SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM ?

S 7 -

0

To.........

?

From..

Senate Committee .

9

n .gte

Studies

Subject .......

Native .eacherEd.Ca..iOn

?

P.'J

Date......78/05/19

-

North Okanagan ?

I

Action taken by the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies

at its meeting of

9

May

1978,

gives rise to the following

motions:

,.Ac\mTr\)i

That Senate approve, and recommend to the Board

of Governors, the offering of the Native Indian

Teacher Education Program in the North Okanagan.

f\mTrv,, -

That the Faculty of Education be authorized to

offer the program subsequently in other locations

given administrative approval and the allocation of

funds.

L4fITI T (ThT

That the designation of Education

405-15

be changed

to Education

408-8

and

409-7

when appropriate and

that the Registrar be requested to establish a

procedure for administration of the division of

the Education

405-15

semester.

Note: Credit for the two-semester offering would be granted

only upon completion of both sections.

At its meeting of

15

May

1978,

SUAB received for information

the report on the community based Native Teacher Education

Program in Mount Currie. That program was initiated in July,

1975

after approval by Senate and by the joint Board of Teacher

Education. The program has been directed by Dr. June Wyatt

of the Faculty of Education and has included the offering of

eight Arts courses in addition to, the Professional Development

program and other education courses. The program has:

1. Provided for the offering in the Mount Currie community

of the Professional Development program and the additional

course work necessary for certification,

I

2

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To: Senate - Native

?

- 2 -

? 78/05/19

Teacher Educ. Prog.

S

2.

Permitted the use of different criteria for admission

to Simon Fraser University and to the Professional

Development Program, and

3.

Provided for the development of standard teaching

skills as well as special skills appropriate to the

native community (language and culture programs)

Of the seventeen students admitted

-mpleted the PDP, eleven now have

;he remaining six will qualify for

completion of eight semester hours

in the current semester. This corn

impressive.

to the program, all have

teaching credentials and

credentials on successful

of course work undertaken

pletion rate is truly

Student achievement has compared favorably with that of students

on campus although instructors judged that Mount Currie students

in general, had to invest more time and energy to achieve the

same grades as campus students. The program director has

observed that "intensive attention to individual student

development has clearly been a critical factor in the students'

academic achievement. Growth in the area has been impressive

and fully warrants (the efforts made)."

All program participants are employed in the district and the

Mount Currie Education Advisory Board intends to submit a

proposal to the DIA and SFU to train another six teachers.

In addition to teaching, graduates of the Mount Currie program

will be serving as school administrators, preparing curriculum

materials and continuing university studies while on leave

(two this year). Dr. Wyatt has concluded that the objectives

of the community based Teacher Education Program at Mount

Currie are being met. The goal of creating a short term

program which would serve as the impetus for on-going development

on the part of the native community is being realized. The

commitment to assist in the development of new curriculum

materials has been fulfilled. The commitment to prepare

teachers for certification will be fulfilled with the continued

offering of courses in the community through 1980-2.

an opportunity for others

obtain teacher certification.

have obtained admission

ses for credit. Others

in curriculum development

The Mount Currie program has provided

besides the seventeen who enrolled to

Twelve other members of the community

to the University and enrolled in cou

have audited courses or participated

activities.

When Senate approved the community-based program in Mount Currie

it established the requirement that the Faculty of Education

return to Senate for approval before mounting the program

in other communities. Senate minutes record that a report

could be made directly to Senate without the requirement

. that

it go to Senate Committees. The Faculty of Education has chosen

3

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To: Senate-Native ?

- 3 -

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78/05/19

Teacher Educ. Prog.

to report program outcomes to SCUS and SUAB as well as to

Senate. The Mount Currie program has been an outstanding

success and it is on that basis that SCUS recommends the

offering of the program in the North Okanagan and subsequent

offering without the requirement of further approval by

Senate.

D. R. Birch

/c s g

is

---

The Faculty of Education in its referendum of May

3, 1978

approved

the following motion:

That the Faculty of Education approve and recommends to Senate

the proposal for a North Okanagan Native Teacher Education Program

asdescribed in the attached document of December

15, 1977

by

Dr. June Wyatt.

Please include this item on the agenda for the next meeting of the

Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies.

For your Information, together with the proposal for a North

Okanagan Native Teacher Education Program which forms a part of the above

motion, I am including the following:

A report on the Mt. Currie Community Teacher Education Program

by A. Richard King (June,

1976)

A progress report on the Mt. Currie Community Based Native Indian

Teacher Education Program by Dr. June Wyatt (February,

1978)

S K: ma

---

IA ?

