NAC1O/NAC2O: The Prophecy of "The Seven Fires"

The Seven Fires, as told by Mr. Bono

Turtle Island is the comprehension of the place in which the Annishnaabe had of the place they lived which was present day North America. The maps and scrolls collected over the years of archaeological expeditions in North America have been found on various materials. Birch-bark is the most common and recognizable of the different mediums used by the Annishnaabe.

This tale is of the seven prophets who warned the Annishnaabe people of great changes throughout their lineages for as long as they lived on Turtle Island. The prophecy predates the arrival of foreigners within North American history and is really a vehicle meant to foster harmony between cultures.

The first fire was long before colonialism. At this time, the culture and life of the people was flourishing and in harmony. However the people were told there would be seven stops throughout their journey as a people. The first was the trip into present day Ontario. The people were instructed to enjoy their life but they would also need to migrate later as this is not the end of their journey yet.

The second fire describes the time when the ways of the the people were originally separated. Their journey had led them to seek refuge in present day Michigan but could not find the turtle island around there. Later the people found that a dream of a boy had led a group of the many separated to where they needed to go-Lake Michigan.

The third fire describes a time when the people began to migrate further to find the place where the food grows on water. People traveled to Manitoulin islands, then Ste St. Marie-ending up along the shores of Lake Superior.

The fourth fire describes a prophecy from two prophets, the coming of another race, a negative impact is prophesied as well as positive one. Without knowing what to believe or exactly what a light skinned race might look like when bearing the face of brotherhood or war. Nonetheless, in the end it turned out that the the French were the kinder parties of those who interacted with the nation, through mercantilism-French commerce and trading was the kindness shown by light skinned races. Whereas the colonialism and brutality of the British was some of the negative that came from the light skinned races.

The fifth fire is one of struggle, a promise may be made to the nation of people and the folly of the people will be the abandonment of tradition. In forgetting the tradition and culture-the people will find struggles throughout the generations.

The sixth fire is when the apparent reality of the promise from the fifth fire reveals itself-the lie will destroy the trust the nations have in the elders. When all seems lost, it will get worse. Not only with the traditional way of the people fall apart but a disease will pester the people (whether it be physical or spiritual-it is not clear).

The seventh fire can lead to the eight (final fire), which is characterized by eternal harmony. If and only if the people (light skinned race) can make a decision to travel through life recognizing that there were things that weren't done that could have been and things that were done, which should not have been. If and only if the light skinned races can understand the decisions they make will the first nations and their new found neighbours be truly at peace. Once at peace the Annishnaabe peoples' will rekindle the lost sacred fire and rebuild what has been lost.

The New Curriculum and First Nations Teachings

The content in the New Curriculum is expected to be sharing the information that first nations of Canada and China have experienced and connected to the students as well as the world.

The importance of the integration of First Nations is simply the idea of understanding and respecting the difference in perspective and opinion regarding important national discussions and personal understandings of the way the world/society works.

This offers students an opportunity to develop empathy and sympathy not only for the first peoples of a place but for themselves-this is the epitome of social emotional learning.

Authors I have used in the Past:
1. Pauline E. Johnson
2. Writers of Sandy Lake
3. "Chinese Folktales"
4. "The Hidden One"

Films worth visiting:
1. We Were Children
2. Tragically Hip's Music Video/Short Film "Traintracks"

Notable Resources:

https://www.kairosblanketexercise.org/

Ex-Planning 10; NEW-Career life Education Learning Activities

Sample/Demo Lesson

--> This is created to help inspire and introduce the ideas of myself and the other teacher who are building the Career Life Education Course and Course Workbook. This is a Demo intended to be used with the context of the New Curriculum Rather than say, "credit cards".

