LAND-BASED LEARNING & DEFINING CULTURALLY …...Apr 15, 2019 · oriented, family-centred, community protocol driven and wholistic. Participants discussed success using far more inclusive

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LAND-BASED LEARNING & DEFINING CULTURALLY-RELEVANT

SUCCESS INDICATORS DIALOGUE 2 SUMMARY REPORT

A PUBLICATION OF THE FIRST NATIONS WITH SCHOOLS COLLECTIVE SUMMARY OF DIALOGUE SESSION HELD ON APRIL 4, 2019

APRIL 15, 2019

“when kids are outside, use whatever they are learning outside and connect it to what they are learning inside school, probe them. Ask, “how does it tie to their lessons in math?” They get excited when they make connections to their other studies, there are a lot of nuts and bolts to making it work, it’s getting on the same page and vision for all involved. – Cooks Shawanda, Great Lakes Cultural Camps, Guest Speaker

WHAT IS GAINED FROM MOVING THE CLASSROOM TO THE LAND?

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Executive Summary All eight communities of the First Nations with Schools Collective (FNWSC) identifies land-based learning as a key element of a transformed First Nation education system. This dialogue session explores how First Nation participants view success in a land-based learning environment. It’s a beginning conversation regarding accountability frameworks and the importance of assessment, monitoring and reporting progress in governance over education within a First Nation education system. Impacts The impacts of land-based learning from the view of participants is far reaching. A sense of place, connection and responsibility to land, community well-being, student mental health, citizen pride and cultural understanding are all impacts hard to measure. However, all felt progress can be tracked with the help of culturally-defined success indicators.

Outcomes Participants described specific examples of short-term outcomes (excitement by a primary student after making sugar) and long-term outcomes (community expansion of land-based learning activities from day

care to school to youth programming over the years) of land-based learning. Some shared their observations from the point of view of a family member while others spoke from the perspective of program-development within a community context. All examples shared were extremely positive and reinforced the notion that land-based learning is happening in pockets in communities. There was a real sense of positive change identified by participants particularly in the young people who are, more and more, practicing culture on the land. However, they also noted with more structure and systemic changes to learning systems in communities, more families could benefit from the healing, wellness, pride in identity, sense of self and connection to place and people that land-based learning brings. Spirit & Intent How does a First Nation know gains are being made in health and wellbeing through land-based learning? Dialogue 2 invited participants of the FNWSC or ‘Collective’ along with three land-based knowledge practitioners to identify what success looks like to them. The following key themes emerged; redefinition, context and autonomy. Redefining Success Participants define land-based learning success as highly integrated, action-oriented, family-centred, community protocol driven and wholistic. Participants discussed success using far more inclusive

“Youth will shed tears from being on the land as it evokes heavy emotion. It is aki, shkawmakwe, it is a living force that educators are calling upon to help them teach when doing land-based learning. These learning experiences are healing and so much must be treated with care.” -Maheengun Shawanda, guest speaker

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and action-oriented language when describing success. Reference to ‘the community does…’ or ‘families go…’ or ‘departments involved do…’. This is different from mainstream learning indicators that centre outcomes on the student as learner. The participants largely placed outcomes as a community benefit. Respect for Local Context and Protocols There existed a real respect for community readiness, place, local protocols, and current capacities when thinking about success indicators. The context of the conversation was mostly site specific. A need or desire to apply a national or provincial standard of land-based learning to all communities was absent from the discussion. Autonomy Finally, success indicators are heavily influenced by access to resources. True autonomy over what constitutes success cannot be realized in an environment of resourcing that applies an external suite of qualified pedagogical approaches and outcomes defined by others. Most all participants agreed that outdoor education requires being outdoors. Learning cannot be financed, structured and/or applied in physical spaces solely defined by the four walls of a conventional classroom. In so doing, it creates barriers by way of teacher perceptions of ability, policy/training centred on classroom-based instruction, administrator perceptions of risk, etc. The provincial curriculum is not a fair proxy for the extent of land-based learning

needed in terms of expectations, outcomes, and knowledges to be covered and learned by First Nation students. It was also expressed by a participant that non-First Nation individuals will also need to be taught this. Next Steps More must be done now with the limited resources First Nations have to get out on the land. By not prioritizing, the loss will continue to be felt by learners spiritually, culturally, academically, emotionally and physically. Specific resources must be identified in short and mid-term to build the structures for land-based learning success through curriculum, policy and law-making. In addition, more funding is needed to build the teaching resources and training needed

to have culturally informed teachers in First Nation schools & cultural positions in First Nation schools and communities. Finally, sound evaluation frameworks must be put in place to support culturally-defined success indicator tracking. It was largely felt by participants that work can be done collectively amongst a number of nations like the ‘Collective’ to get it done.

