Protecting Our Sacred Water
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Protecting our Sacred Water Supporting First Nations, Métis and Inuit Youth to make Positive Changes in their Communities: A Guide for Educators and Youth Program Facilitators With the Support of: Table of Contents Jane Goodall Institute .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Learning for a Sustainable Future ............................................................................................................................... 5 Overview – Key things about this guide ....................................................................................................................... 7 Part One: Developing a respectful understanding of FNMI people, culture and knowledge............................................. 8 A. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 What is in this Guide? Who is this Guide for? .......................................................................................... 8 A Note About the Language in this Guide ................................................................................................ 9 How to Use this Guide ............................................................................................................................ 9 Guiding Principles of This Guide ............................................................................................................ 10 What are Action Projects? .................................................................................................................... 11 B. Developing an understanding and respect for First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples ................................ 12 Who are First Nations, Métis and Inuit People? ..................................................................................... 12 What is the right term to use when speaking about First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples? .................. 12 Self-Identification and First Nations, Métis and Inuit Youth ................................................................... 13 Work Toward a Greater Understanding of the Context of the Youth`s Lives ........................................... 14 Why is it Important to Understand and Respect Cultural Diversity? ....................................................... 15 C. Incorporating Respect and Understanding of FNMI Cultures and Knowledge in Your Class or Program .. 16 …But I Don’t Know Enough to Incorporate Aspects of First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit Culture in My Teaching/Program ................................................................................................................................ 16 Ideas for Supporting the Learning Needs of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Young People ........................ 16 Demonstrating respect for First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures and knowledge .................................. 18 Ideas about How to Confront Eurocentrism with Young People ............................................................. 20 Understanding the Levels of Integration of FNMI and Multicultural Content .......................................... 22 Level 1: The Contributions Approach ......................................................................................................... 22 Level 2: The Additive Approach ................................................................................................................. 22 Level 3: The Transformation Approach ...................................................................................................... 22 Level 4: The Social Action Approach .......................................................................................................... 22 Incorporating Mentorship Relationships in your Action Project ............................................................. 23 Guidance for Fostering Mentorship Relationships .................................................................................... 23 An Example of a First Nations Teaching and How to Incorporate it into your Program ............................ 24 Applying the Seven Grandfather Teachings to Education ......................................................................... 24 D. Honouring Diverse Ways of Coming-to-Know ............................................................................................... 25 Incorporating successful Learning Strategies for FNMI youth into your Action Projects .......................... 25 Honouring and Incorporating FNMI Ways of Coming to Know ................................................................ 26 Spirit Bundles: A Spiritual Way of Coming to Know ................................................................................... 26 Incorporate Storytelling in Your Class or Program..................................................................................... 27 Incorporate the Arts ................................................................................................................................... 30 Invite Students to Share Cultural Knowledge ............................................................................................ 31 Reflect on what gets Prioritized and Evaluated ......................................................................................... 31 Look for Opportunities to Provide Students with Choice .......................................................................... 31 E. Respecting Traditional First Nations, Métis and Inuit Ways of Understanding Nature .............................. 32 First Nations, Métis and Inuit Ways of Understanding Nature ................................................................ 33 Conventional Science in Canada ............................................................................................................ 34 Other ways of knowing in conventional science and other sciences from around the world .................. 34 Other ways of knowing in other cultures ................................................................................................... 35 Why Include Traditional FNMI Ways of Understanding Nature in Your Teaching? ................................... 36 How to Share and Include Traditional FNMI Ways of Understanding Nature .......................................... 37 F. Respectful Communication and Collaboration .............................................................................................. 38 Learn Some Words in the Language ...................................................................................................... 38 Acknowledge the First Nation on Whose Traditional Territory You are Working ..................................... 38 Learn about Traditional Protocols ......................................................................................................... 38 Approach Elders Respectfully ................................................................................................................ 39 Consider Cultural Differences in Communication Styles ......................................................................... 41 Communication styles ................................................................................................................................ 41 Attitudes towards conflict .......................................................................................................................... 41 Approaches to completing tasks ................................................................................................................ 41 Decision-making styles ............................................................................................................................... 41 Attitudes towards openness in personal matters ...................................................................................... 42 A Sustainable Future ............................................................................................................................ 43 G. Interconnectedness .......................................................................................................................................... 45 Why Focus on Water? ........................................................................................................................... 48 H. Traditional FNMI Stories and Teachings ........................................................................................................ 49 Respect – The Words that Come Before all Else ..................................................................................... 49 Part Two: Action Process .................................................................................................................................................. 60 What is an Action Project? .................................................................................................................... 60 The Action Project Process: 12 Steps for Taking Meaningful Action! ....................................................... 60 How to Use this Action Process ............................................................................................................. 62 The Twelve Steps of an Action Project ................................................................................................... 62 Meaningful Student Participation ........................................................................................................