Involving Community Members to Develop Culturally Relevant Word ...

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PhySiCAL deVeLOPMent Families worked hard to provide for their children and the elderly people. The men provided food for their families. They hunted game animals, trapped small animals, fished, built cabins, made tools, and taught their sons to do the same. The women cooked meals, hauled wood and water, picked berries and medicinal plants, raised children, and provided strong moral support for their families. The physical work was demonstrated by all people in the community. Children grew up to become strong individuals who in turn provided for their own families. Years ago children used to work hard for everything. Everyone in the family had to work together in order to provide for their livelihoods. Before electricity or running water, people had to work hard; they had to get their own wood and water. Girls and boys worked on wood and water. Children went with their parents to check fish nets and traps. This was how they were prepared for adulthood, how to survive. Women and girls hung moss for diapers. Boys went with their fathers to get wood. They would chop trees down, saw them up with a hand saw, chop the wood, and pile the wood up to be used for the winter. Girls learned to plant and cultivate the ground for gardens. (Personal communication, 2008) MentAL deVeLOPMent The Elders were asked how to prepare the children to utilize their mental capabilities, how to use their thinking skills, how to learn, and ways to retain information and to be able to make decisions. I think that the teachers should show that they genuinely care for the wellbeing of children. I think that children should be taught in a kind and loving manner. I think that if they know that the teacher cares about them and treats them kindly that they [children] learn better in that environment. I know from experience that the children that I taught were never disrespectful, because I used to talk to the children calmly whenever they did something that they were not supposed to do. I used to explain to the children why the bad behaviour was not acceptable in a kind, gentle manner—no yelling. (Personal communication, 2008) 46 RESEARCH REPORT: Involving Community Members to Develop Culturally Relevant Word Lists for First Nations and Métis Students
Additional Comments, Suggestions, and Stories for All Age Groups • “I spoke Cree to my children all the time.” • When children begin to crawl they cannot speak yet, but they understand what is said to them. If someone says āstam (come here) to the child, the child will respond. • Families worked hard to feed their families. • People were compassionate towards one another. When someone in the community was successful at hunting, they would share food (moose meat, caribou, fish, ducks, beaver, etc.). • “I learned traditional activities from my grandmother. She taught me how to prepare hides, meat, and fish. When I raised my own children, I taught them what I learned from my grandmother.” • If children are taught about religion, they will know how to respect; they will know in their hearts to respect everything around them. If children are taught how to respect all living things in the world, they will know how to treat everything with respect. Young people need to respect themselves. • If children are exposed to healthy lifestyles right from the beginning, then they will grow up to lead healthy lives; the future generation will survive in a healthy way. • “I grew up listening to how my parents communicated, and that is how I began to talk as I was growing up.” • Children are taught how to provide for themselves, how to hunt, set a fish net, and how to make a fire. • When children are taught using books, they do not remember the information for very long because they are trying hard to remember things and tend to forget. But if they are taught hands-on learning, they will remember. An example is how to make bannock— the children will learn from watching and experimenting. • Children learn to do things by watching others do the tasks. Children need to be taught again and again to do things such as writing syllabics—that is how my grandmother used to teach us. The best way to teach children is to guide them step by step and not to put pressure on them and this way they will learn to retain information better. You have to be gentle with children and to have lots of patience with them. • Long ago, children were taught how to prepare traditional foods and they learned the Cree words and phrases. • If a child is fluent Cree speaker, you spoke to them in sentence form “kāwitha wāhthaw itohtī, pī-kīwī ōma ispī kita-kī-mīcisowin”, don’t go far, come home when you need to eat. • Children should be taught to name objects around the home that they use, such as: nipīwin (bed), tihtapiwin (chair), kitohcikan (musical instrument), and so forth. • I used to help my grandmothers and grandfathers make rabbit blankets. I wanted to learn from the Elders and this was my way of learning to make rabbit blankets. This is how I was brought up. We only spoke Cree and I didn’t hear the English language very often. • Because of school, I missed out on a lot of the teachings in the winter time. It wasn’t until I returned from school during the summer months that I learned about the traditional way of life, which was setting fish nets and playing all kinds of traditional games. • The child should be encouraged to do chores. Long ago, children used to be asked to bring wood inside the house, cabin or tent. Children went berry picking with their parents and grandparents. They also dried and smoked meat at the main camp. RESEARCH REPORT: Involving Community Members to Develop Culturally Relevant Word Lists for First Nations and Métis Students 47
Page 1 and 2: Teaching and Learning research exch
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Executive Summary
Page 5 and 6: Acknowledgements This action resear
Page 7 and 8: 4. Identify environments/conditions
Page 9 and 10: Background Information descriPTion
Page 11 and 12: Variables Affecting the Study The c
Page 13 and 14: Data Results Key findings of This s
Page 15 and 16: KinderGArten: • Children cannot s
Page 17 and 18: What the Girls Were Taught From an
Page 19 and 20: Word Lists and Phrases KinderGArten
Page 21 and 22: GrAde One wOrd LiSt in wOOdLAnd Cre
Page 23 and 24: months: opāwahcikanasīs kisīpīs
Page 25 and 26: earth and sky: acahkosak ōko askiy
Page 27 and 28: clothing: ascisisak ōko asikanak
Page 29 and 30: GrAde FOur wOrd LiSt in wOOdLAnd Cr
Page 31 and 32: ministikwāpisk paskwānāpiskāw s
Page 33 and 34: AdditiOnAL VOCABuLAry LiSt FOr SChO
Page 35 and 36: wāciyimin waniskā wīcihin wīcih
Page 37 and 38: nakamotān natohta kihcīyim kihcī
Page 39 and 40: GrAde twO wOrd LiSt in nOrthern PLA
Page 41 and 42: GrAde three wOrd LiSt in nOrthern P
Page 43 and 44: earth and sky: amiskopiy amiskowīs
Page 45 and 46: clothing: kimowan-asākay kīsowisi
Page 47 and 48: kimowān kisāstīw maci-kīsikāw
Page 49: The Four Domains of Human Developme
Page 53 and 54: traditional medicines. People used
Page 56: 2317 Arlington Avenue Saskatoon SK

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