“Like our blood, the tree's sap flows. When our skin is punctured, our blood coagulates and it heals, sealing the wound. The same thing with the canoe; we use the blood of the spruce tree to seal the canoe. So, this is the blue print. We carry it with us. You hear people say ‘the birch bark canoe… oh that’s us.’ It’s who we are. It’s real. It really is us’.” – Mike Ormsby, Guest Speaker

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Acknowledgements Yaw^’ko, Miigwech, Nia:wen to everyone who contributes to the work of the First Nations with Schools Collective. This is the second of a series of dialogues in 2019-2020 to explore data sovereignty and accountability frameworks for eight First Nations in Ontario seeking jurisdiction over education. This series of webinars are being offered to build capacity in research inquiry for governance. The First Nations with Schools Collective is made up of Elders, education directors, chiefs, elected councillors with the education portfolio, community liaisons, and education staff. The delegates meet at a regularly convened inter-nation table where coordination of key activities in education governance takes place.

Participating Communities of FNWSC

• Bkejwanong Territory-Walpole Island First Nation

• Chippewas of the Thames First Nation • M’Chigeeng First Nation • Mississaugas of Credit First Nation

• Oneida Nation of the Thames • Sagamok Anishnawbek • Six Nations of the Grand River Territory

(Observer Status) • Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory

Dialogue Participants

Many thanks to the participants of Dialogue 2: Land-based Learning & Defining Culturally-Relevant Success Indicators, April 4, 2019:

1. Claudette Fournier, of Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation, Education-Executive Assistant, Community Liaison FNWSC

2. Veronica King-Jamieson, of Mississaugas of Credit First Nation, Councillor Elect-Life Long Learning Pillar

3. Mike Ormsby, family of Curve Lake First Nation, Anishinaabe Ojibwe, canoe builder, artist, woodcarver and outdoor educator

4. Maheengun and Cooks Shawandah, of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, Founders of Great Lakes Cultural Camps, Great Lakes Cultural Camps is a year-round mobile outdoor education centre that develops and provides high quality cultural programs that recognize the value of being active in the outdoors, land-based learning, Anishinaabe culture and what it can bring to people's lives.

5. Puaʻala Pascua, Biodiversity Scientist/Biocultural Specialist, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History http://cbc.amnh.org/

6. Roberta Swift, from Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation, Education Committee member 7. Eleanor Sterling, Jaffe Chief Conservation Scientist, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation,

American Museum of Natural History http://cbc.amnh.org/

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8. Becky Toulouse, from Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation, Principal, Biidaaban Kinoomaagegamik K-8

9. Leslee White-Eye, from Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Structural Readiness Coordinator, First Nations with Schools Collective

10. Fay Zoccole, Anishnawbe-kwe from Aroland First Nation registered in Lac Seul First Nation, Education Director at Wikwemikong Board of Education

Sponsors

The First Nations with Schools Collective would like to thank Indigenous Services Canada for its support of the First Nations with Schools Collective table and webinar series. Also, thanks to Pillar Nonprofit Network London for providing the virtual on-line platform. The views expressed in this publication are the views of the participants and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.

Author

Leslee White-Eye, Structural Readiness Coordinator, First Nations with Schools Collective

Photo Credits

Title Page – fish, L. White-Eye

Title Page – children on river bank, L. White-Eye

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Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................... 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................................ 4

PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES OF FNWSC ........................................................................................................................ 4 DIALOGUE PARTICIPANTS ................................................................................................................................................ 4 SPONSORS ................................................................................................................................................................... 5

DIALOGUE 2: DISCUSSION SYNOPSIS .................................................................................................................... 7 PURPOSE FOR DIALOGUE ................................................................................................................................................ 7 ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE – UNDP’S PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE .............................................................. 8 APPROACH TO SESSION .................................................................................................................................................. 8 GUEST SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS ........................................................................................................................................... 9

Guest Speakers: Cooks and Maheengun Shawanda, Great Lakes Cultural Camps ............................................. 9 Guest Speaker Mike Ormsby, from Curve Lake First Nation, Anishinaabe Ojibwe, Canoe builder .................... 11

OPEN DISCUSSION – DISCUSSION POINT SUMMARY .......................................................................................... 13 Impacts – Why do communities care about getting back on the land? ............................................................ 13 Indicators – How will community leaders know they are getting closer to making long-term impact? ........... 13 Young People Lead Cultural Revitalization Work .............................................................................................. 14 Systemic Coordination for Land-Based Learning ............................................................................................... 15 Curriculum ......................................................................................................................................................... 15

RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................................................ 17 APPENDIX A – DETAILED DISCUSSION NOTES ..................................................................................................... 19

What does successful land-based learning look like? ........................................................................................ 19 What evidence would you see, feel, hear, taste and smell in a community that places a high value on a relationship with the land? ................................................................................................................................ 20 How do we monitor for positive changes/impacts when implementing land-based learning approaches? What would be benchmarks, short and long term? .................................................................................................... 21

“The traditional way of education was by example, experience, and storytelling. The first principle involved was total respect and acceptance of

the one to be taught, and that learning was a continuous process from birth to death. It was total continuity without interruption. Its nature was like a

fountain that gives many colours and flavours of water and that whoever chose could drink as much or as little as they wanted to whenever they

wished. The teaching strictly adhered to the sacredness of life whether of humans, animals or plants.” -words of the late Art Solomon, Elder

