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skos:note """ Indian Education Resources Center
University of B. C. Vancouver. SPECIAL ISSUE HOME-SCHOOL CO-ORDINATOR
What Is A Home-School Co-ordinator
The system of Education in the province has been such that little or no
recognition is given to people not of middle class background or whose beliefs and
cultures differ to the extent that this in itself contributes to the lack of success
of many students. That a serious gap exists resulting in lack of two-way communications between schools, students, parents etc., is a fact well accepted.
One group of people who are seriously concerned about this problem are
the Indians! The average Indian parent sends his children to school completely
trusting in the school system, its teachers and the curriculum and yet he faces the
disastrous certainty that few if any of his children will complete their education.
Why?
Because there is no two-way exchange of communication between Indians
and schools. Indians have never been involved or consulted. Teachers on the other
hand are also concerned but hesitant and unsure of taking that first step. Teachers
need help to make that step.
The Indian student also faces a tremendous battery of doubts and confusions
when he enters the provincial schools. He must be encouraged, guided, counselled
and generally helped to feel at home in a school and made confident that his lessons
can be relevant to his future.
The Indian Home-School Co-ordinator was born. It became his job to setup and encourage communications. He is the liaison between home and school and it
is here that his priorities lie. He will act in many capacities also as the person
to encourage, guide and help Indians in their education.
The role of Indian Home-School Co-ordinator is rapidly becoming recognized
as a vital link in the Indian Education problem today. He is an Indian and as such
understands Indian problems and difficulties and can work constructively toward
solutions. Although not academically qualified by teaching standards, he must be
respected in that he is known and accepted by schools, etc. and he can serve in an
excellent capacity.
There is no definite standard set of duties for the Home-School Co-ordinator
as the needs and problems vary from area to area.
His duties include:
1) Act as liaison between: teachers - students
teachers - parents
students - parents
parents - school board
parents - band council
band council - school board
Dept. Indian Affairs - school
Dept. Indian Affairs - Indian people
Indian - probation, police
health, welfare
guidance & vocational counsellor - 2 -
2) Interviewing student regarding marks, attendance, ambitions, personal problems.
3) Interviewing parents on Educational matters, child progress, education involvement and participation.
4) Meet with principals, teachers staff on matters concerning mutual co-operation
between Indians and the educational system.
5) Help in making student applications, vocational post school, residences, special
programs, and boarding programs, etc.
6) Aid students in matters of tuition allowance, student allowance, etc.
7) Help in Education Committee meetings.
8) Report to Band meetings on educational matters.
9) Lay groundwork for Adult Education Program.
10) Become involved in Special Educational Projects.
The Home-School Co-ordinator is not essentially required to perform these
duties but may find himself involved:
1) Truant work.
2) Court work (aside from advisory capacity).
3) Teacher or instructor in school.
This description and outline of duties can be discussed and modified in
each local area, according to need.
*********
*******
*****
* * *
*
BCNITA PROJECT - G. N. Wilson.
At our last conference in the Prince Rupert area it was passed by the
membership that we embark on a project of collecting materials on Indian culture
and general information on Indians. This material to be distributed by the Indian
Education Resources Center at U.B.C.
In the past year both the Indian Advisory Office in Victoria and the
Resources Center have been flooded with letters of request for any information on
Indians. The request came from school children from all the grade levels and from
the high school and university level.
BCNITA has recognized the need to collect informational material to meet
these requests. In the next few months materials will be collected and ordered and
will be available through the Indian Education Resources Center. - 3 -
The First Citizen's Fund will be asked by BCNITA and the Resources Center
to fund the project. All the material will be available through the Center.
If anyone in our membership knows of or has in their possession any
material which he thinks should be good informational material, please send a sample
of it to the Resources Center.
Thanking you in advance for your co-operation.
********************************
In the next issue of the newsletter watch for a feature article on the
Indian Studies Program being carried on at Camosun College, Victoria.
********************************
*****
* * *
*
SCHOOL CURRICULUM - Bernelda Wheeler.
