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Environmental
Education
and
Training Engage
FIRST NATIONS STUDENTS
BY KAREN WASTASECOOT AND
PATRICIA SELLERS
In
Canada, First Nations youth have a unique opportunity to receive
professional training in environmental fields that draws on both
Indigenous and Western knowledge. The Center for Indigenous Environmental
Resources (CIER) program prepares students to take leadership in
managing and protecting First Nations' lands and resources.
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RON
HALL |
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Jim
Tobacco, Cree, Moose Lake First Nation, Manitoba, and Aaron
Pervis, Ojibwe, Fort William First Nation, Ontario, collecting
stream samples. |
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"There
is longing in the heart of my people to reach out and grasp
that which is needed for our survival. There is a longing
among the young of my nation to secure for themselves and
their people the skills that will provide them with a sense
of worth and purpose. They will be our new warriors. Their
training will be much longer and more demanding than it was
in the olden days. The long years of study will demand more
determination; separation from home and family will demand
endurance. But they will emerge with their hand held forward,
not to receive welfare, but to grasp the place in society
that is rightly ours."
—Chief Dan George, Salish
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There
are many post-secondary environmental education programs in Canada,
but very few of these are designed specifically to meet the needs
of First Nations (indigenous peoples in Canada). The Environmental
Education and Training program (EETP) offered to First Nations by
the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources does just that.
With its unique content and delivery, this program addresses the
educational needs of First Nations in environmental protection.
The elements that make up both the design and delivery of the EETP
reflect the training needs identified by First Nations who have
direct experience with the environmental challenges on reserve,
traditional and treaty lands. The program responds to the vision
of Elders and community leaders for education of their youth, and
is built on the values of respect and care for interacting with
Creation. It is for this reason that the program is unique.
This is also the reason the program holds strong appeal to indigenous
youth who desire a career in the protection and renewal of Mother
Earth. Charles Gauthier, an Ojibwe from Wikwemikong First Nation
agrees. "The opportunity to learn from both indigenous and
Western instructors in this program influenced my decision to pack
up, leave my home, and move to Winnipeg," he explains. The
goal of the program is to provide First Nations' students from across
Canada with training in the areas of environmental impact assessment,
monitoring, and auditing that will enable them to provide effective
input into environmental decision-making in their communities.
PATRICIA
SELLERS |
| Learning
about traditional ways outdoors. |
Learning
from our People
Any effective approach to resolving some of the environmental problems
in First Nation communities needs to be rooted in the experience,
history, and opportunities of the people. This grassroots approach,
inherent in the EETP, is presented to the students in different
ways. One way is through the program instructors, more than half
of whom have direct experience with struggles and successes of environmental
justice in First Nations communities. These instructors provide
meaningful and rich context for the goals and objectives of the
courses that they teach Students also learn from the experiences
of First Nations and other indigenous peoples through case studies.
The case-study presenters are people active in land and environmental
protection in First Nation communities. As such they, too, provide
context and justification for community-driven approaches to environmental
resolution. Perhaps the best training for students is through field
trips into First Nation communities. It is during these times when
students experience the knowledge, history and culture of a community,
and understand this as the first step in community-based approaches
to environmental protection. It is also during these times when
students acquire a deeper understanding of the complexity of environmental
issues facing First Nations.
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Perhaps
the best training for students is through field trips into
First Nation communities. It is during these times when students
experience the knowledge, history and culture of a community,
and understand this as the first step in community-based approaches
to environmental protection.
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Paulette
Fox, a member of the Blood Tribe of the Blackfoot Confederacy, recalls
the impact that field trips had on her learning in the program.
"The learning was always contextual when we visited communities
because we saw the children and the Elders living their struggles…our
learning was in the context of their lives…in the time and
place of the people and not in the classroom… this changes
the way that you learn." Field trips are the time when students
enhance their understanding and appreciation of the vision of the
Elders for an education that includes knowledge of First Nations
and other Nations.