Dialogue 2: Discussion Synopsis Purpose for Dialogue This is a round table discussion with land-based learning practitioners concerning education and land-based learning measures, outcomes and success indicators for First Nation community education systems. This is meant to support how First Nations reframe and define success for themselves based on cultural values, protocols and beliefs. The collective is beginning new work related to data sovereignty in 2019-2020. This will complement the on-going work of the FNWSC in visioning, asset mapping, governance legislation scanning and education law-making that began in 2016. This dialogue online session is the second of many where various aspects of research, assessment, monitoring and reporting are explored. Dialogue 1 explored Indigenous evaluation methodologies and theory. This dialogue sessions focuses on land-based learning, one of 10 Vision of Education components shared amongst the eight communities involved in the ‘Collective.’ The following diagram shows the commonalities found amongst participating communities in their vision for education. Figure 1 Diagram of 10 Shared Elements of Community Visions of Education amongst FNWSC

Life-long Learning

Everyone has a role

Language & Land-Based

Walk in Both Worlds

Strong Partnerships/

Structures

Engagement as Inquiry & Research

History & Ways of Knowing

Safe Environments

Community Controlled

Action-based

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MOBILIZING CHANGE IN FIRST NATIONS EDUCATION: BUIDLING CAPACITY TO GOVERN 2019 EDUCATION SERIES

Accountability and Performance – UNDP’s Principles of Good Governance This coming year, time will be spent building the capacity of leaders to plan in advance for research inquiry, evaluation and reporting. The UNDP identifies accountability and performance as two of five key principles of good governance1. These dialogues and working sessions of the FNWSC will explore how to benchmark and account for the change occurring in communities as a result of education governance undertakings. Particular attention will be spent on ensuring success is defined by the nations themselves. Furthermore, environments for collaborative problem-solving will be nourished and supported. Community teams responsible for reporting on education outcomes, progress and goals need to be able to ask themselves continuously, ‘how can we do this better? and if we got it wrong, what have we learned, what can we do differently and how can we improve our practices?’. Lateral violence does not have a home in work environments where leaders come to the table to problem-solve issues professionally in collegially supportive ways. Good governance over education will require strong accountability practices, protocols, policies and collaborative leaders. Decision-makers in First Nation governments have large mandates with very limited resources. Therefore, making strong, informed decisions based on data and evidence will be important to ensure resources are used wisely for maximum impact when implementing land-based learning initiatives. Approach to Session Dialogue session 2 took place on Thursday, April 4, 2019 from 3 p.m. to 4:25 p.m. via an online virtual meeting platform called ZOOM. Leslee White-Eye facilitated the session on behalf of the FNWSC. Prior to the session, pre-preparation materials were provided that included a PowerPoint providing international well-being models of indicators, community land-based learning stories and classroom land-based lesson program delivery media clips. In addition, guest speakers provided many research articles on socio-eco-cultural indicators for sustainability and Indigenous land-based learning practice. All of the materials were stored in a Google Drive folder for easy access. It was assumed participants reviewed the materials prior to the session. The session began with a brief overview of the purpose for the dialogue sessions and round of introductions. The facilitator explained that the session will begin with guest speakers providing their initial reflections on the three guiding questions provided in the notice of session to be followed by an open discussion for all participants to contribute to. 1 G.Sekaly, StrategyCorp Inc. presentation entitled “The Governance Function” to First Nations with Schools Collective Governance Working Session on January 26, 2019 in Orillia, ON.

“Doing is the best way to learn” – Mike Ormsby, canoe builder with youth

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Guiding questions were as follows:

1. What does successful land-based learning look like to you? 2. What evidence would you see, feel, hear, taste and smell in a community that places a

high value on a relationship with the land? 3. How do we monitor for positive changes/impacts when implementing land-based

learning approaches? What would be benchmarks, short and long term? Guest Speaker Highlights The following are highlights of discussion points made by guest speakers in their opening remarks and during the open discussion section concerning land-based learning and culturally-relevant success indicators.

Guest Speakers: Cooks and Maheengun Shawanda, Great Lakes Cultural Camps Cooks and Maheengun are the founders of Great Lakes Cultural Camps and expressed their appreciation for the invitation to share their land-based experiences, challenges and success. To provide context to their work, Maheengun described a recent outdoor learning experience organized with a community they had built a three-year relationship with. Over four days, they worked with community in the sugar bush, making traditional tools, tapping trees using student-made birchbark containers. Students built their own sugaring paddles and sugaring troughs, then by the third day the kids saw their work produce syrup. On the 4th day, the camp moves into the process of making sugar and cakes. In each of the communities they visit, they work hard to build meaningful relationships using the seasons to guide their planning for cultural learning

• Partnerships with multiple departments, fire, health, lands, etc.

• cleared pathways to learning sites, accessibility for all ages

• Community member knowledge (on the land, about the history, about community norms/practices) & resource material sharing during and after the learning (provision of gear, tents, cooking utensils, kettles, etc.).

• Being outside, in the wilderness, in the school yard, in a garden, on climbing trees, in puddles.

