Final Report of the Program Evaluation of the Action Research for Mino-Pimaatisiwin in Erickson Schools, Manitoba February 2020 Authors: Jeff Smith Karen Rempel Heather Duncan with contributions from: Valerie McInnes Final Report of the Program Evaluation of the Action Research for Mino-Pimaatisiwin in Erickson Schools, Manitoba February 2020 Submitted to: Indigenous Services Canada Rolling River School Division Erickson Collegiate Institute Erickson Elementary School Rolling River First Nation Submitted by: Karen Rempel, Ph.D. Director, Centre for Aboriginal and Rural Education Studies (CARES) Faculty of Education Brandon University Written by: Jeff Smith Karen Rempel Heather Duncan With contributions from: Valerie McInnes Table of Contents Action Research for Mino-Pimaatisiwin in Erickson Manitoba Schools Executive Summary 1 Introduction 4 Process 5 Context of the Evaluators 6 Evaluation Framework 7 Program Evaluation Question 7 Program Evaluation Methodology 8 Data Collection and Assessment Inventory 8 Student Surveys 8 School Context Teacher Interviews 8 Data collection and analysis 9 Organization of this Report 9 Part 1: Introduction 10 Challenges of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education 10 Educational Achievement Gaps 11 Addressing Achievement Gaps 11 Context of Erickson, Manitoba Schools 12 Rolling River First Nation 12 Challenges for Erickson, Manitoba Schools in the Rolling River School Division 13 Cultural Proficiency: A Rolling River School Division Priority 13 Indigenization through the Application of Mino-Pimaatisiwin and the Ojibwe Good Life Principles 15 The Ojibwe Seven Teachings of the Good Life 15 Mino-Pimaatisiwin 16 Part 2: Needs Assessment of Student Assessment Instruments 17 Indigenous Perspective on Learning 20 Appropriate Assessment 24 Part 3: Review of Relevant Literature: Indigenous Pedagogy in a Canadian Context 29 Defining Indigenous 29 Settler Colonialism 30 Defining Settler 30 Settler/Indigenous Identities in Canada 31 Reconciliation 31 Decolonization 32 Critical Race Theory 34 The Hidden Curriculum and Responding to Linguistic Cultural Biases 36 Part 4: Review of Relevant Literature: Indigenization of Curricula 39 Description 39 Indigenization 39 Indigenous Models of Teaching 40 Story 40 Land-Based Pedagogy and Decolonization 41 Language 41 Vision 42 Anishinaabe Pedagogy 42 Importance of Community 42 Elders and Indigenous Knowledge 43 Indigenous Foundations of Leadership 44 Culture 45 Teacher Professional Development, Indigenization and Indigenous Knowledge 46 Challenges to Determining the Impact of Indigenization of Education 47 Dimensions of Decolonization and Impact on Indigenous Education 48 Part 5: Findings from Cultural Competency, Belonging and Resilience Student Surveys49 Cultural Connectedness and Self-esteem and Belonging Survey Findings 2017-2018 49 Erickson Elementary School 49 Cultural Connectedness Survey 50 Self-esteem and Belonging Survey 51 Cultural Connectedness, Resiliency, and Feelings towards School Survey Findings 57 Erickson Collegiate 57 Cultural Connectedness Survey 58 Cultural Connectedness Survey Findings 2017 58 Cultural Connectedness Survey Findings 2018 62 Resiliency Findings 2017 68 Resiliency Findings 2018 72 Feelings towards School 78 Feelings towards School Survey Findings 2017 79 Feelings towards School Survey Findings 2018 83 Part 6: Findings 90 Findings 90 Indigenization of Curriculum 91 Indigenous Teachers’ Perspectives of Indigenization in Erickson Schools 91 Equity and its Effects on Future Success 91 Indigenous Cultural Competencies and Pedagogies 91 Sharing Knowledge of Protocols and Indigenous Cultural Competencies 93 Indigenous Cultural Competencies at Erickson Schools 93 Indigenous Leadership 94 Mino-Pimaatisiwin and the Good Life 95 The Influence of Mino-Pimaatisiwin and the “Good Life” on Erickson Schools 95 Mino-Pimaatisiwin and School Culture 95 Mino-Pimaatisiwin as Praxis 96 Mino-Pimaatisiwin and Relationships 97 The Effects of the Hidden Curriculum on Mino- Pimaatisiwin 98 Settler Teachers’ Perspectives of Indigenization, Reconciliation and Decolonization in Erickson Schools 100 Settler Teachers as Allies 100 Examples of Culturally Proficient Teaching 101 Whiteness, Cultural Difference, and Challenges to Indigenization 104 Reported Indigenous Critiques of Settler Involvement in Indigenization 105 Defining Culture 106 Responding to Accusations of Racism 107 The Racialization of Indigenous teachers 108 Cultural Safety and Professional Development 108 Experiential Education 109 Traditional Indigenous Objects and Teaching 110 Indigenous Art 111 Adapting the Physical Education Curriculum 111 Leadership and Commitment to Indigenization 111 Community Exchanges and Family Involvement 113 Challenges with Family Involvement 