PATRICIA
SELLERS |
| EETP
participants roast fish during a traditional feast. |
Meetings
of Knowledge
The Elders say that training in environmental protection must first
begin with the traditions, customs, and values that have engaged
generations of our ancestors so intimately with the land. As people
who are intimate with and knowledgeable of the land, the Elders
also know that many of the environmental challenges in communities
are rooted in their historical relationship with the Western world.
Many Elders believe that First Nations youth need to be trained
in the ways of both worlds if they are to deal with the complexity
of environmental problems and help Mother Earth to heal.
The collaboration of indigenous and Western knowledge in environmental
education of the EETP is one of its most unique features. Concepts,
ideas, approaches and techniques of two worlds converge in classroom
and field activities, and in the minds and hearts of the students.
One of the most important things that students learn from their
training is that there is a wide range of possibilities for the
collaboration of indigenous and Western knowledge. These knowledge
systems are independent of each other at opposite ends of the continuum,
but the possibilities for collaboration that exist between them
are many. Deborah McGregor, an Ojibwe instructor from Whitefish
River First Nation, explains "that is because there is common
ground between aboriginal and Western peoples in relation to the
environmental challenges they both face. We build upon this in our
teaching by drawing on the strengths and tools in both worlds to
address environmental problems facing our people." The priorities
and goals of First Nations will determine the extent of collaboration
between the knowledge systems, and students learn how to work with
First Nations to develop and advance an approach that is best suited
to communities.
IAN
DAVIES |
| Barry
Wilson, Cree, Fisher River First Nation, Manitoba, studies insects
during a field course. |
SHAUNNA
MORGAN |
| Jason
Cook, Cree, Cross Lake First Nation, Manitoba, collecting information
on plants in the boreal forest. |
A
Team Approach to Learning and Teaching
The direction for instruction in the EETP also came from the Elders.
The presentation and collaboration of indigenous and Western knowledge
is facilitated through team teaching, which unites disciplines,
cultures and generations. Each of the 15 courses in the 18-month
program has an instructional team of three: two indigenous instructors
and a Western instructor. One of the indigenous instructors on each
team is an Elder, whose knowledge of traditional ways is vital to
the success of the students and to the team. StÈphane McLachlan,
a Western instructor with the program comments on this teaching
model. "I am always deeply impressed by this supportive and
nurturing environment, as well as by the commitment and guidance
provided by the rest of the teaching team." The team of teachers
is a model from which students learn, by immediate and daily example,
of the ways in which indigenous and nonindigenous peoples can join
hands in their care and celebration of Mother Earth. Throughout
the EETP there are many opportunities for students to shape their
own perspective from the many presented to them by instructors,
guest instructors, community members and each other. Charles Gauthier
contrasts this element of the program with his experience in university
when he remarks, "In university I would usually get only the
perspective of the person standing in front of the class…in
the EETP I had such tremendous opportunity to learn from many cultures.
I knew I could only benefit from this."
The sharing that exists between Nations, and particularly between
First Nations, enhances the understanding that each student and
instructor has of nations other than her/his own. This intercultural
education occurs formally through the presentation of indigenous
and Western perspectives in the program, and informally through
peer teaching, sharing, and collaborative work among the students.
The multi- First Nation cultural aspect of the student body is important,
for it means that graduates are better prepared to work with many
First Nations. It also helps to create a network of environmental
workers among First Nations, and unites them in collective efforts
for environmental justice.
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LEARNING
FROM
OUR ELDERS
Elder
instructors emphasize the need for students
to nourish and understand their inner environment.
One
of the concerns that indigenous Elders have about the education
of their young people is that the transmission of knowledge
from one generation to the next is diminishing. Garry Raven,
an Ojibwe traditional teacher from Hollow Water First Nation,
expresses his concern. "All my teachings have come from
my own people…but today our Elders are just sitting back
because the communication is not there and the young people
are not seeking their knowledge. I see this happening not
to just our Elders, but to the Elders of all races when they
place their old people in personal care homes. We need to
fix this." The participation of Elders in the Environmental
Education and Training Program (EETP) at the Centre for Indigenous
Environmental Resources (CIER) addresses this concern.
