COVID-19 Information and Resources
Indspire
The following is a compiled list of available resources for students during the COVID-19 outbreak. This list will be updated as new resources become available.
Educational Resources
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Issue #130
Stepping Stones to School: Aboriginal Head Start to Kindergarten Transition Toolkit
Source: Aboriginal Head Start Association of BC. Editor: Annie Jack
Summary: The start of kindergarten can be both an exciting and worrisome time for children and families as they step into new worlds, new beginnings. For Aboriginal children and families, the transition to kindergarten can be experienced much differently from their non-Aboriginal counterparts. This is in large part due to the lengthy history of oppression and marginalization that Aboriginal people have experienced in their relationship to formal schooling systems. Yet, early learning programs that respond to the social and historical realities of Aboriginal families offer the potential and promise to connect them with schools in positive ways.
The Aboriginal Head Start Association of British Columbia, representing 12 Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) sites in urban and northern communities in BC, is committed to supporting the early childhood development of Aboriginal children. The preschool program instills pride in their Aboriginal heritage and focuses on children 3 to 5 years of age, with the intent of bringing them to the school readiness stage in order to ensure an easy transition in to kindergarten. Family involvement is a major factor contributing to the success of the program. Aboriginal Head Start represents one of the important ‘stepping stones’ that will lead families on their continuing journey with learning.
Orange Shirt Day
Summary: Orange Shirt Day began in Williams Lake in 2013 and has since spread to schools across B.C. and Canada. (Orangeshirtday.org)
Orange Shirt Day (September 30th) is a day when we honour the Indigenous children who were sent away to residential schools in Canada and learn more about the history of those schools.
Orange Shirt Day Manitoba
Orange Shirt Day is held every September 30th. The Manitoba Teachers’ Society – together with Manitoba’s education partners and many Indigenous organizations – will be honouring residential school survivors.
Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History
Summary: Curriculum Connections for Ontario
A Teachers’ Guide is available for each of the twelve Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History, and includes background materials, activity sheets and detailed lesson plans for one or more grade-specific units for elementary or secondary students. Some suggestions are relevant for college and university classes. Just fill in our online registration form and download the guides in PDF format.
These are short, focused, age-specific, single-lesson MysteryQuests lesson plans relating to one or more of the Mysteries.
BCTF Project of the Heart ebook
Source: BC Teachers’ Federation
Summary: This eBook is intended to be an interactive resource leading educators from the story to the ‘back story’ utilizing links on each page to offer related resources. Throughout this book you will find Project of Heart tiles with an ‘aura’ which indicates that this is a link. Click on each of these tiles to find additional resources including films, videos, documents, articles, activities and more.
Indigenous Education Resources – Teach Ontario
Source: TVO Teach Ontario
Summary: Teachers, teacher candidates, students, and citizens are ALL lifelong learners. Enhancing your capacity as a teacher begins with assessing where you are today. Coming to know is based on where you are.
“Teachers in particular have a sacred responsibility to ensure that all their children, regardless of their heritage, are able to think about four key questions throughout their education: where do I come from, where am I going, why am I here, and most importantly, who am I?”
— Murray Sinclair, Honourable Senator Justice, Commissioner for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Ressources pédagogiques autochtones
Source: TVO
Sommaire: Enseignants, candidats à l’enseignement, élèves et citoyens, TOUS apprendront au cour de leur vie. Pour mieux enseigner, vous devez d’abord évaluer où vous en êtes aujourd’hui. Pour en venir à vous connaître, vous devez savoir où vous en êtes.
« Les enseignants, plus que tout autres, ont une responsabilité sacrée : celle de s’assurer que tous leurs enfants, peu importe leur patrimoine, ont en tête quatre questions tout au long de leur éducation : d’où est-ce que je viens, où m’en vais-je, pourquoi suis-je ici et, surtout, qui suis-je? »
— Murray Sinclair, honorable juge, Commission de vérité et réconciliation du Canada.
Success After Camp: Analyzing Economic and Social Outcomes Among Outland Youth Employment Program Participants (OYEP)
Source: Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
Summary: About OYEP:
Outland, a division of Dexterra supplies and operates full-service remote workforce housing solutions in dozens of remote locations across the country for the natural resource industry and the Canadian Government. As part of Outland’s commitment to support Indigenous communities, the Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP) took shape in 2000.
OYEP is a comprehensive and intensive natural resources training program aimed at Indigenous youth. As one of the largest, most sustained private Indigenous youth training and education offerings in Canada, OYEP has supported youth from over 103 Indigenous communities, with more than 590 program graduates.
Aboriginal Youth Talk About Structural Determinants as the Causes of Their Homelessness
Source: First Peoples Child & Family Review, Cyndy Baskin Vol. 3 No. 3 (2007)
Summary: This article explores structural determinants as possible causes of the homelessness of Aboriginal youth in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It includes a brief literature review and provides some of the findings of a recent research project, which implemented an Aboriginal research methodology with homeless youth in Toronto. These findings point to a strong link between Aboriginal children growing up in poverty and involvement in child welfare and becoming homeless as a youth. Suggestions for positive change at the policy-level are offered in order to prevent the next generation of Aboriginal children growing up to become homeless youth.