"We see nothing of ourselves in the school system. There is nothing to
identify with. We can't relate with the curriculum of our schools". This is the
outcry of many of our younger generation in the past three to four years.
It is a valid complaint, and certainly one that had to be voiced from
the relevant part of the society that had the complaint to make.
But, be it well known that our area is actively doing something to
alleviate the situation, in a way that all schools may benefit, and all students in
the schools.
I mentioned the Hahopayuk conference two or three columns ago. This
conference has had wide and far reaching effects in the Alberni Valley. In the
past two months, we have seen citizens of the native community going into the
schools to demonstrate their arts and crafts, and relate something of the various
customs and histories of our people to the very interested and delighted little
people in the classrooms.
The latest innovation is one which, I've been given to understand will
be available eventually to all schools within the area, and that is a complete
unit in the grades two to four level, dealing with Indians.
The unit is presently in progress at the Redford School open area, and
was developed by the hard work and efforts of the teachers of the area, and their
principal, Mr. Ron Hess. Resource material is not the easiest to obtain, and from
the material obtained, copies have to be developed that are of a level of understanding to the students, who will be involved in this particular unit.
To make the unit more interesting and relevant to the students, they have
had Native people go to the open area to demonstrate such crafts and art as beadwork,
and carving, and this with a great deal of success. From what I can understand,
the students were enthralled, and their attention undivided. - 4 -
Of course, there must be something great to send the students home with
for the coming vacation.
A salmon barbecue for lunch, Indian dancing and singing, this was the
accumulation of the past two weeks on this special unit for the students at Redford.
A very happy and interesting two weeks featuring the participation to the first
citizens of this country.
Does it prove anything? For one thing, judging from the interest of the
students, it is a much needed item. It gives the native students confidence in
themselves. It involves adults of the native community. Most of all it proves
once again, that to have a successful event, people must work together all for
the benefit of children, of all races.
If it is beneficial, then it should be part of the curriculum. If it
is part of the curriculum, it should be recognized by the Department of Education.
It is is recognized by the Department of Education, then the resource people should
be paid.
**** ****** ****
(Mrs. Bernelda Wheeler is the Director of The Alberni Valley Friendship
Center and a free lance writer in the same area.)
**** ****** ****
NEW BOOK ARRIVALS
Flap or Nobody Loves a Drunken Indian - by Clair Huffaker, David McKay Company,
Inc., New York, 1967.
When I read this book I laughed, I cried, and I became very mad at the
misunderstandings and cruelty to some people towards others. I could not put the
book down once I had started to read it. Mr. Huffaker made the characters come
alive. He made them three dimensional and very believable.
Flapping Eagle is the type of person needed in every revolution. He is
resourceful, wise, and not afraid of man, nor beast, nor any woman, either for
that matter. He is a natural born leader, a man willing to fight for a cause he
knows is right. Flap is a likeable person. His friends love him. He knows how
to persuade people. Their cause and problems become his cause and problems. Flap
is aware of the injustices of the world, and he unselfishly fights those injustices.
I cannot say too much about the other character in the book. They are
all so loveable and so real. Even Silver Dollar has a real very true story to
tell. The problem with him, is that he forfeits his self-pride for money and
recognition by the white man, and forgets that he is an Indian and his first duty
is to his people.
The bigots such as Raffery are the people this world could do without.
They cause pain and suffering to satisfy some sick need in themselves. They fear
that which is different, and try to destroy it in any way possible. It is unfortunate - 5 -
*
this type of man which our society creates, to lesser or greater degrees. I don't
know if I agree with Flap's method of taking care of him, but I was certainly
satisfied when Raffery was thoroughly beaten.
When Flapping Eagle and H-Bomb were killed, I cried. I had expected
that to happen; there was no other way for the book to end. However, it was so
funny, sad, brave, pathetic and real the way it happened, that I could not help
but cry. I wanted to begin erecting monuments, composing songs, or writing stories
so the whole world could know what kind of man Flap was, and what he was trying
to do. But, then, his simple funeral as described in the book seemed more fitting.
All Flap really wanted was peace and a good drink. He had simple needs.
