MovingMoving ForwardForward TogetherTogether ThroughThrough HolisticHolistic PracticePractice

AtAt NunavutNunavut ArcticArctic CollegeCollege ► 3 Year Project: March 2007 – February 2010 ► To develop a Portfolio Development course for Adult Basic Education learners at Arctic College ► To deliver the course at all of our community learning centres ► Funded by HRSDC’s Pan Canadian Innovations Initiative PLARPLAR ProjectProject ObjectivesObjectives

► ToTo increaseincrease literacyliteracy ► ToTo increaseincrease self-esteemself-esteem ► ToTo increaseincrease engagementengagement withwith education,education, workwork oror communitycommunity involvementinvolvement ► ToTo raiseraise awarenessawareness ofof PLAR(RPL)PLAR(RPL) andand PortfolioPortfolio DevelopmentDevelopment AmongAmong StakeholdersStakeholders

DialectDialect mapmap DeDemomogrgrapaphicshics

PPopopulationulation ofof apapprox.prox. 30,00030,000 MedianMedian agagee ofof 22.122.1 InuitInuit representrepresent 8585 percentpercent ofof thethe poppopulationulation STATISTICSSTATISTICS

► AverageAverage householdhousehold income:income: $31,000$31,000 ($45,000($45,000 forfor thethe restrest ofof Canada)Canada) ► Transportation:Transportation: air,air, sea,sea, snowmobilesnowmobile ► CostCost ofof anan airlineairline ticket:ticket: (First(First Air)Air) $3,000/ person -Ottawa return $2,955/person - return Challenges:Challenges:

► AnAn areaarea one-fifthone-fifth thethe sizesize ofof Canada,Canada, ► AA populationpopulation densitydensity ofof oneone personperson perper 7070 kmkm sqsq ► Infrastructure:Infrastructure: housing,housing, transportationtransportation andand telecommunicationstelecommunications systemssystems ► ClimateClimate ► FourFour languageslanguages BeginnerBeginner’’ss MindMind

InIn thethe beginnerbeginner’’ss mind,mind, therethere areare manymany possibilities,possibilities, inin thethe expertsexperts mind,mind, therethere areare few.few. Holistic practice is about moving forward from a place of values and principles.

It is not what we do, but how we do it that makes the difference. PartneringPartnering withwith FNTIFNTI

• Portfolio development as transformational learning • Recognition of whole person development • Addressing ethnostress • Validating traditional knowledge and ways of being within an institutional context WhatWhat isis thethe rolerole ofof currentcurrent educationeducation systemssystems inin redressingredressing pastpast mistakes?mistakes? HolisticHolistic EducationEducation IsIs……

A philosophy of education based on the premise that each person finds identity, meaning, and purpose in life through connections to themselves, to each other, to the community, to the natural world, and to spiritual values such as compassion and peace. StudentsStudents oror HumanHuman Beings?Beings?

Student: The root of the word student is the latin word studere “to take pains”.

From a perspective of Traditional Knowledge or Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, Inuit value the degree of ‘humanity’ or inungurniq that a person demonstrates. This is the measure of a person’s development. HolisticHolistic PortfolioPortfolio DevDevelopmentelopment fostersfosters identity,identity, connectionconnection ,, meaningmeaning makingmaking andand empowermentempowerment DevDevelopingeloping thethe coursecourse waswas aa collaborative,collaborative, participatoryparticipatory processprocess InuitInuit CircleCircle ofof BelBelonongingging

Inuuqatigiit Curriculum Framework, Department of Education, NU MeekaMeeka ArArnanakaqkaq TheThe IglooIgloo ofof LifeLife RelationshipRelationship isis CentralCentral toto LearningLearning

The part of the brain most influenced by relationships is the “thinking” part of the brain.

This means that relationships help us learn to think, make decisions and control our feelings. ColonizationColonization andand TraumaTrauma ImpactsImpacts BeyondBeyond ColonizationColonization

Personal healing and community development reaffirms cultural values as they can be expressed in the contemporary world.

Communities that are connected, empowered, provide a positive identity for its members through the encouragement of meaningful social roles, and where a traditional cultural vision is practiced are healthy. LearningLearning relationshipsrelationships

Attunement changes the brain

When you are deep in conversation, staring into someone’s eyes, in sync your right brain is fully engaged!

Your right frontal cortex lights up like a Christmas tree. TellingTelling ourour StoriesStories

My goals are to see Inuit standing. To stand means that I will be able to see far ahead into my future. In healing, the best way to stand tall is to begin to tell our stories. Our stories connect us to each other and to our culture… The meaning of healing is that you can speak of your thoughts and your feelings. When you can speak of your feelings, then you can stand strong.” Angaangaq Lyberth EmotionalEmotional LiteracyLiteracy

TheThe abilityability toto putput feelingsfeelings intointo meaningfulmeaningful wordswords