Paulette Fox, a member of the Blood Tribe of the Blackfoot
Confederacy and graduate of the EETP, explains that mending
the cycle of knowledge between generations is important for
her future work. "Having Elders as part of my learning
process in the EETP was a very powerful experience for me,
and after that, when I was working in my community with the
Elders, I realized the vastness of their knowledge and the
need for it to be sustained. It was a time of both happiness
and sadness…happiness because what the Elders shared
was so enriching, sadness because so much needs to be learned
and re-learned and passed on."
Elder instructors emphasize the need for students to nourish
and understand their inner environment. "You must first
come to terms with your internal environment before you can
come into contact with and appreciate higher forms,"
explains spiritual adviser John Lathlin, a Cree from Opaskwayak
First Nation. The strong connection between our inner and
outer environments means that both will heal together, but
the work must first begin with ourselves. Ojibwe and Cree
Elder Velma Orvis, from Peguis First Nation (St. Peter's Band),
shares this teaching in the context of respect. "It is
important that we have to respect ourselves and the Creator
and then we can understand… then we can share and care
in a good way."
It is from the Elders—in the classroom, field, and in
ceremonies—that students learn the value and necessity
of traditional ways and knowledge in ensuring Mother Earth's
health and renewal. From the Elders, students learn and understand
that indigenous knowledge is spiritually and culturally based,
and a dynamic process of coming to knowing and understanding.
Elders are vital to the success of the program because they
inspire the students to return to the teachings, and carry
those teachings forward in and through their work in environmental
protection. Paulette Fox describes how Elders have inspired
her: "I was able to continue this kind of learning at
CIER when I was working for my community. It was a very humbling
experience because I knew that the information I was getting
couldn't come from a book or anywhere else—hearing it
directly from the Elders is what made it so enriching. And
there is so much more that I can learn."
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Engaging
the Learner
The experiential education style of the EETP is one that acknowledges
the learning cycle. It is an education that engages learners with
the teachings, builds on their experiences within cultural contexts,
and provides opportunity for reflection and application of new knowledge.
"The individual and collective experiences of the students
are the case studies that we use in the course… this makes
the learning so much more meaningful than what can be provided by
text books," says Linda Hope, a Western instructor with the
program. With a philosophy that acknowledges the teacher and learner
in all of us, the program is highly dynamic, interactive and creative.
Learning-by-doing, or learning through experience, is a major part
of experiential styles of education. This method is emphasized in
the program and works best for a number of reasons. One is that
it is consistent with traditional ways of knowing and learning for
First Nations, in which direct experience with the teachings are
a key to understanding and comprehension. Learning-by-doing also
allows for multi-sensory learning, which engages the multiple intelligence's
of each student so that her or his whole person is involved in the
process.
Learning-by-doing works well for students when they are learning
Western concepts that are not easily incorporated into the cultural
framework to which students are accustomed. It also helps to establish
relationships between teachers and learners that are based on trust
and reciprocity. Learning-by-doing encourages the role of teachers
as facilitators of the learning cycle. Linda Hope explains her role
this way: "In our course, we coach them more than we teach
them…much of what we do as instructors is fine-tune and build
on the skills that the students already have."
Hands-on, collaborative learning projects provide creative opportunities
for indigenous and Western knowledge to converge, and for students
to explore the possibilities of this convergence with encouragement
and excitement. Learning-by-doing is key to meeting the goals of
the program.
EETP has listened to the voices of First Nation communities and
Elders. EETP has responded by delivering a program that actively
includes and respects the knowledge of the people, while at the
same time addressing the realities of environmental changes and
challenges. "The strides and successes of the EETP in the last
five years have been phenomenal, and it will still face more challenges,"
says Cynthia Bird, a Cree from Peguis First Nation whose knowledge
of the educational issues facing First Nations is broad because
of her direct experiences working in this field. She continues,
"the EETP is one of the most innovative programs because it
provides culturally based education. In doing so, it challenges
existing educational models for First Nations." The EETP represents
education programming that enhances the ability of First Nations
as caregivers of the land because it is rooted in their values and
principles.