Credit Cards LP (Financial Lit Unit)

Curricular Competencies-”Considering financial implications”

Core Competencies- #2;#4

BIG IDEAS-Global Economy….; Career planning

Content: "Personal Finance"

Implementation/Procedure:

(5 minutes) Hook-->Tally Sheet “Doubling Activity”

Teacher: "You can bribe the teacher with one kuai each day to not do your homework; how long can you do this without running out of money?” (each student is given a different number amount), after the students make their guesses/calculations, the class would be able to share their answers with a partner or group the teacher discloses the secondary piece of information “fine print” “everyday you didn’t do the homework, you will need to make it up later, altogether” *this would be revealed at the end of the class*

Station packages include tally chart, credit card example, keywords, guided notes 5 min (pros and cons; fill in the blank)

--> Key vocabulary- Compound interest; interest rate; balance; balance due; credit; credit card; debt; annual fee; minimum payment; introductory rate; annual percentage rate; finance rates

During the lesson:

STATION SESSION (2 WORKING STATIONS, 1 REFLECTION STATION)

Out the door cost vs. Actual cost “the real cost versus the initial cost with financing”/“Used for short term borrowing to pay for purchased items"

Introductory rate activity? What happens when the introductory rate jumps

Benefits of credit cards “why they exist” ex: short term credit, credit score; travel purposes, etc. *Reflection Board Piece*

Credit Card Statement “highlight the vocabulary words and define on the page”

END OF LESSON-Reflection questions for each of the activities (White Board)

-->Tie in the hook/provocation activity “how does the activity at the beginning of the class compare to the habits of credit cards as we discussed afterwards?”

-When might using a credit card be beneficial?

-Why do you think credit card companies only require a “minimal amount”?

-What are the tricks of the credit card companies to get people to sign up for the credit cards?

Completed introduction to the lesson, students are sharing information and discussing the implications of paying the teacher back; “in North America we have credit cards, this is what they sometimes do.”

HOMEWORK- AAL Formative assessment Activity 

“What would you purchase with a credit card 1000$ spending limit?”How long would it take you to pay it off if you had “X” amount of RMB

-Video reflection piece (put on my blueprint) 

-->Name one danger of using credit? (ELL ACCESS: Why are credit cards dangerous?)

-->where is it that money is made by credit card companies throughout this model? (EEL ACCESS: How do credit card companies make money from people?)

Teacher Note:

ESSENTIAL MUST!

-Formative

-->resources

-->activity building

-Eliminate Marking (Student self assessments)

-video Reflection

-Try to keep activities fun, light, role playing based, verbal based and “Drawing”

-Answer Keys

TEACHER REFLECTION: Does this lesson promote student understanding of oneself and

-we need to remember that this is not making students remember it is not about who is the fastest learner but who understands the text on a deeper or creative level

-core competency development meeting content in class?

We Are all ELL Teachers!

As we are taking part in our second day of training for the coursebook writers and curriculum writers Pro-D, we are looking at the facts and talking about how the New Curriculum of BC requires teachers to accommodate the learning styles and needs of our base clientele.

We are happy to welcome our well known presenter, Wendy Goodall who is going to be representing the special needs and ELL needs area of the education in our system.

We need to teach to where our students start, because as we begin our courses with where the students begin-we can scaffold to success. Making sure the material is coherent and relevant to the students we teach, otherwise we have lost them.

We need to remember it takes the average person 7-9 years to acquire academic language levels. Most of the students in our school have only really.

Current challenges in our current model and systems are, students with no content background knowledge; incapable of deducing slang; weak oral and writing skills.
.
What can we do when we have a wide range of students (in regards to abilities) within the classroom?

What can we do to accommodate the different range of learners?

The challenge of trying to encourage the personal usage of English is crucial and approached in many ways outside of the classroom-writers have an opportunity to embed learning of English into the curriculum to emphasize personal usage of English in and outside of the classroom.

A great thing to incorporate into the classroom as supporting activities are the 5 stages of a second language learner. Taking a look at stage 1 and stage 5 there are some connections to Vocabulary induction via "PWIM"; as well as connections to scaffolding for learning.

Let's Talk About the New BC Curriculum...Pt.1

We are having discussions about how to implement the new BC curriculum in our school here in China. I am particularly working on the Career Life Education Course Workbook in cooperation with the course writer.

Our first meeting was an introduction to the core competencies and the purpose of them in BC.

Core Competency-The sets of intellectual, social, emotional, and personal expectations that students are striving to master or utilize to engage in deeper learning.