• Elders actively and meaningfully involved • Leaders present showing support • Community historians sharing stories • Outsiders never imposing their learning &

understanding, only sharing as visitors and guests

• Connecting the hands-on learning to the culture and traditional teachings

• Respect for protocols both locally and regionally

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experiences. In the spring for example, its time in the sugar bush, plucking geese and ducks in the school yard during waterfowl season, all of which brings a spring harvest learning experience, followed by canoe trips, traditional games, tool and implement making, winter fish trapping and food sovereignty programs. All of this time on the land with students and community members has resulted in their extensive experience with the impacts of land-based learning. How do we measure a sense of belonging to place, a sense of community and connection to culture? Every community is different, and this sense of belonging to place can change the very next week in the same community. Educators/community planners have to treat changing thoughts with gentle gloves and in a very respectful manner. This sense of connection and belonging is difficult to measure as a number. Before monitoring for impact, Maheengun suggest educators/land-based learning planners ask, ‘What is the purpose? Why are we asking about these benchmarks?’ This is especially important when we are involving youth. Youth will shed tears from being on the land as it evokes heavy emotion. It is aki, shkawmakwe, it is a living force that educators are calling upon to help them teach when doing land-based learning. These learning experiences are healing and so much must be treated with care.

Furthermore, they felt monitoring for positive change and benchmarks required children be given a place to share their voice and it being heard. Educators have to be truthful about what is said to youth and have what they say backed up, for example, Cooks and Maheengun will never tell youth that they will be back if there is nothing in place for them to be back. It was felt that children should be asked specifically their thoughts, or they will only tell you what they think you want to hear in a monitoring activity. When children tell their stories from their experiences on the land you can see what the purpose of land-based learning is.

Smells

• donated seasoned wood burning

• smudge pot going

Looks

• children making spiles

• children harvesting

• sawdust

Feels

• softness of feathers

• sense of connection to spirit

• burdens lifted in ceremony

• pride• strength

Sounds

• local harvesters sharing techniques

• prayers of thanksgiving heard as children follow local tobacco protocols

Tastes

• fresh fish fried

• sweet taste of syrup

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Guest Speaker Mike Ormsby, from Curve Lake First Nation, Anishinaabe Ojibwe, Canoe builder Due to technical difficulties, Mike could only share his thoughts through the chat room feature of the online platform. The following are key highlights of his sharing. He would like to acknowledge that the words he shared are from Art Solomon’s work, and scholars working on land-based theory and methodologies, along with his own understanding. This an excerpt of his writing during Dialogue 2. “The Anishinaabe needed transportation for the waterways which are a large part of their territory. The people realized the Creator had provided the very blueprint for such a watercraft based on their own bodies. Thus, the birch bark canoe was created. They turned to Mother Earth for the materials required, offering a prayer and tobacco as a gift each time they harvested these materials. We ask the birch tree if we can use the birch bark for the skin. We go to the cedar tree and ask if we can use its wood for the inner part of the canoe. The thinner cedar sheathing is like the layer of muscle, beneath the skin. The ribs of the canoe strengthen and support the canoe. The thwarts act as the sternum. The gunnels are the backbone. Our tendons are flexible and strong, bonding our muscles to our bones. We borrow the plant roots from the spruce tree to connect the canoe together, by lashing and sewing with the roots. We also use the blood of the spruce tree – _the gum or the tree's sap - to seal the canoe. Like our blood, the tree's sap flows. When our skin is punctured, our blood coagulates and it heals, sealing the wound. The same thing with the canoe; we use the blood of the spruce tree to seal the canoe. So, this is the blue print. We carry it with us. You hear people say ‘the birch bark canoe… oh that’s us.’ It’s who we are. It’s real. It really is us.’” Mike feels it’s important to carry on the tradition of bark canoe building and pass on the skills to the future generation. These vessels are an example of what humans can accomplish when they work with nature rather than against it. About being connected to the earth and nature. It is about working with natural materials and making that connection. They’re made from renewable resources, don’t create pollution when made or used, and are completely biodegradable.

The late Anishinaabe Elder Art Solomon once said: "Native people feel they have lost some things and they want it back. It doesn’t necessarily mean that when I talk about going back over there, that we stay over there. You have to get those teachings and pick up those things that we left along the way. The drums, the language, the songs are all scattered around. We need to bring them into this time. You need these things to teach your children today in order to give them that direction and good feelings about who they are." – shared by M. Ormsby

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Whatever their motivations, artisans across the Great Lakes are sustaining a work of art that is of cultural and historical significance to many in the area. The tradition of birch bark canoe-building and travel is clearly not invented. It has lived in the hearts and memories of Native peoples throughout the Great Lakes, resting like seeds within the community – waiting to germinate and flourish. Figure 2 Canoe-building is healthy for the 4 Sides of Self

Canoe-building

is...

Spirit• offer tobacco• talk to spirits

Mind• math

• physics

Emotions• working outside

• happiness• friendship

Body• physical

exercise• building using

body

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Open Discussion – Discussion Point Summary Here we highlight several themes that emerged from the guiding question responses. A more complete list is included in Appendix A and available on a video recording. Impacts – Why do communities care about getting back on the land? Land-based learning addresses all four parts of self; mind, body, spirt, heart. Most all participants shared examples of how being outdoors brings a sense of belonging, sense of place and/or physical health to people. Some participants went further to explain how specific land-based learning activities in a school setting immediately changes the energy to a positive for students. It was also noted, for some students, educators see a different child, more engaged and happier child, when learning takes place outside as opposed to being inside four walls.