PROPOSAL FOR A NORTH OKANAGAN NAt lYE 'ii Atifi R I InICAT ION PROGRAM

June Wyatt

December 15,

1977

INTRODUCTION

This proposal Is a response to a need expressed by the Spallumcheen

and Vernon bands for a native teacher education program centered in Enderby.

I have been in contact With band representatives potential students and.

representatives of the local provincial schools a list of Individuals is

appended). This proposal Is a synthesis of their views, and mine. It

focusses on program goals and philosophy as well as on the practicalities

of implementation.

GO/LS AND

PHILOSOPHY

Some of the specifics of the proposed program are unique responses to

tha North Okanagan setting. The general goals and overall outline of the

program follow quite closely the model set by the Mt. Currie Community Based

Native Teacher Education Program. The shared premises are:

I. That a key to successful educational experiences for native children

Is the development of Indian control of their education and an

aspect' of this control is the.development of native teaching

expertise.

2.

That

and ?

such expertise can best

.

be developed in the

,

home community

?

S

3.

That identification of potential expertise does not necessitate

relying solely on standard criteria for University entrance

Evidence from research and several native 'teacher training

programs throughout Canada and the United States support the

validity of these premises.

?

.

RATIONALE

1.

While the number of native Indfan'teachers in training in B.C.

has increased in the last three years (90 students in the U.B.C.

program and seventeen In the SF,U. Mt. Currie program) native

people are still not

pr

o p

ort

j

onatly'represented in the teaching

and

force

is

In

already

B.C. The

operating

nearest

at

U.B.C.

capacity.

NITEP centre Is in

Kamloops

2.

The drop out rate of native students in provincial schools Is

about 90% from grades 1 to 12. Native teachers could help

offset this by providing liaison with native communities,

Positive models for students to Identify with and resources

for developing curriculum of Interest to native students.

3.

The demand for native teachers will Increase now that bands have

been given authority by the Department of Indian Affairs and

systems.

Northern Development to take control of their

own educational

---

4.

?

Indian

people

cre pr";ent

i fl(J it(d,P

t ?

1

1roqrflS

because

of

i

flade(

11(1

te and

inappropriate

duca t. on I

?

o r t un t. e to

• ?

date. [conotni

C,

cul t ura I

it

(I

PO

i

t. itd

I fat to

Y

­

,

have nii t i qi ted

against the provision of equal educationdi opI)ortunitlfs. It

IS

now necessary to create

special

programs

in

order to offSCt

these inequities.

GENERAL PROGRAM GOAL

The shared general program goals are to provide:

1.

the same quality and quantity of course work and practice teaching

as in the P.D.P.

2.

additional academic course work in order to qualify students first

for a teaching license and then for a standard certificate.

3.

1 and 2 (above) In the North Okanagan area.

4.

for the adaptation of academic course work and the P.D.P. to the

North Okanagan (specifically Enderby) setting without affecting

the quality of the standard program.

5, for entry for individuals who have demonstrated, in classroom

settings, or in work experiences related to teaching, potential

for becoming teachers, but who may not possess the usual university

•

?

and P.D.P. entrance requirements (specificall

y

: direct etL_to ?

P.D.P. without usual 60 unit academic prerequisit

6. continuous involvement of native people from the North Okanagan in

the planning and implementation of the program.

PROPOSALS FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN ENDERBY

The specific design of the proposed program follows salient features of

the Mt. Currie program and the P.D.P. external programs. Of primary concern

to North Okanagan native residents Is local accessibility and local involve-

ment. They have approached me (in particular) and the S.F.U. Faculty of

Education because we have given clear evidence at Mt. Currie and in external

programs In Salmon Arm and Vernon that we are coninitted to and capable of

delivering this type of program.

Each of the bands (Spallumcheen, Okanagan and possibly Salmon Arm and

Westbank) wishing to participate Is quite small (average population 200-300).

Projections are that there will be three to five individuals from each band

eligible for and interested in the program. The specific proposals for

implementation which follow reflect the desire to maximize local accessibility

and Involvement even

though

it Is not possible to justify developing separate

programs for each Individual band. In this regard It is extremely important

to note that the

initiative

for

pooling

resources came from band members

themselves. The involvement of several bands has direct implications for

. ?

practictin placements, sequencing of P.D.P. components and the job description

?

of the faculty associate who will shoulder a major responsibility In

coordinating the program.