I found it hard to realize this book is fiction. It lives and moves.
Even now I want to believe Flapping Eagle lived, and that his people are having a
better lived before by other people in other areas, and will probably be lived
again by still more people, because the story of Flapping Eagle is the story of
any man or woman who ever grew tired of being put down and finally decided to do
something about it. It is the story of a many who becomes angry because a little
girl cannot get medical aid and dies, and because an old man dies of a broken
heart. It is the story of a man who respects other people and animals, and they
respect him in return. It is the story of a man who tries to re-educate the
population of the United States. It is the story of a man who can look down from
heaven and laugh at the government lawyers trying to find a way out of the last
treaty found by Wounded Bear, Mr. Smith. Nobody Loves A Drunken Indian is the
story of a man.
***** ****** *****
The Mountain Goats of Temleham - Retold by William Toy
- Illustrated by Elizabeth Cleaver
The Mountain Goats of Temlehan is an original legend of the Tsimshian
Indians retold by William Toy and illustrated by Elizabeth Cleaver.
The mountain goat symbolizes nobility on the totem pole of the Tsimshian
Indians. This legend shows the disaster that befalls the men of Temlehan when
they fail to match the nobility of the animals.
The great, hunters of the village become wasteful and careless. They
ignore the old law that states they should kill only for food. As a final insult
they bring home a kid for the children to play with. The children, by their
fathers example are cruel to the kid. Raven Feather, a young boy, rescues the
kid and returns it to the mountain. The goats become angry at the way the people
are treating their brothers. The disguise themselves as a new tribe and invite
the villagers to a feast on Mount Stek-yaw-den. After the feasting and dancing
the villagers are sent tumbling down the mountain to their death. Raven Feather
is the only one saved. The kid gives him a cloak which enables him to leap from
crag to crag down the mountain. Raven Feather returns to the old people and the
children of his village and becomes a wise teacher. The one-horned goat becomes
his family crest.
Elizabeth Cleaver has done an excellent job of illustrating this legend.
The vivid greens, blues and reds make a colourful portrayal of the words. - 6 -
This book could be used at the primary or intermediate grade levels. The
illustrations would capture the interest of the primary age level but I think the
vocabulary would be too difficult for the children below grade four. Words such
as 'revenge', 'procession', 'ointment' and others may hinder their reading. I
would suggest oral reading by these teacher to familiarize the children with the
legend and then independent reading by these children who wished to read it on
their own. Because the wording is not simple and the illustrations are not childish
the book will also appeal to the intermediate grade levels. The reading of this
text could lead them on to other tellings of the same legend. Once Upon A Totem
by Christie Harris treats this legend in a slightly different way.
How Summer Came to Canada is another legend illustrated by Elizabeth
Cleaver. A reliable source in Children's Literature told me this is the beginning
of a series of legends illustrated by Elizabeth Cleaver. They will help to fill a
great gap in books for young Indian children.
***** ****** *****
* * * *
* *
*
HOW TO GET A HOME-SCHOOL CO-ORDINATOR
If there is a population of 500 Indian students in one area or district,
a Home-School Co-ordinator can be requested and fully financed by Indian Affairs -
Education Division. If there are 250 Indian students in a district, then Indian
Affairs - Education Division will finance 50% of the cost of a Home-School Co-ordinator
and the school district or the First Citizens Fund will carry the other 50% of the
costs.
Indian people - Education Committees in conjunction with village councils
(It may mean several bands) - and then a representative Education Committee should
be set-up, and these people as a special committee, negotiate with the school district,
regarding the setting-up of a Home-School Co-ordinator. When the need for a Home-
School Co-ordinator has been established - then the Indian Affairs - Education Division
- through the District Superintendent of Indian Schools, should be approached regarding financial contracts etc.
In some instance, this contract has to be entered into by the Indian Affairs
Branch and the Indian Village Council, or a recognized Indian organization.
For off reserve (urbanized districts) , a census may be needed to establish
the need or the type of services involved, and this again should be worked through
the District Superintendent of Indian Schools.