Our teachings direct us to work in harmony with those around us.
It is through learning and working with our brothers and sisters
of the Western world that we will come to renew and protect Mother
Earth.
Bios:
Karen Wastasecoot, Cree (Peguis First Nation), is the director of
education at CIER. Patricia Sellers is an instructor and curriculum
designer at CIER.
The Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources, Inc. (CIER) was
created in 1995. CIER is a national, nonprofit, charitable organization
that is committed to the development of environmental education,
research and technical resources for First Nation communities. Mailing
address: 3rd floor - 245 McDermot Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B
0S6 CANADA. Web site: www.cier.ca
E-mail: earth@cier.ca Telephone:
(204) 956-0660.
Acknowledgments:
We gratefully acknowledge the helpful suggestions and assistance,
provided by CIER staff and associates of the EETP, during the writing
of this article.
Reflections
On Team Teaching
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Misty
Potts, Stoney, Alexis First Nation, Alberta, Paulette
Fox, Blood, Blackfoot Confederacy, Alberta, and son
Austin Nagy Fox during a field course.
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Team
teaching requires instructors to collaborate in the design,
planning, and delivery of their course. This is especially
so in the Environmental Education and Training Program (EETP)
at the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources, where
education styles from indigenous and Western worlds must come
together in a way that creates a nurturing, stimulating and
enriching learning environment for First Nation students.
Misty Potts, a Stoney from Alexis First Nation and graduate
of the EETP, observes how instructional teams brought indigenous
and Western knowledge together in the program. "Together
the teams worked very well. Usually the Elder would be the
first of each team to start, and it was just like starting
us off at home, easing us into it Öand that was comfortable.
It is also important to have an Elder there because the Elders
know the people. This is very important when we talk about
environment because environment is peopleÖnot just the earth,
it's the people—it's the First Nations people. This is
our way of life. This is our land. This is our home. The Elders
remind us of these things and help us to remain attached to
the spirit of our people and our communities."
Misty continues, "The Western instructors share from
a Western perspective, and know the ways in which Western
society operates. They surprised me because they were so open-minded
and very respectful of our beliefs. They always acknowledged
that the environment is a very sensitive topic for us. They
never came in here expecting anything from us and yet they
would stay extra hours— hours that they didn't have to
stay—to make themselves available. I didn't expect that."
She also notes the importance of the indigenous instructors
by saying, "We can relate to what these people were saying
because they speak to the realities that our communities are
facing, and to who we are. They know the ins and outs of chief
and council and Indian Affairs, and this was an important
part of our discussions. The indigenous instructor also made
sure that there was a balance between the Elder and the Western
instructor, and I think this flowed very nicely. So when you
bring all these three people together you have a strong groupÖit's
very strong and very powerful because it reaches everybody."
Misty admits that she was surprised by the different approach
to instruction that she experienced in the EETP. "I think
I learned better with this teaching approach than I did in
university because we were taught on a personal level and
with equality. The instructors were very interested in our
thoughts and ideas, and they respected and valued the knowledge
of the students. In doing that they taught us to value the
knowledge and ideas that we have, and that these are important
for the continued health of our people." From the team-teaching
model Misty learned that indigenous and Western knowledge
can work together in environmental protection. "From
these teams I learned that it could all work—that concepts
and ideas and strategies from indigenous and Western worlds
don't have to be separate entities of each other—they
can work together, in positive ways, for the environment."
Misty comments further that the program was more than just
a place of learning. "It was a very strong teaching and
learning atmosphere for meÖbut at the same time it was made
to be a place for caring and sharing. This couldn't have been
done without the Elders."
Misty also acknowledges that she responded to the holistic
philosophy of education evident in the EETP. "This program
helped me to grow in more than one way—my mind, my heart,
my soul, my physical being—it helped me to become a woman.
And I think it is very important for us to come into our adulthood
if we want to be successful when working for our communities.
Especially in environmental protection."
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Karen Wastasecoot and Patricia Sellers
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