PartPart ofof whatwhat makesmakes aa situationsituation traumatictraumatic isis notnot talkingtalking aboutabout it.it. TalkingTalking reducesreduces traumatrauma symptoms.symptoms. WhenWhen wewe dondon’’tt talktalk aboutabout trauma,trauma, wewe remainremain emotionallyemotionally illiterate.illiterate. OurOur mostmost powerfulpowerful feelingsfeelings gogo unnamedunnamed andand unspoken.unspoken. Changing our practice by changing our perspective Marie Battiste YearYear 11

. Created the curriculum . Trained 12 Adult Educators . Piloted the curriculum in Cambridge Bay . Revised the curriculum . Extended the training for Adult Educators . Piloted the course in 8 communities to 48 students . Held an Adult Educator debrief YearYear 22

► Revised the Curriculum ► Trained an additional 12 AE’s ► Delivered the course in 18 communities to over 150 students ► Integrated portfolio into certificate programs – community therapy assistant, college foundations ► Delivered an outreach course to stakeholders ► Developed RPL Advisor Assessor Training for staff and instructors. ► Held an Adult Educator debrief WhatWhat diddid thethe evaluationevaluation say?say?

 ToTo increaseincrease literacyliteracy  ToTo increaseincrease self-esteemself-esteem  ToTo increaseincrease engagementengagement withwith education,education, workwork oror communitycommunity involvementinvolvement  ToTo raiseraise awarenessawareness ofof PLAR(RPL)PLAR(RPL) andand PortfolioPortfolio DevelopmentDevelopment AmongAmong StakeholdersStakeholders WhatWhat diddid learnerslearners say?say?

“I now know who I am”

“I learned about myself, that I can change my attitudes to have a better life

(I learned) that I can trust and that I am not alone.

I can now claim the skills I have gained in my life WhatWhat diddid thethe learnerslearners say?say?

Seeing all of it in one place is very powerful…when I look at it [the portfolio], I realize, yeah, I never thought of this, my background, my grandparents, … it’s like I feel special and my family feels special … it’s so amazing, …. and so nice to have

I feel much closer to my children and my grandchild. It is as if I stepped outside of myself and saw the whole picture. If my mother and grandmother could go through hard times, I can do it too.

It’s like I came back to the world after being lost, and I am still here today.” WeWe oweowe itit toto thethe world,world, andand especiallyespecially toto ourselves,ourselves, toto articulatearticulate whowho andand whatwhat wewe werewere inin thethe past,past, whowho andand whatwhat wewe areare today,today, andand whowho andand whatwhat wewe wantwant toto becomebecome inin thethe future.future.

JaypeeteeJaypeetee Arnakak,Arnakak, Prometheosis,Prometheosis, 2002)2002) My heart has been touched For they have shared their perception of me The short time that we have spent together It has inspired in me all that is positive How much more can I strive For these that are good When we look with our hearts We are open We are raw We are true Broken will be rebuilt Hurt will be healed Lack will be filled Anger will dissipate Here we will sit content within ourselves All because we dared To look with our hearts ForFor MoreMore InformationInformation visitvisit www.plar.arcticcollege.cawww.plar.arcticcollege.ca

Charmian Jenvenne, Kitikmeot and Kivalliq Regional Coordinator Phone: 867-645-4811 [email protected]

Dawn Stewart Qikiqtani Regional Coordinator Phone: 867-979-7212 [email protected]

Jennifer Archer, Project Manager Phone: 867-979-7231 [email protected] VaValueslues TurningTurning toto OneOne AnotherAnother

► CHOOSECHOOSE ONEONE OROR TWOTWO VALUESVALUES CARDSCARDS THATTHAT STANDSTAND OUTOUT TOTO YOUYOU ► INTRODUCEINTRODUCE YOURSELFYOURSELF TOTO YOURYOUR PARTICIPANTS,PARTICIPANTS, ANDAND SHARESHARE YOURYOUR CARDSCARDS ANDAND WHYWHY THEYTHEY AREARE IMPORTANTIMPORTANT TOTO YOUYOU ► KEEPKEEP TALKINGTALKING –– SEESEE WHATWHAT EMERGESEMERGES MatteringMattering

AreAre wewe workingworking onon anan issueissue thatthat mattersmatters toto people?people? OwnershipOwnership

InvolveInvolve peoplepeople inin thethe processprocess CollaborationCollaboration ValuesValues

IntegrateIntegrate values,values, traditionaltraditional knowledge,knowledge, andand perspectivesperspectives fromfrom thethe outsetoutset CourageCourage

BeBe fearlessfearless eveneven inin thethe faceface ofof challengeschallenges andand obstaclesobstacles MistakesMistakes MistakesMistakes areare opportunities.opportunities. ““EverythingEverything isis aa failurefailure inin thethe middlemiddle”” -- MargaretMargaret WheatleyWheatley ResponsivenessResponsiveness

ContinueContinue thethe dialogue.dialogue. BeBe open,open, flexibleflexible andand responsiveresponsive StrengthsStrengths

IdentifyIdentify andand buildbuild onon strengthsstrengths andand assetsassets PerseverancePerseverance

EveryEvery dayday wewe havehave toto makemake aa choicechoice –– willwill wewe givegive up,up, oror willwill wewe keepkeep going?going? CelebrationCelebration