Aboriginal Education within a Canadian Context
I was extremely surprised and ashamed by the statistics regarding aboriginal education (pg158). As a future educator it shocked me how little knowledge I have regarding the Aboriginal people of Canada. To be honest I have never considered teaching about present day Aboriginal people in my classroom. However, after reading chapter 7 I am now aware of the importance of not only looking at Aboriginal Canadian’s past but their future as well. Chapter 7 included many excellent resources for teaching about Aboriginal culture.
“The Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws is a comic series that seeks to bridge the gap between students’ Aboriginal culture and their urban reality. This series is written and illustrated by Chad Soloman, a First Nations graphic novelist, and Christopher Meyers (pg169).”
The Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws was one resource that I was initially interested in as it uses comic based story lines to teach about Aboriginal culture. I think comics are something children are interested in, and enjoy reading, making The Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws an excellent resource. Not only do these comics portray Aboriginal history and culture, but they also reinforce important key values such as honesty, respect and courage. The Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws are suitable for many grade levels as there are graphic novels for older students, and picture books for younger students. I believe that Chad Soloman and Christopher Meyers do an excellent job of making Aboriginal education interesting and fun for students!
Chapter 7 has made me aware of my importance as an educator to ensure the children in my class are being educated on important but sometimes overlooked issues such as Canada’s Aboriginal culture. I also hope that when I do become a teacher that I can help the Aboriginal students reach their highest potential.
The Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws was one resource that I was initially interested in as it uses comic based story lines to teach about Aboriginal culture. I think comics are something children are interested in, and enjoy reading, making The Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws an excellent resource. Not only do these comics portray Aboriginal history and culture, but they also reinforce important key values such as honesty, respect and courage. The Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws are suitable for many grade levels as there are graphic novels for older students, and picture books for younger students. I believe that Chad Soloman and Christopher Meyers do an excellent job of making Aboriginal education interesting and fun for students!
Chapter 7 has made me aware of my importance as an educator to ensure the children in my class are being educated on important but sometimes overlooked issues such as Canada’s Aboriginal culture. I also hope that when I do become a teacher that I can help the Aboriginal students reach their highest potential.
Katie Bortolotto