114 School Responses to Improve Connections with Families 115 Non-Indigenous Communities around Erickson 117 Elder Involvement 118 General School Competencies 119 Part 7: Conclusions and Recommendations 122 Conclusions 122 Recommendations 124 Final Remarks 125 References 126 Appendix 1: Mino-Pimaatisiwin Activities Erickson Elementary School 135 Action Research for Mino-Pimaatisiwin in Erickson Manitoba Schools Executive Summary This action research project, Mino-Pimaatisiwin, was a collaboration among researchers at Brandon University, the staff and principal of Erickson Elementary School (EES) and Erickson Collegiate Institute (ECI), the superintendent of Rolling River School Division, and members of a First Nations community, Rolling River First Nation, working on systemic educational change by infusing Indigenous perspectives into the school culture, curriculum, and community. The project was conducted during the 18 months of fall 2017 to spring 2019. It was funded by Indigenous Services Canada through the New Paths for Education Program. Project funding was used for student/school materials and resources, learning materials, professional development, conference presentations, and community-school activities. According to Hart (2002), Mino-Pimaatisiwin is an Ojibwe term for “life in the fullest, healthiest sense” (n. p). Its foundations are wholeness, balance, relationships, harmony, growth, and healing. Hart explains all aspects of the whole are in relation to one another: “When we give energy to these relationships, we nurture the connections” (Hart, 2002, n. p.). Thus, student learning should include how parts work interdependently to create wholes (Bell, 2016). Indigenization is a transformative process that highlights the importance of centering Indigenous people, cultures, knowledge systems, experiences, and priorities in education (Battiste & Youngblood Henderson, 2000; Smith, 2013). According to Manitoba Education and Youth (2003), “Schools have the responsibility to ensure that Aboriginal perspectives are fairly and accurately conveyed to all students. The inclusion of Aboriginal perspectives into curricula will benefit not only Aboriginal peoples but non-Aboriginal peoples as well” (p.1). The purpose of this evaluation was to explore the impact on the “good life” of infusing Indigenous perspectives into the elementary school curriculum with a focus on building self-esteem and cultural connectedness among Indigenous students using the cultural frameworks of Mino-Pimaatisiwin and the Ojibwe Seven Teachings of a Good Life. The purpose of the evaluation was to explore the extent to which the Erikson Schools achieved their goal of co-developing, with Rolling River First Nation, an educational environment based on the cultural framework of Mino-Pimaatisiwin (Good Life) and the Ojibwe Good Life Principles. Activities directed toward these goals included teacher and administration professional development in the areas of cultural proficiency, Indigenization of curricula across grade levels, experiential learning, community exchanges, and involvement of Elders. The program evaluation of the Mino-Pimaatisiwin project included three areas: (1) needs assessments of the existing and ideal types of student assessments; (2) results of student success surveys; and (3) teachers’ and principals’ perceptions and actions on Indigenizing school curricula. Data sources for the program evaluation research included student surveys, interview data from teachers and principals, feedback slips, and student interviews about student field trips, and document analysis. Data analysis included both quantitative and qualitative data analysis processes. 7 In addition to the data collection and analyses, an extensive review of the literature was conducted. The purpose of the review was to present a framework of Indigenous philosophical and ontological concepts that sought to support thorough explanations and descriptions of the findings. Overview of key findings from the program evaluation research: The contents of this program evaluation should serve as an exemplar to other schools of the courage, open-mindedness, and collaborative spirit required to facilitate systemic change of this magnitude. The schools have had success in achieving an educational environment based on the cultural framework of Mino-Pimaatisiwin (Good Life) and the Ojibwe Good Life Principles. The teachers and principals who were interviewed displayed a commitment to the Indigenization of curriculum, student-centered focus, and dedication to reconciliation and equity. The schools had advanced educational practices throughout the project and demonstrated notable responsiveness to not only supporting but actively promoting well-being for all their students, with a particular