---

I.00A ION AND ORGAN IZ!\T.IPN..01

?

()MtLNTS

1. Practicum Piact

ji

.

at

..

S

?

401 and 405 placements would be made in provincial

sc oTE1ose to the respective bands

Salmon Arm band

Spaflumcheefl band

Okanagan band

Westbank band

Salmon

Arm Public Schools

Enderby Public Schools

Vernon Public Schools,

Westbank Public Schools

Cor';acts made by native home school coordinators and the brief teacher

a' e experience of Spaflumcheefl students in Enderby schools indicate

tle receptivity of local schools to accepting native student teachers

and

the local bands. Supervision will be

done by the faculty associate who will travel to each school.

2.

402 workshops and seminars will be held at a central location... Students

fromthe communities listed above will travel to this centre. The

SpalluffiCheen band has offered facilities for this as well as for full

semester courses.

3.

PUP - Sequencing of Componefl

a.

401 and 402 will follow the pattern used in a number of external

program sites:

Week 1 - In schools

?

Week 2 - at centre

Weeks 3 .& 4 - In schools Weeks 5 & 6 at centre

Weeks 7 & 8 -

?

schools Weeks 10 - 12 - at centre

b.

405 will be spread over 2 semesters.

During each semester the student teachers will spend alternate two

week periods in practicum placements and alternate two week periods

at the centre enrolled in academic course work (2 courses) per

nale for splitting 405 in this way is that it

will

semester.

provide a longer period of

The

contact with

ratio

the classroom setting

and aid in insuring relevancy and aDpliCabllitY of course work.

c.

The overall pattern of 401-402, 404 and 405 will be:

S.

emester

j:

Fall

401/402

85

outlined In 3 above.

Semester II Spring

?

.

405 (8 units) (2 weeks in 2 weeks out) The we

out will be

spent In

Eng. 010-3 Writing

Educ, 472-4 Designs for Learning: English& Language Arts

.

---

4.

• ?

Semester ill Summer

404

Eng. 101-3 introduction to Fiction

Educ. 240-3 Social Issues In Education

Educ. 483-8 Curriculum Studies

Semester IV Fall

405 (7 units) (2 weeks in 2 weeks out) The weeks out will

be spent in:

Educ. 475-4 Designs for Learning: Mathematics

?

Educ. 474-4

?

Designs for Learning: Social Studies

At this point students will be eligible for licenses.

Semester V. VI, vii- students will complete 15 units per semester

in order to complete minimum requirements for a Standard

Certificate. The seltTi of Education courses and courses from

other Faculties to be determined.

Semesters VIII, 1X

1 J

..

- students will complete i units pr

semester in order to complete the usual requirements for a

standard certificate. The selection o , Education courses and

courses from other Faculties to be determined.

4. Delivery of

Service!

a.

Semesters I-V (until licensing is complete) all programming to be

handled by Simon Fraser University.

b.

Semesters V to

?

There are two options:

programmin

g

to be handled jointly by Okanagan College and S.F.U.

2. programing to be handled solely by S.F.U.

(Okanagan College cannot provide Education Courses.)

The determination of which is more appropriate rests on a

number

of

factors--accessibility, coordination, financing and

the possible role of Interior University Programing Board.

In any event a commitment on the part of the University to

delivering programmin

g

for semesters I-V would be necessary

before considerin

g

the involvement of Okanagan College.

5. Liaison with OerEern1 Prpga!

?

(Salmon Ann, Vernon)

The presence of external programs In. Salmon Arm and Enderby will

greatly facilitate the delivery of services to the proposed North

Okanagan program; Enderby can be one more "sto

p

on the circuit." The

Enderby group should remain distinct (as opposed to joining other PDP

---

students for

W

o,'k'sItOi )

?

H. will

prow ?

'

t.udii I. with

?

tipport group

they

Cfl (Eth 1

ly

relate to

dfld

wil 1

d

,,,low for

d

hi ijh

l

!

qr1

ofindividual-

I zation in proqrdIIIflincJ and tul.orinq In.

SPP(.

if

1(.

ski 1 ared. Opportufli ties

for visits among Salmon Arm, Vernon and Fnderby students will be welcomed

but an effort must be made not to place native Indian students in

direct competition with other Student teachers who have aireadyhad two

or more years of university work.

6.