Core Competencies:
1 . Communication--> The manner in which students can communicate with others and the world in their explorations as learners

2.;3. Thinking; Creative Thinking/Critical Thinking--> An understanding and awareness that a student has about their own cognition; this also encompasses abilities and that can demonstrate intellectual development; most importantly though students need to transfer the skills from area to another area of life or the curriculum.

4.;5.;6. Personal and Social; Positive Personal & Cultural Identity/Personal Awareness and  Responsibility/Social Responsibility-->how students relate to society and their understanding of themselves; student's understanding of themselves and society in a way that allows them to devise a plan for or even find their purpose in the world.

This is a brief and summarized understanding of the core competencies. The next bit of discussion to come will be the Goals of the Competencies, etc.

CB

FN 12 @ DMLIS-Trip to 101 Pizza

Teaching Styles

Today, let us take a critical look at how we behave and act in class as a teacher. I have selected a very clear passage from the article-for the ful article, see the website below.

https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/classroom-resources/5-types-of-classroom-teaching-styles/ has created a great description of what the different teaching styles are.

teaching styles highlight the five main strategies teachers use in the classroom, as well as the benefits and potential pitfalls of each.

The Authority, or lecture style

The authority model is teacher-centered and frequently entails lengthy lecture sessions or one-way presentations. Students are expected to take notes or absorb information.

• Pros: This style is acceptable for certain higher-education disciplines and auditorium settings with large groups of students. The pure lecture style is most suitable for subjects like history, which necessitate memorization of key facts, dates, names, etc.
• Cons: It’s a questionable model for teaching children because there is little or no interaction with the teacher. Plus it can get a little snooze-y. That’s why it’s a better approach for older, more mature students.  

The Demonstrator, or coach style

The demonstrator retains the formal authority role by showing students what they need to know. The demonstrator is a lot like the lecturer, but their lessons include multimedia presentations, activities, and demonstrations. (Think: Math. Science. Music.)

• Pros: This style gives teachers opportunities to incorporate a variety of formats including lectures and multimedia presentations.
• Cons: Although it’s well-suited for teaching mathematics, music, physical education, arts and crafts, it is difficult to accommodate students’ individual needs in larger classrooms.

The Facilitator, or activity style

Facilitators promote self-learning and help students develop critical thinking skills and retain knowledge that leads to self-actualization.

• Pros: This style trains students to ask questions and helps develop skills to find answers and solutions through exploration; it is ideal for teaching science and similar subjects.
• Cons: Challenges teacher to interact with students and prompt them toward discovery rather than lecturing facts and testing knowledge through memorization. So it’s a bit harder to measure success in tangible terms.

The Delegator, or group style

The delegator style is best suited for curriculum that requires lab activities, such as chemistry and biology, or subjects that warrant peer feedback, like debate and creative writing.

• Pros: Guided discovery and inquiry-based learning places the teacher in an observer role that inspires students by working in tandem toward common goals.
• Cons: Considered a modern style of teaching, it is sometimes criticized as eroding teacher authority. As a delegator, the teacher acts more as a consultant rather than the traditional authority figure.

The Hybrid, or blended style

Hybrid, or blended style, follows an integrated approach to teaching that blends the teacher’s personality and interests with students’ needs and curriculum-appropriate methods.

• Pros: Inclusive! And enables teachers to tailor their styles to student needs and appropriate subject matter.
• Cons: Hybrid style runs the risk of trying to be too many things to all students, prompting teachers to spread themselves too thin and dilute learning.

Because teachers have styles that reflect their distinct personalities and curriculum—from math and science to English and history—it’s crucial that they remain focused on their teaching objectives and avoid trying to be all things to all students.

What you need to know about your teaching style

Although it is not the teacher’s job to entertain students, it is vital to engage them in the learning process. Selecting a style that addresses the needs of diverse students at different learning levels begins with a personal inventory—a self-evaluation—of the teacher’s strengths and weaknesses. As they develop their teaching styles and integrate them with effective classroom management skills, teachers will learn what works best for their personalities and curriculum.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope you enjoyed the reading and that you now have a better understanding of what kind of teacher you are.

For myself i have discovered that I was a hybrid teacher utilizing the facilitator and delegater styles of teaching.