Session title
How to have a new generation of language speakers from a near loss
Convener
Jennifer Roberts, Head Start Coordinator on Seabird Island
Participants Lucie Petiquay, School Integration Officer. Madame Vachon, General Director of Preschool 0-5 years
- Activities outside of school where language can be used
- Invite Aboriginal resource person to attend meetings with parents
- Use Elders Kookum, Moshum when they can be
- Use examples for school children when they can be
- School principles, Administrative directors made it by society, chief of any band
- be inclusive to all cultures
- observations of families will notice that full aboriginal families tend to go to me side, but metis will be comfortable to join together. When a child has been adopted out by not aboriginal will be comfortable to speak with Métis.
- will have cultural exchanges with non aboriginal village and visa versa
- some communities still believe we live in tents
- invite all villages to live together
- children are starting to loss their language when they are entering the school system
- children will speak broken English
- notice sent home in 3 English translations
- not much English in schools
- high drop out rate, several years behind “other” children
- reserve school has native language until grade 5, French taught as a second language, this is good for children
- have school that is supposed to house up to grade 12, but not enough class rooms, they have made a nursery for young moms and parents. Some girls have 3 children by 17 but they are able to interact with their children doing school. Mothers may continue school. They have enhanced the program for parents by adding a health component to the day care/nursery.
- one of the moms has gone though the programs and is now in collage but will remain in her community. Grandparents are the key to any culture and language revitalization.
- if community is far away from urban center, social programs higher.
- children who committee suicide are afraid of leaving the community. Feeling hurt when relationships end. They feel no hope because they have such strong ties to community. (name) nephew committed suicide on June and one year prior her niece. Her nephew would tell people he would be leaving and going far away. He was misunderstood he meant new was going to end his life. On his funeral an eagle came and everybody called out his name and shouted fly away.
- (name) was away from her home for 10years and come back with her Metis children. Her son could not speak aboriginal language, but he received extra help and at the end of the school year he mastered the language and received recognition for this. English, Cree, ant Quebec, son is now multi lingual.
- if you have a dream you have to go out and achieve that. You can do anything, bestowing dreams and aspirations.
- teaches the philosophy on dream catchers where the child tries to let the bad things go and keep their dreams alive.
- working on dream catchers and attaching children’s dreams to them.
- project was discussed in 3 schools in community with partner and administrators. Project really came from children. The Dream catchers will be revealed at a festival on June 20th and on national Aboriginal day. With children from all 3 schools.
Types of First Nations I work for. Sto lo, Coast Salish, language is Halqi emeylem
One teacher will take class to live in the woods for on e week. Everybody has to do communal living. To instill culture must have good criminal record check.