A basic suggested rate from Indian Affairs is $500.00 per month, or based
on the persons existing rate before becoming a Home-School Co-ordinator.
***** ****** *****
* * * *
* *
* - 5 -
this type of man which our society creates, to lesser or greater degrees. I don't
know if I agree with Flap's method of taking care of him, but I was certainly
satisfied when Raffery was thoroughly beaten.
When Flapping Eagle and H-Bomb were killed, I cried. I had expected
that to happen; there was no other way for the book to end. However, it was so
funny, sad, brave, pathetic and real the way it happened, that I could not help
but cry. I wanted to begin erecting monuments, composing songs, or writing stories
so the whole world could know what kind of man Flap was, and what he was trying
to do. But, then, his simple funeral as described in the book seemed more fitting.
All Flap really wanted was peace and a good drink. He had simple needs.
I found it hard to realize this book is fiction. It lives and moves.
Even now I want to believe Flapping Eagle lived, and that his people are having a
better lived before by other people in other areas, and will probably be lived
again by still more people, because the story of Flapping Eagle is the story of
any man or woman who ever grew tired of being put down and finally decided to do
something about it. It is the story of a many who becomes angry because a little
girl cannot get medical aid and dies, and because an old man dies of a broken
heart. It is the story of a man who respects other people and animals, and they
respect him in return. It is the story of a man who tries to re-educate the
population of the United States. It is the story of a man who can look down from
heaven and laugh at the government lawyers trying to find a way out of the last
treaty found by Wounded Bear, Mr. Smith. Nobody Loves A Drunken Indian is the
story of a man.
***** ****** *****
The Mountain Goats of Temleham - Retold by William Toy
- Illustrated by Elizabeth Cleaver
The Mountain Goats of Temlehan is an original legend of the Tsimshian
Indians retold by William Toy and illustrated by Elizabeth Cleaver.
The mountain goat symbolizes nobility on the totem pole of the Tsimshian
Indians. This legend shows the disaster that befalls the men of Temlehan when
they fail to match the nobility of the animals.
The great, hunters of the village become wasteful and careless. They
ignore the old law that states they should kill only for food. As a final insult
they bring home a kid for the children to play with. The children, by their
fathers example are cruel to the kid. Raven Feather, a young boy, rescues the
kid and returns it to the mountain. The goats become angry at the way the people
are treating their brothers. The disguise themselves as a new tribe and invite
the villagers to a feast on Mount Stek-yaw-den. After the feasting and dancing
the villagers are sent tumbling down the mountain to their death. Raven Feather
is the only one saved. The kid gives him a cloak which enables him to leap from
crag to crag down the mountain. Raven Feather returns to the old people and the
children of his village and becomes a wise teacher. The one-horned goat becomes
his family crest.
Elizabeth Cleaver has done an excellent job of illustrating this legend.
The vivid greens, blues and reds make a colourful portrayal of the words. - 6 -
This book could be used at the primary or intermediate grade levels. The
illustrations would capture the interest of the primary age level but I think the
vocabulary would be too difficult for the children below grade four. Words such
as 'revenge', 'procession', 'ointment' and others may hinder their reading. I
would suggest oral reading by these teacher to familiarize the children with the
legend and then independent reading by these children who wished to read it on
their own. Because the wording is not simple and the illustrations are not childish
the book will also appeal to the intermediate grade levels. The reading of this
text could lead them on to other tellings of the same legend. Once Upon A Totem
by Christie Harris treats this legend in a slightly different way.
How Summer Came to Canada is another legend illustrated by Elizabeth
Cleaver. A reliable source in Children's Literature told me this is the beginning
of a series of legends illustrated by Elizabeth Cleaver. They will help to fill a
great gap in books for young Indian children.
***** ****** *****
* * * *
* *
*
HOW TO GET A HOME-SCHOOL CO-ORDINATOR
If there is a population of 500 Indian students in one area or district,
a Home-School Co-ordinator can be requested and fully financed by Indian Affairs -
Education Division. If there are 250 Indian students in a district, then Indian
Affairs - Education Division will finance 50% of the cost of a Home-School Co-ordinator
and the school district or the First Citizens Fund will carry the other 50% of the
costs.
