culturally baseed horizontal curriculum
TRANSCRIPT
Vee Whitehorse Kelly Pasloski
School
A Model for Change
Why Culturally Based?
Many Youth
Have experienced a loss oftraditional culture.
Do not speak or have losttheir traditional language
Do not attend school on a regular basis, if at all.
Cannot visualize the importance ofculture within education and their
personal journey to a healthy lifestyle.
CreationStory
The primary advantage of a ‘Culturally Based HorizontalCurriculum’ is the ability to blend traditional teachings,
with present day experiences.
Each youth is exposedto the teachings of the‘Creation Story’ and‘Medicine Wheel’ in
relation to onespersonal life experiences
and wellness.
This maximizes theyouths personal ability
and cultural knowledge base for their personal
journey to a healthy lifestyle.
Not attending school at the commencement of intake – 51%.
All students experience an age/grade discrepancy. The averageis three to six years. Student attendance in previous schoolshas been extremely poor, if not attending for several years.
Initially, students have an extremely poor attitude towardsschool due negative experiences within other schools. This transmits itself into poor self-esteem within a thought processindicating “I am not able to do it”.
An issue of trust is of a concern at the beginning of each intake.
“continued”
Classroom Profile
Classroom Profile (cont’d)
Learning styles vary for each individual student resulting ina numerous teaching methodologies to be employed on a continual basis.
Students are not receptive to individual technological basedinstruction. They definitely prefer personal “one-to-one”instruction.
The attention span for a majority of the students varies, butoverall is extremely short.
Students put very little effort into standardized tests.
For particular students, English is not their first language.
Math
ELA
Science
Nat St
Linguistics
Visual Arts
Math
ELA
Science
Nat
st
Linguistics
Visual
Arts
Horizontal LearningTraditionalInstruction
Traditional InstructionVersus
Horizontal LearningDaily
Schedule
Project Based
Horizontal Learning (Hide Tanning)
Within the conceptual design of the Horizontal Curriculum, a culturally relatedproject is chosen and a timeline determined, dependent upon the activity.
All aims, goals and outcomes are tracked in accordance with Sask LearningCurriculum within the areas of Mathematics, Language Arts, Cree Language
and Visual Arts. (reference Sections C, D, E and F of handout)
Horizontal Learning (Hand Drum Making)
Reference Section B for Lesson Plan for ‘Hand Drum Assembly-Diameter – Radius – Circumference – Area’
and ‘Activity Assessment’
All Hands OnCulturally Based
Activities ReferenceThe Medicine Wheel
Holistic Clinical Counselling
First Nations Language Instruction
Rattle Making
Hand Drum Making
Tepee RaisingTeachings
Feasts
Pipe Ceremonies
Traditional Hide Tanning
Buffalo Hunt
Sweats
Sweat Lodge Construction
Elders Teachings
Pottery
Drumming
Beading
Smudge
Talking Circles
Cutting Wood / Picking RocksFor Sweat
Picking Sweat Grassand Sage
Traditional Medicines
Outdoor Cultural Camps
Volunteer Community Service
Traditional Dances
Teachingof
Protocolfor all
CulturalActivities
Traditional Story Telling
ArcheryCeremonial DancesSundanceGhost DanceChicken DanceHorse Dance
CulturalWorkshops
Name Giving Ceremony
Horizontal CurriculumThemes
Being Developed
Tepee Pole Teachings
Equine Facilitated Therapy
CulturalLand BasedProgram
Obtaining Credits• Leading Thunderbird Lodge School is registered with the Saskatchewan
Department of Education.
• The goals, objectives and outcomes as determined by Saskatchewan LearningCurricular are strictly adhered to and are recorded for each individual studentas educational concepts are achieved in particular subject areas.
• Participation in cultural activities and projects are monitored, with educationaloutcomes determining whether a credit is earned.
• Youth earn subject credits through Holistic Counselling sessions.
• Recreational activities, including horse program, also qualify for additional credits.
• Within the framework of ‘Secondary Credit Offerings’ (Grades 10 – 12) we areable to offer 34 subjects, dependent upon the student.
• All credits are transferable within any province/territory in Canada.
Partners
NNADAP