**The Aboriginal approach encompasses people,
places, stories and learning processes that generate a critically reflective,
holistic, student centered, inclusive learning pedagogy.
**It is another teaching and learning framework that teachers, facilitators, educators can choose to utilize. It allows learners to engage in the learning process from each of their own inner spaces within a critical reflective paradigm. This promotes students to learn from their own knowing and adds value to their personal knowledge and experiences as a beginning point to relate to topics and themes from their own intellect, emotion, cultural and gender orientations.
**It invites each learner to engage in learning from a personal space that is thoughtful and critically reflective in nature. (Chartrand, 2010) Just as the teachings within Aboriginal Culture illustrate; the whole philosophy of the medicine wheel; mind, body, spirit and emotion, the paradigm of this culture provides an inclusive, inter-connected, culturally-adaptable, transforming and experiential learning forum.
**This Approach can be very beneficial, to all cultures, ages and to both the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Facilitatator as well as the learner who are eager for rich and multi-faceted, personally engaging learning opportunities
**Similar to the larger culture we have learned that Aboriginal cultural philosophies, and its utilities are adaptable within diverse learning atmospheres.
**Orr sums it up by stating, "By focusing my andragogical practice
on relational ways of knowing, I have come to recognize a spiritual purpose for being, and my students—both Native and non-Native—have learned ways of being that honor and respect one another and all living things." (Orr, 2003)
**In Aboriginal culture, healing is derived from the ancestors through our spiritual connection to them. Also, much is derived from our peer groups and from the traditional healers and elders who provide counsel and support. From the perspective of the Medicine Wheel, we have no choice but to be in the web of all life and in the accountability of the ripples we make on the ocean of human experience. (McCabe, 2008)
As we have discovered, adult learners come from various cultural backgrounds and this trade fair is a critical platform to highlight a cultural pedagogy that is holistic, inclusive
and highly adaptable. Various faculties of education across Canada, including Ontario, have created Programs to prepare prospective teachers to teach curriculum and to enable prospective teachers to learn culturally sound and sensitive knowledge and pedagogy in order to engage Aboriginal student motivation and potential (Cherubinia et al, 2010).
As with many cultural philosophies, mainstream society has adapted meaning and tools for
lifelong learning. In sync with the Medicine Wheel beliefs and First Nation Culture, the teachings are there for all to learn and benefit from. It is time to open a doorway for
mainstream educators to feel invited and encouraged to adapt the amazing
concepts that exist within First Nation Philosophy.
If we begin to remember the universal teachings and principles and that the circle symbolizes
unity; with, no beginning and no end, perhaps this is just the first step in beginning to move towards a new recognition that native pedagogy provides viable methods for all who hold the great privilege of accompanying those on their learning journey.
Thankyou for joining along this holistic journey of Aboriginal Pedagogy
in closing I offer the Miigwetch Song as a way of saying Thank-you in the Ojibwe Language, song by a wonderful Ojibwe Traditional Teacher/Educator/Healer, Banakonda Bell, a gifted woman with whom I met through the Traditional Practioners Program, Tyendinaga, ON.
It has been a real pleasure in the completion of this project.
Charlene Sibley [email protected]
**It is another teaching and learning framework that teachers, facilitators, educators can choose to utilize. It allows learners to engage in the learning process from each of their own inner spaces within a critical reflective paradigm. This promotes students to learn from their own knowing and adds value to their personal knowledge and experiences as a beginning point to relate to topics and themes from their own intellect, emotion, cultural and gender orientations.
**It invites each learner to engage in learning from a personal space that is thoughtful and critically reflective in nature. (Chartrand, 2010) Just as the teachings within Aboriginal Culture illustrate; the whole philosophy of the medicine wheel; mind, body, spirit and emotion, the paradigm of this culture provides an inclusive, inter-connected, culturally-adaptable, transforming and experiential learning forum.
**This Approach can be very beneficial, to all cultures, ages and to both the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Facilitatator as well as the learner who are eager for rich and multi-faceted, personally engaging learning opportunities
**Similar to the larger culture we have learned that Aboriginal cultural philosophies, and its utilities are adaptable within diverse learning atmospheres.
**Orr sums it up by stating, "By focusing my andragogical practice
on relational ways of knowing, I have come to recognize a spiritual purpose for being, and my students—both Native and non-Native—have learned ways of being that honor and respect one another and all living things." (Orr, 2003)
**In Aboriginal culture, healing is derived from the ancestors through our spiritual connection to them. Also, much is derived from our peer groups and from the traditional healers and elders who provide counsel and support. From the perspective of the Medicine Wheel, we have no choice but to be in the web of all life and in the accountability of the ripples we make on the ocean of human experience. (McCabe, 2008)
As we have discovered, adult learners come from various cultural backgrounds and this trade fair is a critical platform to highlight a cultural pedagogy that is holistic, inclusive
and highly adaptable. Various faculties of education across Canada, including Ontario, have created Programs to prepare prospective teachers to teach curriculum and to enable prospective teachers to learn culturally sound and sensitive knowledge and pedagogy in order to engage Aboriginal student motivation and potential (Cherubinia et al, 2010).
As with many cultural philosophies, mainstream society has adapted meaning and tools for
lifelong learning. In sync with the Medicine Wheel beliefs and First Nation Culture, the teachings are there for all to learn and benefit from. It is time to open a doorway for
mainstream educators to feel invited and encouraged to adapt the amazing
concepts that exist within First Nation Philosophy.
If we begin to remember the universal teachings and principles and that the circle symbolizes
unity; with, no beginning and no end, perhaps this is just the first step in beginning to move towards a new recognition that native pedagogy provides viable methods for all who hold the great privilege of accompanying those on their learning journey.
Thankyou for joining along this holistic journey of Aboriginal Pedagogy
in closing I offer the Miigwetch Song as a way of saying Thank-you in the Ojibwe Language, song by a wonderful Ojibwe Traditional Teacher/Educator/Healer, Banakonda Bell, a gifted woman with whom I met through the Traditional Practioners Program, Tyendinaga, ON.
It has been a real pleasure in the completion of this project.
Charlene Sibley [email protected]