Indian people - Education Committees in conjunction with village councils
(it may mean several bands) - and then a representative Education Committee should
be set-up, and these people as a special committee, negotiate with the school district,
regarding the setting-up of a Home-School Co-ordinator. When the need for a Home-
School Co-ordinator has been established - then the Indian Affairs - Education Division
- through the District Superintendent of Indian Schools, should be approached regarding financial contracts etc.
In some instance, this contract has to be entered into by the Indian Affairs
Branch and the Indian Village Council, or a recognized Indian organization.
For off reserve (urbanized districts) , a census may be needed to establish
the need or the type of services involved, and this again should be worked through
the District Superintendent of Indian Schools.
A basic suggested rate from Indian Affairs is $500.00 per month, or based
on the persons existing rate before becoming a Home-School Co-ordinator.
***** ****** *****
* * * *
* *
* - 7 -
BCNITA CONFERENCE 1971
The B.C. Native Indian Teachers Association in conjunction with the
Indian Education Resources Center has stated that, there pronounced weaknesses
and inadequacies in the education field for native Indian students. The dropout rate and the lack of success in the provincial schools and federal schools
is controlled by these two factors.
What is the Indian Education Resources Center doing about it?
Under the guidance and direction of the BCNITA - the Resources Center
has involved itself in the following areas:
1. Publishing a monthly newsletter in Indian Education.
2. Developing Curriculum materials - see Volume 2 #1 issue of
the Indian Education Newsletter - listing supplemental
teaching units developed by Indian teachers about Indian
people.
3. Asking schools to be aware of existing prejudicial and
negatively biased materials (see Volume I #4 newsletter),
and to counteract such material by including more
positive oriented materials.
4. Making available - resource materials in the form of
books, pamphlets, newspapers, printed materials on
Indians - we have a section under B.C. Indians,
Canadian Indians, North American Indians - all of these
are available for loan, and should be used by teachers
to enrich, innovate or supplement the existing school
curricula (class sets are available for many books).
5. Promoting seminars on universities - for Education
students and other interested faculties regarding
Indian Education.
6. Encouraging all teachers and prospective teachers
that we come in contact with to take the Cross
Cultural Indian Education 479 course - at UBC.
7. The Indian Education Resources Center is available
to any school set-up, to organize or to participate
in, teacher workshops in Indian Education.
8. We are negotiating the development of Audio-visual
materials, to be available from the Indian Education
Resources Center.
9. Doing a Statistical Survey on the Boarding Home
Program. Many secondary school Indian students
have to leave home, to take part in grade 8 to
grade 12 classes. Some of these students are
hundreds of miles away from home.' A result of - 8 -
9. this survey would be to implement changes to better
the existing program, so that the school product
would be improved.
10. The BCNITA bi-annual conference (every six months)
is set to implement plans of actions, rather than
recommendations and resolutions.
In October, 1971 - the first bi-annual conference for this school year,
was held in the North Coast District. This district was chosen because it had
the greatest concentration of Indian Day School Students - a total of 80 non-Indian
teachers are involved. A large part of the 3 day conference was spent on a workshop orientation nature. The first day was spent in New Aiyansh, Nass River, B.C.
The thirty or so BCNITA members were billeted out by the villagers of New Aiyansh,
and the evening began with a very delectable Indian smorgasbord banquet. This was
followed by a meeting of the villagers and other Indian people from the Nass River.
The evening ended at 1:30 a.m. - with small discussion groups still actively pursuing
some of the facets of Indian Education. The Boarding Home Program, the Guidance
Counsellors, and the many implications of this set-up were discussed in detail.
Enriched or innovated curriculum materials were dealt with. The Home-School
Co-ordinators and their valuable work were also discussed. The Nass River people -
the Nisghas are desirous of setting-up a Junior High School in the village of New
Aiyansh, so that immature young students would not have to leave home until the
Senior High School level. The BCNITA and Indian Education Resources Center were
asked to support their demands in this respect.
