Aboriginal Education

Edmonton Catholic Schools through the Aboriginal Learning Services continues to assist District schools to be responsive to the needs of Aboriginal students. The "Aboriginal Learning Services" has taken a leadership role in Alberta in the development of "Best Practices" in urban Aboriginal education. With its wide variety of programming and creative partnerships, the "Centre" has been able to provide Aboriginal students within Edmonton Catholic Schools with an increasingly culturally relevant education. The following is a brief description of the services available and progress to date:

Our Services

• Counselling Services
• Cultural Programming
• Curricular Support
• Professional Development
• Leadership Development
• Career Development
• Transition Planning
• Community Development
• Aboriginal Educational Research
• Product Development

Counselling Services

The Aboriginal Learning Services provides individual, group and family counselling to Aboriginal students and their families. Trained counsellers with extensive backgrounds in working with Aboriginal students and families are available to assist schools be successful with this student population. Counselling staff provides a cultural context for their work with Aboriginal students and work in a positive manner with parents, students and school staff in the change process.

Activities:

• Created a Counseling/Social Work Team with a "Team Leader" a specific professional development focus, and meeting time to increase collaboration and creative problem solving.
• Developed a family feedback questionnaire that will be given to families that use this particular service from the "Centre".

Future Initiatives:

• Development of a coordinated service that includes our Aboriginal Social Work staff and our on-site Family Enhancement Social Workers from Alberta Children and Family Services .
• Providing improved services to Aboriginal families of students enrolled in special education classes.

Cultural Programming

The Aboriginal Learning Services provides assistance to individual teachers and schools who wish to integrate aspects of Aboriginal Cultures into their classrooms. Experienced staff is available to provide specific programming or will assist schools in obtaining the services of reputable Aboriginal resource people.

Activities:

• Mini-workshops throughout the year featuring cultural hands-on activites great for any age!
• Sponsored and assisted numerous District schools in providing total school and classroom specific cultural teaching, ceremony and Dance.
• Cultural staff of the Aboriginal Learning Services provided cultural programming as part of professional development programs designed for District teachers and administrators.

Future Initiatives:

• Expansion of our Aboriginal Awareness Week Workshop (developed for St. Anne School) to other District schools.
• Increased utilization of our on-site Elder position throughout the District.
• Expand the provision of Cultural/Curricular Workshops to District Staff.

Curricular Support

Educational staff of the Aboriginal Learning Services is available to assist teachers in the integration of Aboriginal perspectives into existing curriculum. The Alberta Program of Studies provides a framework for this particular service. Curricular supports are available in the areas of Religion, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and the Fine Arts to assist teachers . Individuals wishing to enrich their classes with Aboriginal content can work directly with a facilitator or obtain "pre-developed materials". In addition, schools wishing to add appropriate Aboriginal resources to their libraries or classroom resources can obtain assistance through the "Centre".

Activities:

• Developed a number of adapted curriculum units that provided teachers with Aboriginal content and/or Aboriginal teaching materials that infuses Aboriginal perspectives into curriculum.
• Presented a number of curricular workshops throughout the year including presentations at the Greater Edmonton Teachers' Convention.
• Developed four multidisciplinary / multi-graded units for District schools based on books written by David Bouchard.

Future Initiatives:

• Continued development of the Aboriginal Studies 10/20/30 programs at St. Joseph and St. Francis Xavier High Schools
• Curriculum development project for Social 10/20/30
• Production of stand alone curricular units that can be used by teachers throughout the District that require little or no additional support.

Professional Development

A vast array of professional development opportunities are available to staff through the Aboriginal Learning Services. Due to the significance of professional development in improving opportunities for Aboriginal students, we have adopted a flexible model for offering professional development programs throughout the District.

Activities:

Developed and delivered professional development programs to approx. Twenty-five District Schools through the AISI initiative. The project used a "Lead Teacher" approach with two teachers from each school involved in four days of professional development with an Aboriginal focus.

Future Initiatives:

• Development of specific professional development programs to our primary service schools (District Schools with large Aboriginal student populations).
• Respond to requests to present the "Center's" research results from the Rainbow Spirit Project at teacher's conventions and workshops throughout Alberta.
• Continued collaboration with Learning Support Services Staff in offering joint workshops in all subject areas.

Leadership Development

The development of strong leadership skills is imperative for Aboriginal youth to contribute to the greater community. Opportunities through the efforts of Aboriginal Learning Services and individual schools are provided to nurture the leadership skills found in Aboriginal youth.

Activities:

• The development of active student leadership groups (tribal councils) at selected junior and senior high schools in the District.
• Aboriginal students from a number of junior and senior high schools attended Aboriginal youth conferences such as the Dream Catchers Youth Conference, and Crossroads: a woman's sharing circle throughout the year.

Future Initiatives:

• Provide enhanced opportunities for Aboriginal Students to develop leadership skills through involvement in Cultural groups such as the Rainbow Spirit Dance Troupe.
• Increase opportunities for Aboriginal High School Students to act as mentors for younger Aboriginal students.
• Stage an "Aboriginal Youth Conference" with significant planning by our Aboriginal High School students.

Transition Planning

Staff of the "Centre" is involved with schools and Aboriginal students in developing strategies that will improve student transitions. Many Aboriginal students struggle with transitions from one educational level the next, from rural to urban environments, and from one school to another.

Activities:

• High school and post-secondary orientation sessions for Aboriginal students.
• Developed a "transitions workshop" for all school based liaison staff from jurisdictions in the greater Edmonton area through the regional consortium.

Future Initiatives:

• Development of a transition team through the Aboriginal Learning Services to assist schools with difficult student transitions especially from rural/reserve schools.

Community Development

The Aboriginal Learning Services works collaboratively with agencies and government departments in the "Greater Edmonton Community" to provide a coordinated range of services for Aboriginal families. Ongoing liaison, information sharing and access to the resources of the community are critical to the work of the "Centre".

Activities:

• The Aboriginal Learning Services has active partnerships with a number of Government Departments, Aboriginal Community organizations, and community agencies. New and redefined partnerships include, Ma'mowe, Human Resource and Employment Alberta , Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton .

Aboriginal Educational Research

The Aboriginal Learning Services along with Alberta Education is involved in research into "Best Practices in Integrated Aboriginal Education". Through the Rainbow Spirit Project the staff of ALC is involved in research into the effect of a series of best practices on the relative success of Aboriginal students. The project has led to a better understanding of systemic barriers to success for Aboriginal students and early indications of promising interventions.

Activities:

• Completion of end of year one data collection and interpretation of information for the Rainbow Spirit Project.
• Developed internal data tracking system to link achievement information (Canadian Test of Basic Skills, Provincial Achievement Exams) with Aboriginal students to identify general areas of need and impact of interventions.

Future Initiatives:

• Continuation of the Rainbow Spirit Project research into the effects of selected "Best Practices" on the success of Aboriginal Students K-12.
• Development of "action research' opportunities in selected school sites.

Product Development

The Aboriginal Learning Services has taken an active role in the production of materials to assist schools in providing for the needs of Aboriginal students.

Activities:

• Developed a service description and cultural teaching video for the Aboriginal Learning Services.
• Produced a number of adapted curriculum units in the areas of Science, and Language Arts.

Future Initiatives:

• Inclusion of Aboriginal Perspectives in the Alberta Education Document "Unlocking Potential - Key Components of Programming for Students with Learning Disabilities" - contract with Alberta Education.
• Development of follow up teaching video regarding "best practices in inclusion" for school use.
• Continued development of stand alone curricular resources for teachers.