Classroom Supports → First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Perspectives

From the University of Toronto Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), this guide designed to help Initial Teacher Education students find materials that centre or focus on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit worldviews, experiences and knowledges for teaching in the K-12 classroom can be useful for teachers at any stage of their career.

Infusing Indigenous Perspectives in K-12 Teaching

ETFO is pleased to announce a new FNMI resource for members: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Growth Chart Literacy Prompts, Grades K-8. This companion resource supports members utilizing the FNMI texts listed in the ETFO Growth Chart (PDF | RTF) by introducing diverse worldviews, perspectives and presence of Indigenous experiences, histories, knowledge and philosophies through the texts, literacy prompts and enrichment activities. The resource is free and is available online in both PDF and Word format.

FNMI resource for members: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Growth Chart Literacy Prompts, Grades K-8

The First Nations, Métis & Inuit Education Association of Ontario is a subject association for First Nations, Métis and Inuit education in Ontario, Canada. They support and help all educators understand issues related to First Nation, Métis and Inuit Peoples in Canada as well as offer strategies for teaching this content to all learners. Membership is free.

The First Nations, Métis & Inuit Education Association of Ontario

Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) Indian Residential School, designed to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. As a spokesperson for the Reunion group leading up to the events, former student Phyllis (Jack) Webstad told the story of her first day at residential school when her shiny new orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, was taken from her as a six-year-old girl. September 30th is now recognized across Canada as a day to commemorate the loss and suffering experienced by children who attended Residential Schools.

Orange Shirt Day

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario welcomes the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Final Report and Calls to Action. In response to the importance of educating Canadians about residential schools and eliminating educational gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians, ETFO will continue to support ETFO members in their journey of learning about and understanding their history of Canada and its relationship with First Nation, Métis and Inuit people, and the steps towards reconciliation. ETFO has two Truth & Reconciliation webinars for members on the residential schools and reconciliation. These webinars were streamed live in April 2016 for members and have been recorded for the learning of all.

ETFO Webinars: Truth and Reconciliation

Are you unsure who to follow for information about First Nation, Metis, and Inuit issues? OpenCanada, a digital publication sitting at the intersection of public policy, scholarship and journalism, shares a listing of more than 100 social media influencers in the global Indigenous community. The list includes biographies for each entry.

OpenCanada.org is a publication of the Centre for International Governance Innovation, an “independent, non-partisan think tank with an objective and uniquely global perspective.

Twitterati: The Indigenous Voices Edition

Many teachers struggle to incorporate First Nation, Metis, and Inuit content and perspectives in their classroom, citing a lack of personal background as a barrier. Through this link in their Spirit Horse website, ETFO has curated two guides/protocols to help teachers understand the roles of elders and senator, as well as appropriate methods to approaching and having an elder or senator come into the classroom to share.

First Nation, Metis, and Inuit Cultural Protocols