The second day of the conference was spent in Terrace, B.C. A tour of
the school set-up (one elementary open area; one elementary traditional school
set-up; a vocational school; the Senior and the Junior High School set-ups, and
the Resources Center were viewed by the BCNITA members.) After school, a workshop orientation meeting was put up involving secondary teachers from the Hazelton
- Kitimaat - Terrace - Prince Rupert Districts. The Indian Education Resources
Center materials were displayed; the Curriculum Writers project, of Home-School
Co-ordinators, the role of Indian Affairs Branch guidance councillors etc., were
discussed.
The third day of the conference was to head discussion groups in Prince
Rupert - at the Northern B.C. Federal Teachers conference, for a full morning.
Here, all of the areas already mentioned were dealt with.
The afternoon and evening of the third day, were spent on business
matters of the third bi-annual conference of BCNITA.
A full detailed report of the third day conference would be made
available to all BCNITA members in the two weeks and to other interested parties
(if so requested).
A preliminary observation of the third day, is that the initial aim
for such an undertaking was accomplished. The BCNITA members, a section of the
Indian people in that area, and the non-Indian teachers from these areas were
offered the opportunity to look at possible areas of weaknesses and inadequacies
which are existent in the school system, for Indian students. The very fact
that a member of people involved in the 3 day conference were upset, because no
package deal was offered to alleviate these problem areas reinforces our statement that weaknesses and inadequacies exist in the school system. To follow up - 9 -
the third day orientation workshop, I would urge that all interested people in the
education field, refer to the 10 point pre-amble to this article, and just see
where they as individuals can do something about what is lacking in their respective
schools, and then plan a course of action to better their school set-up. In addition
those schools who have already embarked on innovative, enriched programming for
Indian students, write in to us about your efforts, so that we can include it in
our Indian Education Newsletter, and perhaps encourage other school set-ups to
start similar programming.
****** ******* ******
*****
* * *
*
"Now here is something I would like to remark about. When Christopher Columbus
landed on the Atlantic Shore he set his foot on North America and he reported back
that her discovered a new world and there were savages and heathens living on this
new world.
Now I would like to prove that he was very wrong because for centuries and centuries
our people had a prayer that they used to say to the Great White Spirit. It goes
something like this:
0 Great White Spirit
Whose Voice I Hear In The Winds
Whose Breath Gives Life To The World
Hear Me
1 Come To You As One Of Thy Many Children
I Am Small and Weak
I Need Your Strength and Wisdom
May I Walk In Beauty
Make My Eyes Ever Behold the Red and Purple Sunset
Make My Hands Respect the Things that You Have Made
And My Ears Sharp to Hear Your Voice
Make Me Wise
So That I May Know the Things You Have Taught Your Children
The Lessons That You Have Written in Every Leaf and Rock
Make Me Strong Not to be Superior to My Brothers
But to be Able to Fight My Greatest Enemy - Myself
Make Me Ever Ready to Come To You With Straight Eyes
So That When Life Fades - As The Fading Sunset
My Spirit Will Come to You Without Shame.
Translated by Chief Yellowlark - 1887 - one of the great chiefs of the Sioux Tribe,
South Dakota."
From a recording by Chief Dan George,
January 6, 1971, for the C.B.C. Radio
Program "The Second Fifty".
****** ******* ******
*****
* * *
* - 10 -
WHAT THE HOME-SCHOOL COORDINATORS SAY
One of the best ways to describe the duties of a Home-School Coordinator is to have them describe what they have actually done over the
past month. Here is what four of them wrote:
The month of August, my first on the job, was a month of meetings,
School District Administrators, Counsellors in Indian Affairs and Manpower
Counsellors. It has been an interesting new job meeting many people all
Involved in the field of Education on the Local District levels. I should
also mention the importance of meeting the Chiefs of the nineteen Reserves
in the area
We are in the early stages of setting up a program for Homework
tutoring in the Chilliwack Area. I am fortunate in obtaining tutoring
services of a group of teachers who have already had a volunteer program
for Native Children last year in Vedder Crossing and Cultus Lake. Tutoring
is held once a week in the Tzeachten Community Hall for a one to two hour
period after school on every Thursday. We feel that homework tutoring is
going to help student close the gap on their weak subjects. We hope to
have the results to prove this as the year goes along.
