I came across a recent project by the Ontario Secondary School Teacher’s Federation, who were gracious enough to allow us to post their video on our blog. Over the past two and half years, they have designed FNMI curriculum for use in the secondary classroom, but as you can see, the application may well extend beyond that. Check out their webpage for a full list of their resources. I also tried to post the video directly, but was unable to stop the autoplay function. You can therefore click on the link below to view on their website.
I found the video itself to be very moving and really touched on many issues that our FNMI youth are facing today in trying to find their way in the world. I think its a great tool to begin discussion with youth in many different areas. The stories from the students touch on misconceptions, their continuing journey of self discovery, education as a way to a better life, racism, stereotyping, abuse, and feelings of shame and guilt about not already being aware of their culture. I also found it to be brutally honest and touched on some very tragic events. In short, there are many things you can choose to talk about after viewing the video, but I think that it frames and opens up those opportunities for discussion nicely.
What do you think of the video? I would love to hear your thoughts.
John Jones, Site Administrator.
Full Circle: First Nations, Métis, Inuit Ways of Knowing (Video Page)