Another important impact of land-based learning was a sense of connection to the community, its history and to their identity as Haudenosaunee or Anishinaabek. One caution raised by most all participants was the importance of connecting basic skills (making spiels, spigots to tap trees) to the

teachings (give thanks to your relative), values (stewardship) and meaning (all our relations) of the culture. It is in this rich learning environment that the most connection to identity, place and respect for the land occurs. Indicators – How will community leaders know they are getting closer to making long-term impact? Weaved throughout the thoughts shared by participants during the dialogue were specific examples of indicators. The following is a chart to show how some of the indicators shared by participants are tied to specific long-term impacts. The samples could be utilized by First Nation as a means to benchmark 1 year to 20-year outcomes at the school level, department level, and community level when land-based learning is adopted as a key approach to

community development. The adoption of a land-based learning approach could further be coded in community education laws and community comprehensive plans as mandatory means for positive impacts. Figure 3 Success Indicators applied to a FN Community Setting - Sample Table

A success indicator is way of seeing a change that shows progress towards a desired impact.

“There’s a lot when you are outside, pick any subject in curriculum, it’s all there for you; the science, the health, language, the songs, the ceremonies, everything about us from birth to death, is basically outside and that is who we are.” – Veronica King-Jamieson, Councillor Elect, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation

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Young People Lead Cultural Revitalization Work There was more than one example shared by participants where young people were actively picking up their bundles and practicing cultural life every day (success indicator). While all the pieces of Anishinaabek or Haudenosaunee knowledges (the civilizations represented by the

Example Land-Based Learning Indicator Desired Impact Qualitative (story collection, surveys, interviews, polls …)

Þ Children feel a sense of well-being when on the land, in territory (3rd level-laws, norms, practices)

Holistic care -improving community health outcomes

Þ More families are confident in passing aspects of their culture to their children and grandchildren (3rd level-laws, community)

Sustainable knowledge transfer

Þ Citizens show respect for outdoor community spaces (3rd level – laws, norms, practices)

Reinforce cultural worldview

Þ Elders satisfaction with apprentice knowledge after a season of land-based learning activities (2nd level – program design – culture dept., families)

Empower young people

Þ Children can explain why the sap is seen as gift from Creation by the end of grade 3 (1st level-front-line – education dept.)

Reinforce cultural worldview

Þ Community members feel more to connected to the community after attending a community outdoor activity (1st Level-front-line- all departments)

Holistic care – improving community health outcomes

Þ Children talk to the trees again as their relative (1st level – front-line, parents, families, education department, social services)

Reinforce cultural practices in everyday life

Quantitative (survey, observations, tally, interviews, …) Þ # of community knowledge keepers teaching in

community over one year (2nd level -executive branch-band administration- all departments, orgs, groups)


Þ # of land-based learning experiences in each grade over the school year (1st-level front-line, teachers, principals)

Consistent mandatory scope & sequenced school curriculum

Þ % of children transitioning from elementary school to high school who can identify their nation, clan, spirit name in the language (2nd level – education dept.)

Strong identity

Þ % of citizens harvesting, hunting in territory (2nd level- lands department)


Þ Parents can walk through fields & identify the medicinal plants (2nd level executive branch – all departments, orgs, groups)

Reinforce sense of belonging to place/territory

Þ # of laws that place value on the environment (3rd level – laws, political office)

sovereignty

Þ # of outdoor gathering spaces in community having high traffic (e.g., fire pit, round house, parks, trails, walk ways, picnic tables, public access to waterways) 2nd Level – infrastructure department

Holistic care – improving community health outcomes

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FNWSC) may not be in plain view, there are more and more stepping forward in and around communities to fill the gap (another success indicator). Confidence is rising for more citizens to express what they know. However, more must be done to assist them with either teaching it in ways more young people will stay vested and/or with more cultural teachings attached. Many participants expressed a calling to learn more themselves which they have done so they can turn it around and share with their community and/or children and grandchildren. This a particularly strong asset that must be acknowledged, appreciated and fostered by First Nation governments, families and students. This sense of ‘we are all in this together and learning’ is indicative of safe learning environments where mistakes can be made, and no shame or blame ensues. Both guest speakers expressed how important ‘a gentle hand’ is needed in this context by leaders wanting to create a safe inclusive environment for learning. Systemic Coordination for Land-Based Learning First Nation community members have a wealth of cultural knowledges, skills and approaches that are land-based. All participants agreed land-based learning continues in pockets amongst families, individuals, organized groups, departments, schools and young people throughout each of their communities. However, what is lacking is consistent and systemic on-going coordination for long-term impact. Community education systems can play a significant role in leading coordination of cultural learning development for long-term impact. First Nation governments along with the support of educators, local medicine societies, knowledge keepers, ceremony conductors and cultural groups have an incredible opportunity to ensure frequent, predictable, high quality and culturally-strong learning can be funded, planned for and championed year after year through laws, policies, curriculum development, strong planning processes and dedicated budgets. Curriculum Educators as curriculum writers have a lot to draw from in terms of creating culturally-relevant land-based curriculum for communities. All the participants shared many examples of culturally-relevant values, concepts, big ideas, topics, content, and facts of study and skills they have seen already being taught by various people in their communities and schools. The following are some examples of concepts, skills, values, facts, etc.:

- Trees are our relatives (value) - Cut wood (skill) - Tap trees (skill) - 13 moons (concept of time,

change, relations)

- Ceremonies (skill, values, concepts, beliefs)

- Make corn soup (skill) - Make down blankets (skill) - Walleye harvest (skill)

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However, as noted above, First Nation governments must take more control over what must be taught in their education systems, so land-based learning led by First Nation governments isn’t as arbitrary and hit or miss as it is now. Education department staff can easily begin to fulfill land-based learning mandates with the backing of ratified community education laws that place high value on this kind of learning. Through concerted curriculum writing, lesson planning and resource development, educators as curriculum writers alongside knowledge keepers can do this work. As one participant stated, “students should leave their community education schools having a strong sense of identity and cultural competency.”

Most important, the guest speakers strongly recommended that the knowledge and protocols of the people in the community should always be the basis from which land-based learning starts. It was stated, “If you follow the protocols of the people in the community and follow the peoples’ traditions, it [land-based learning] will be done in a good way.” Some participants noted the challenges facing educators who do not have the skills to connect culturally-relevant land-based learning activities to science, math, language arts, fine arts, social sciences and history expectations and or the spiritual and cultural beliefs of the people. More resources and time will have to be put aside for teacher training and writing to occur, all of which, are third level functions of governments would undertake, similar to the role a Ministry of Education plays provincially. These functions are not currently funded through core First Nation education formula funding models of the federal government. Education staff can be supported, however, immediately by being provided with quality professional development opportunities and by having cultural knowledge keepers as co-teachers in schools.

Barriers to Outdoor Education • Costs • Perceived lack of ‘wilderness’ spaces • Logistics & planning • Safety & risk factors • Lack of material tools, equipment • Lack of cultural and spiritual knowledge Proposed Solutions • Rethink redesign for the ‘wilderness’

found in school yards • Create a climate to embrace costs as

investments in well-being and success • Mitigate risk factors through specialized

and high-quality health, safety standards • Hire & retain outdoor teaching specialists

as classroom teachers • Identify outdoor education teacher

lead/position to support coordination, policy and teacher training

• Begin investing in quality equipment and or create strong partnerships with trained outfitters to help deliver the programs

• Hire cultural teachers to co-teach • Build strong cultural professional

development & certification programs through partnerships with other nations.

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Resources Action Group on Knowledge Systems and Indicators of Well-Being, Meeting Overview, April 21-22, 2018, The American Museum of Natural History, New York https://decolonization.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/special-issue-on-indigenous-land-based-education/ Caillon S., G. Cullman, B. Verschuuren & E.J. Sterling (2017) Moving beyond the human-nature dichotomy through biocultural approaches including ecological well-being in resilience indicators. Ecology and Society 22(4):27 Freeland Ballantyne, Erin (2014) Dechinta Bush University: Mobilizing a knowledge economy of reciprocity, resurgence and decolonization. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society Vol. 3, No. 3, 2014, pp. 67-85. Gavin, Michael C., J.McCarter, F.Burkes, E.J. Sterling & N.J. Turner (2018) Protected Land: Many factors shape success. Science Vol. 361 August 2018. McCarter, J., E. J. Sterling, S. D. Jupiter, G. D. Cullman, S. Albert, M. Basi, E. Betley, D. Boseto, E. S. Bulehite, R. Harron, P. S., Holland, N. Horning, A. Hughes, N. Jino, C. Malone, S. Mauli, B. Pae, R. Papae, F. Rence, O. Revo, E. Taqala, M. Taqu, H. Woltz, and C. E. Filardi. 2018. Biocultural approaches to developing well-being indicators in Solomon Islands. Ecology and Society 23 (1):32. Simpson, Leanne Betasamosake (2014) Land as pedagogy: Nishnaabeg intelligence and rebellious transformation. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society Vol. 3, No. 3, 2014, pp. 1-25. Sterling, E. J., C. Filardi, A. Toomey, A. Sigouin, E. Betley, N. Gazit, J. Newell, S. Albert, D. Alvira, N. Bergamini, M. Blair, D. Boseto, K. Burrows, N. Bynum, S. Caillon, J. E. Caselle, J. Claudet, G. Cullman, R. Dacks, P. B. Eyzaguirre, S. Gray, J. Herrera, P. Kenilorea, K. Kinney, N. Kurashima, S. Macey, C. Malone, S. Mauli, J. McCarter, H. McMillen, P. Pascua, P. Pikacha, A. L. Porzecanski, P. de Robert, M. Salpeteur, M. Sirikolo, M. H. Stege, K. Stege, T. Ticktin, R. Vave, A. Wali, P. West, K. B. Winter, and S. D. Jupiter. 2017a. Biocultural approaches to well-being and sustainability indicators across scales. Nature Ecology and Evolution 1:1798-1806. Sterling, Eleanor et al. Culturally grounded indicators of resilience in social-ecological indicators. Environment & Society Advances in Research Measurements and Metrics Vol.8, 2017, pp.63-95.