The program we are hoping to start at Kilgard has so far received
a favourable reception from Parents, the School District Administrator and
the Family Services Center in Abbotsford.
The Kilgard project is a new one. I have had to contact the School
District Administrator asking permission to use a vacant two room School
for these studies. Not being familiar with Abbotsford Community, I contacted
the Abbotsford Community Services Center for the purpose of securing some
Tutoring services in that Area. The reaction seems to be good. We hope
to have this program started by the next few weeks.
I have now more central locations which are planned for Homework
tutoring. I feel at this time I must get my Chilliwack and Kilgard Program
in motion before the Hope and Langley Programs are started. This of course
is not due to priorities. I just can't be in four places at once.
- Percy Roberts - Chilliwack Area Indian Council
***** ******* *****
(1) We have helped approximately 200 of our people to place themselves
on the District voters list and hopefully we may have an Indian man for
a school board position with a fair chance of success. We have received
some fine moral support on this from our new District Superintendent, Mr.
McFee.
(2) We will soon have cur Indian Library started with 150 books, the
majority of which are on Indians or by Indians. We hope to add to this a
good selection of Practical Books to be used by our "handymen"
(3) Our basic Indian Lesson kit is beginning to take form, (a) some
good ideas were discussed and will likely be used in the tape section,
(b) Mr. & Mrs. June Wyatt have reported that the written history of the
Valley will be almost ready by November. (c) The picture section has - 11 -
changed somewhat and we have planned to develop slides of the photographs
because they would not be handled so much and would last longer.
(4) We are in the planning stages in setting up a workshop on the
Nicola Valley and its Indians and have received fair response from local
teachers. If it can be financed, we would welcome any interested persons
to take part, including our own people and students as well. Mrs. June
Wyatt is co-ordinating the course and a devoted lady is she. We have
received some response from our people to act as resource persons and I
believe this will trigger a greater response once things get going.
(5) Our school enrollment is down from last, year but we seem to have
more students reaching the Grade Xll level. I am encouraging our Indian
students to form clubs or discussion or social groups for the opportunity
to get involved in extra curricular activities and to develop communications
with each other. A tough project for our students because we face the
terrible lack of transportation for these get-togethers, but even the first
small step is a good one.
- Robert Sterling - Merrit School District
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I am, at the moment, falling into some pattern of service with
the schools that I am serving in this district. Problem areas with
students have cropped up at this early stage, and I wonder what a person
might do, except become a part of the team that is working in these areas.
At the initial stage of school opening I played a small role in
the placement of approximately one hundred new students into the elementary
and secondary schools in Port Alberni. We have faced many difficulties
in the placement of some secondary students but we do hope that we might
resolve something after two or three more conferences with the counsellors
in these schools. The three special counsellors I am working with have had
their work cut out for them with other conferences with the principals and
other key people.
I have had formal introduction to the administrators by the cp-ord-
inator of Pupil Personal Sercives, Tom Hall, with whom I am working. Glen
Aston, and George Allen are working with Tom as special elementary councillors hopeful of working with teachers trying to resolve problems of students,
and or giving them direction to proper services required.
We have just completed a trip to the Tofin-Ucluelet area where
further formal introduction were made to the principals and teachers in
that area. There are approximately one hundred new Native students in this
area, due mainly to a new student hostel site which has been placed in this
area. So, in rough round figures, there should be 700 students or over
within my district.
I am very fortunate in working under a superintendent who sees
profit in continuing a project that we had last year with a group of
parents. This project was to have teachers bring a better understanding
to the parents, of what and how they are teaching in the schools together
with possibilities of enlightment on report cards, open are a teaching - 12 -
situations year one, two etc., level one, txro, etc., other terminology;
programs, electives, optional to secondary students and so on. By the
same token, we will be hoping to organize a group of Native speakers,
who are well versed in Indian culture to speak to groups of teachers
occasionally, as an exchange measure.
