Administrative and Management
In-servicing and Transition
• Educational Support Initiative (student/parent, teacher,
administrator First Nation)
• First Nations Cultural and Historical Awareness Education
Initiatives for the Canadian Public
Building
Capacity
“Lunaape
Control of Lunaape Education: The freedom for the communal development
and control of the education of Lunaape students which would include
jurisdiction of administration (political, policy and financial),
curriculum, curriculum goals, personnel (teachers, principles, support
staff), curriculum resources, accreditation, student deviance, theoretical
approaches and infrastructure, in an effort to ensure the provision
of the highest quality education that surpasses western standards
and ensures that pride, confidence, confection and worth are instilled
in their culture, language, identity, family, community, nation,
within a kind, sharing, honest, respectful, and responsible outlook
on the rest of creation; hence giving them the essential tools,
that allow for economical, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual
growth and balance for the healthy, balanced celebration of life
inside and outside their community; which must coincide with communal
efforts of self-determination.” (Stonefish: 1999)
Building Capacity
– refers to the development of First Nations human resources,
economies, infrastructure, policy and overall general community
in efforts of working towards the creation of a new system of education
with full jurisdiction for First Nations communities. The following
is a list of some of the areas that will require clear definitions,
comprehensive strategies for implementation and funding commitments
in order for them to become realities:
• Community
Educational Mission Statements
• Community Educational Multi-Generational Plan
• Traditional Knowledge & Traditional Teacher/Elder Accreditation
Initiatives
• Traditional Knowledge Training Programs & Institutions
(by nation)
• Community Traditional Knowledge Revitalization Strategic
Planning
• Culturally and Community based Curriculum & Curriculum
Resource Development
• Teacher Recruitment, Education, Professional Development
and Certification
• Community First Nations Language Revitalization Strategic
Planning
• First Nations Language Immersion Programs and Curriculum
& Curriculum Resource Development
• First Nations Language Research and Teacher Education Institutes
• Community and Parental Involvement Awareness & Initiatives
• Jurisdiction, Representation and Funding Roles & Responsibilities
• Policy, Accreditation and Legislative Affirmation
• Life-long and Holistic Learning Programs & Initiatives
• Second Level Service Coordination and Service/Institution
Development
• Individualized Educational Programming/Planning Initiatives
for all students
• Infrastructure, Technology, Transportation and Accessibility
Development
• Research & Data Collection Institutions
• First Nations Educational Administrative and Management
In-servicing and Transition from Provincial Boards/Schools
• Educational Support Strategies (student/parent, teacher,
administrator First Nation)
• First Nations Cultural and Historical Awareness Education
Initiatives for the Canadian Public
Whether the focus is on building bridges or building capacity, First
Nations need to continually articulate and clarify their visions,
definitions and philosophies of education. This clarification and
articulation needs to be done within each First Nation whether the
educational development efforts being made are community coordinated
or regionally coordinated. Educational needs will be based within
the larger community needs and capacity of the First Nation.
First Nations have been progressing over the past thirty-five (35)
years to lobby and clarify their aspirations for education. The
educational concerns first expressed in the 1972 Indian Control
of Indian Education: Policy Paper released by the National Indian
Brotherhood have not changed. In fact, every report that I have
reviewed from the past thirty-five (35) years have reiterated them
in whole or in part, progressing towards a clearer and clearer articulation
and expansion of them. This has included specific definitions and
comprehensive strategies on areas such as culturally-based curriculum,
teacher training, resourcing, language instruction and jurisdiction.
One important observation from reviewing these reports is the fact
that little has changed in these educational concerns and aspirations
over the past thirty-five (35) years. This brings me to ask the
question, does Canada outright disagree with these perspectives
and refuses to make changes or is it that they simply cannot comprehend
the foundations of them. I believe and hope it is due to a lack
of understanding, as First Nations themselves are just now beginning
to recover and revitalize their communities, cultures, languages
and paradigms. If this is the case, then First Nations need to continue
to clarify their educational aspirations and, in addition to this
clarification, develop comprehensive strategies to achieve them
and their own capacities to sustain them.
On the other hand, if this is an outright refusal to make change,
then I ask the question: Is it simply a refusal based on the Canadian
public’s ignorance or lack of desire to assist First Nations
peoples?
Either way, we at the Indigenous Education Coalition are continuing
to work towards building bridges of understanding and creating true
partnership within our First Nation communities as well as with
key educational organizations, institutions and public school boards.
At the same time capacity-building within our communities is a foundational
component of all our program development and delivery. Please check
out the rest of our website to see where you may be able to assist
us in our capacity building and partnership establishment.
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