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M. Wildcat, M. Simpson, S. Irlbacher-Fox & G. Coulthard (2014) Learning from the land: Indigenous landbased pedagogy and decolonization. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society Vol. 3, No. 3, 2014, pp. I-XV Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning supports the best practice in Indigenous research. They support community based and ethical research that meets the needs of Indigenous communities and individuals. Dechinta faculty are recognized leaders in their fields and continue cutting edge research alongside innovative teachings. https://www.dechinta.ca

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Appendix A – Detailed Discussion Notes The following questions were posted to the guest speakers and participants prior to their presentation.

1. What does successful land-based learning look like to you? 2. What evidence would you see, feel, hear, taste and smell in a community that places a

high value on a relationship with the land? 3. How do we monitor for positive changes/impacts when implementing land-based

learning approaches? What would be benchmarks, short and long term? An analysis was done to group discussion thoughts under each question area by the author and facilitator. What does successful land-based learning look like?

• We have people in our community for over 30 years, now it’s in daycare, at the schools and now trying to get it in the local high schools for our students attending provincial schools

• I give the youth a lot of credit, they are so far advanced from when I was their age; even though they are born in a technological world, thankful they still live a parallel world, and learned traditions, their identity, and who they are; if no hydro, she knows her kids know their plants, seeds and can walk through the field

• lots of things talked about at conference recently attended regarding cultural competency, left asking how will our kids leave our school? We need to develop our own way of evaluating our students so that it becomes a part of who they are when they leave, must take control so they learn what is needed to be culturally competent in their own culture

• in that are the teachings, people don’t waste • teachings in there, its reciprocal, it’s one thing to go through the emotions, or the

teachings behind, it’s the responsibilities to nature • it’s one thing to go through the motions but if they are not getting the culture behind or

spirituality then we are not being true to our role as stewards of the land • as soon as you have people outside their energy changes • when you look at students, they are blowing off all that steam and all of that energy that

teachers have to deal with, it’s about mental health • her daughter, notices kids need braces, she did research, it’s because they are no longer

doing the chewing and the pulling of their jaws on wild meat, it’s important to do the pulling [that physical action became part of our DNA] I have canine teeth and so I am a meat eater; it’s part of our DNA and its starting to change; kids are not pulling on the teeth the tough as shoe leather, she is only 16 years old and part of her research

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• say sugar bush, look at the Canadian experience, the mass-produced place, for us, in their family, they find it very offensive. We see the maple tree as a relative or relation unless the people have that spiritual connection as a relative; the component of the worldview is not there by some of our Anishinaabek teachers, who don’t have that connection

• after hearing Art Solomon, it acknowledges everything I’ve been thinking for the past 25 years that I’ve been in the school, kids need to get back to the land

• There’s a lot when you are outside, pick any subject in curriculum, it’s all there for you; the science, the health, language, the songs, the ceremonies, everything about us from birth to death, is basically outside and that is who we are.

• when you actually do that you see a completely different student in front of you and a different kind of learning happening, you just need to get out there and do it, need to convince people that they can do it and that’s where the real learning is going to take place because I’ve seen it myself

• so it’s so important for our youth to know this, I see a big change, it won’t be in our lifetime but it’ll get there we are the backbone of the community, the women have always been, I’m just saying with the technology we might as well use it, I know we will get there, I can see the youth being stronger, it can be anything you want it to be like the vision is there.

• we are in the teaching wigwam here on the campus of Shingwauk and the way it is utilized, its year round, we are next to Algoma University, Shingwauk residential school, why I share this with you, when we learn some of these skills , there is a healing component to it, we pass the skills set on, they may have not been passed along there, but now we are doing it

What evidence would you see, feel, hear, taste and smell in a community that places a high value on a relationship with the land?

• my kids can run the ceremonies, they can build the ceremonies, they know when to do it, to cut the wood, the tapping of trees, when they pick the berries, the 13 moons, they know what the stories are

• for us, it’s just trying to learn more, they’ve asked different elders to come in and guide them, for them its working, now it’s trying to educate the other people, we want the true accuracy out there of who we are, we don’t want it to be a show for others

• at the school itself they have had it happening over 30 years in some shape of form; as to who does it and how it’s done, some years it does happen and some years it doesn’t, there is no consistency

• I like to listen to what other people are doing and for me it’s trying to go and do the experience, likes travelling in U.S. too, and she tries to take youth with her

• every time an Elder is around, if we are making corn soup or boiling the sap, there is always something to do, should never hear the kids say they are bored

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• they go for a week do the science camp no electronics; they get to cook outside all week;

• we used to be skinning hides in the school yard and kids getting right in there and take hides and make drums, the bigger the school got, it became less and less frequent at the school