This group of parents have already had a luncheon as an opening
for this term. On October 19th, we will be expecting a very special
guest speaker in George N. Wilson, Curriculum Consultant - Department of
Education, at our initial meeting this term.
Later in the year, we should be leading on into talks on sex
education, drugs, etc, by well qualified personnel. So again, we look
forward to a very busy year, what with problem students, & students with
problems. They are cropping up. I have made initial contact with two
behaviour problems to date, & one of these sounds like a terribly lost
child at 14. One other student is slow learning problem who needs help
from mental health services. The child has responded well to special
suggested method of learning so far, the parents consent is another
thing.
- Roy Haiyupis - Port Alberni School District
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The Lament of The Native
I long for the days of long ago
When I could ride with my warriors
On strong swift horses
Into the sweet smelling spring breeze
And chase our enemy in the dark night
Who have fled with fear and fright
But now I am lame and old
No longer young, tough and bold,
I have no horse to ride,
For we, are slowly losing our pride
I am no longer wise like the fox in the forest
I am no longer nimble and swift like the deer
I cannot see like the eagle who flies in the sky
For I am like the bat who flies during the day
My people will soon be lost,
Our language, our customs and songs will go
When these are long gone,
Where, will I with my people go?
Only the Great Spirit does know.
Written by Martin Williams
(Age 15) - 13 -
Greetings from the Kootenays!
September - Whew! What a month! I imagine everyone is kept busy
trying to get their students settled for the new school term. Surely,
nobody can complain of a boring month!
When I returned to "work" in August, I was full of spirit &
optimism! As the weeks wore on, the corners of my mouth began to droop and
my "get-up and go" was ready for a transplant! "how", I puzzled, "could so
many things change in the time I was away?"
It's strange how today an issue is an emergency, and tomorrow
it's fizzled out, and somehow resolved itself. All the trauma plotting
and tension that it created, seems pointless or unnecessary 24 hours later.
Life.'
Probably my major crisis was trying to accommodate approximately
4 teenagers who had planned to leave the Kootenays and enter a Boarding
Home in the Okanagan. These students, I felt, would benefit from a new
environment. None of them had any home to return to on the reserve. (A
house maybe, but, not a home) They had each requested this transfer, and
I felt they had valid reasons for a change. In any case, only one of the
students was able to leave. I was told that there were no accommodations
to be found in the Okanagan. Why wait until September to discover this?
Surely, if you are requested 2 months in advance to locate these Boarding
Homes, you must realize there would be s slight urgency to have accommodations
settled by September 1st!
It was also pointed out to me that there is no reason to have
Kootenay students leave the area since schools are available here. Why
argue,, with a deaf mute? Your efforts are in vain. I would also be
interested to know how you arrange transfers to another area, and if you
receive as much co-operation as I did.
The school supply cheques came or did they? Well, anyway some
got them and some might have and well .... and if you did get a cheque
for $15, $20, or $25, how are you suppose to know its a "School Supply"
cheque? Does it indicate what it is for? Oh well! Let's spend it on something .
This summer we discussed the students personal allowances and
means to control it, specifically to help curb truancy. Well, I attempted
to keep a monthly record of the school attendance, and deduct 50C-1/2 day,
$1.00-a full day. I spoke with the students and they felt this was a fair
deal. If your absent with a legitimate excuse, no deduction. If your
in the pool hall for the school day, well, that's different.
I suggested this to my District Office and they felt it would
be an impossible task, since they are issuing cheques to approximately
800 students. Any ideas on how to curb truancy would be appreciated.
Already we have snow on the mountain peaks. They really look
so much more impressive with their white coats. October has been really
pleasant so far. September was miserable. - 14 -
My September driving mileage was approximately 1700 miles for the
month. I've purchased a bicycle, not only for the sake of ecology, but
for my sake. You can really waste away behind a steering wheel!
- Patty Wright - Cranbrook
***** ******* *****
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dcterms:identifier "LC2629 .I535"@en, "LC2629_I535_1971_10_01"@en ;
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