• in their community, they have their fall harvest, again, it’s whether those kinds of cultural connections are included or not

• do a walleye harvest and funds raised pay for grade 8 trip, we do get out on the land but not always a connection to the cultural aspects explicitly taught

• In northern communities everything shuts down, the Elders are fighting over the moose nose, miss that

• telling them its goose season, no one knows about that • up north women make down blankets nothing goes to waste, there is so much • have to do more of that living outside, sleep with the window open • grandfather slept outside and never got a cold • we liked to be outside, I miss that • if the nation decides more families being outside is a key indicator of success, what is

the nation’s role, the board’s/education committee role? What are those things that matter to us? How will we know if we got there? – high level, that is, at the nation-level, it could be an education law and funding formula that places value on outdoor spaces, outdoor learning costs and principles, producing nation supporting documents/policy – that’s how align priorities in the school, community, departments, etc.

• but you want to do it a lot more, but you don’t always get to go on the land • I’ve wanted to in my career • When I look at what education is to us, as a family, we have always prioritized

[conventional]education but not if it compromised our [traditional knowledge learning]. How do we monitor for positive changes/impacts when implementing land-based learning approaches? What would be benchmarks, short and long term?

• they have 3.8 million acres the community can use [through our treaty territory] • we have a lot of work to do to educate the people that live in the cities our people live

in • need to build a community who are confident in themselves to do it for themselves,

more concern for safety and logistics • sometimes the teachings or connections were not made, and it was more about the task

of doing • not everybody follows those ways and it depends on who we got leading • the work of the Collective is help form frameworks, supporting documents and law so to

institute in the curriculum and formalize it • often there are feelings of being lonely, the living outside is not happening out here,

where we shut down and take a day and all go ice fishing, we need to be more like that • have to do more of that, eating outside

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• we really encourage folks to get outside to teach their lessons • it’s really about space • we talked about fire pits, it creates a wonderful space for kids to practice positive social

relations • when kids are outside, use whatever they are learning outside and connect it to what

they are learning inside school, probe them • how does it tie to their lessons in math? they get excited when they make connections

to their other studies, there are a lot of nuts and bolts to making it work, it’s getting on the same page and vision for all involved

• the sugar bush and how it connects to all the subject areas, staff don’t quite get it, they don’t see how it connects, it’s an area of support that we need with the teachers, we as educators do something and there is no connection after its done; we need to make the connects moving forward

• each of our communities has years of experience but how they relate to students is another thing, sometimes its having an apprentice or a translater when someone is rough around the edges to help the learning

• The communities coming together to discuss these things, like what we are doing right now, lend support to one another

• if you follow the protocols of your people, your community; if following your traditions of your people, that is the guide that will help you do things in that good positive way

• the structure of the building is very confining and teachers seem to find in the 4 walls of the classroom their safe space and afraid to move out of that space onto the land

• often you want to do it way more than you are allowed to because of safety reasons, accessibility, transportation

• when talking about the 4 walls of the school, it’s even about the location of the school, our school is off the main road central to the community; talking about building a new school in a different location maybe be closer to the wilderness.

• That’s what we know, so when we talk about those things that we know to Western society, we are talking to them like aliens because they don’t understand so it’s part of our jobs to try to do that with them and they’re slowly changing but it’s not at the pace that we want

• It was shared how conversations that were had in Ontario about how robust Ontario should fund on outdoor education and yet due to costs it didn’t get funded, we should not be afraid to have a conversation of the cost of outdoor education – that is why we cannot accept the colonial frameworks because they won’t prioritize it the same way we would.

• when we think of our school yards, I’ve been to a lot of schools and just what the school yards look like are limited.

• when we think about land-based, it’s always outside, we have to start being creative but when I go into a school yard there is nothing out there go to

• a playground has these gaudily coloured things, we have to remove them completely and rebuild that whole space.

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• when we want to teach from outdoors, i.e., astronomy, rocks on the ground in the school yard, stuff is right there its right in front of us, creating those trees putting those gardens in, creating space, you just got to be creative in the spaces

• putting a teepee up, even tents, everything you can do you can do it right outside and how do we do that? We can do that by getting our parents involved, getting our communities involved, our Elders, land offices, just ask for that help because we know we are limited on budgets because that’s the thing we always hear well we don’t have a budget

• use your resources that you have, we have to collaborate together, how do we create that meaningful space and that learning space for our kids, when I think of a school yard I think of climbing trees and gardens and all the things that I think of like the saw dust, you have to touch and feel and learn, and you can create all of that with those resources, but what do we do instead? Children are not allowed to jump in a puddle that’s how we have to learn, they have to touch, smell, to feel and to hear to learn, that’s what we have to create for them and that’s what land-based is, we get so hung up on going out into that bush, you can create that space right at the school, anywhere, we have to be creative and we are

• we are really grateful for the opportunity, I am so thankful for their contribution, that is what I am seeing as we spend some time with the dialogue session, we have a real opportunity to change for the next generation

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LAND-BASED LEARNING & DEFINING CULTURALLY …...Apr 15, 2019 · oriented, family-centred, community protocol driven and wholistic. Participants discussed success using far more inclusive