Student Selection

Students should be selected jointly by representatives of the

Faculty of Education and of their respective bands.. Heavy emphasis will

U given to recommendation

s

by community members and to documented work

experiences related to or In teaching (e.g. teacher aides.) Academic

records will be taken into consideration but will not be used to discount

any candidate. Prospectiv

e

students are being counselled to spend time

working as teacher aides in order to get an idea of whether they think

they might like teaching and to provide the admissions panel with some.

indication Of their aptitudes (see attachments I, ii and iii).

7.

Staffing

One full time Faculty Associate preferably with experience In native

community education and teaching experience in primary-Intermediate.

Individual should also be able to provide tutoring for academic subjects

and preferably have sufficient expettise in a curriculum area to teach

a designs for learning course.

8.

"Native Studies

A critical component In preparing native teachers is to provide them

with skills necessary tO develop curriculum relating to traditional and

contemporary native culture. Experience at Mt.Currie indicates this can

be most effectively done by providing opportunities for this in each

curriculumcourse that Is taught rather than by teaching a single

curriculum course in native studies. Arts courses in English, Psychology,

History should also be adapted so that Issues of concern In native

comunitles form a significant part of the course of study.

9.

Student Financing

StatUs Indian students are eligible for tutoring and living allowances

from the Department of Indian Affairs.

10.

Second. Intake

It seems reasonable to project a second Intake. The greatest energy

expenditure is in setting up the initial program. Once logistics have been

dealt with and if sufficient number of students are eligible it would

be advisable to have a second intake.

I strongly recommend a first year Intake no greater than 10. (Eight

would be ldé

a

fl.

In the second year this would allow another-intake of

7 - 8 without requiring additional staff.

---

1

•'..

Faculty of Education

Iln,

j

1V

of

ViCt0n1c

.

-I

DR. WYAT1 AND Till MT. CURRIL COMMUNITY TF.ACtILR L DUCATU)4 PRoGRAM

A. Ric ht,d

K1119

June

• i

'

/1)

IntroduiQ

This report is prepared in response to a request from the Dean,

Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser Universit

y

, for an assessment

of the role of Dr. June Wyatt as a scholar,Practjtionbr and

Innovator in relation to development of the Mt. Currie Community

Based Teacher Education Program. Dr. Wyatt is a faculty member

of Simon Fraser University, an anthropologist and educator with

specific interests in acculturation and native Indian education

developments. Mt. Currie is a British Columbia Indian Reserve

In a valley inmediatelY.n0rth5t of Li1l'ooet Lake. it is linked

to Howe Sound and Vancouver bya good highwaY; the nearest other

town is Pemberton, five miles northwest. I am an associate

professor in the Faculty of Education at the Universit

y

of Victoria;

my colleague and consultant in this assessment is Mavis Windsor,

a member of the HeiltSuk Cultural Education Centre, Bella Bella,

B.C. (selected by the Board of Directors of that organization in

?

• response to my request for consultation assistance--a request made

nd has made extensive use of the Mt. Currie

because the Bella Bella ba

model

in

its own recent educational developments). When I use the

pronoun, 'we,' it is in reference to Ms. Windsor and myself. This

report will be shared with her prior to submission. However, I

assume full responsibilit

y

for opinions and judgments expressed

herein, and absolve her from any responsibilit

y

- for possible error

or value Implications.

Neither Ms. Windsor nor I had been to Mt. Currie prior to a

two-day visit we made from May 26-28, 1976. However, both of us

had considerable prior information about the general nature of

educational developments in that community -- information derived

both from our personal association

s

and from documents provided by

Dr. Wyatt and others. Our visit to Mt. Currie was coordinated by

Simon Fraser Faculty Associate, Gordon Turner, who arranged inter-

views with the school administrator, members of the School Board

---

-2-

•

?

and student teachers,

IS

WU11 as

vtS

to cla.r05

?

ri

l)pCrti0fl

• ?

and obserVatiO

tl

at a staff meeting of all

techPr and

t.wknt

teachers.

Documentation provide

d

by Dr. Wyatt includes:

"The Mount Currie Community School," October, 1974,

jointY

authored by Dr. Wyatt and her research

associate, Iris

Yuzdepski -- an assessment of the first year of

operition

as an independent

chOl

under the newly promulgated

contract arrangement with Department of Indian Affairs

and Northern Development; released under authorit

y

of Mt.

Currie Band Resolution dated 22 November, 1974.

Proposal to the Mt. Currie Education Advisory Committee

and outlines for two courses initially offered

00

the

reserve

by Dr. Wyatt: Educ 441 and Educ 240 ("Cultural

Differences" and "Social issues in Education," respectively)

during summer and fall, 1974.

Proposal to Simon Fraser University (Faculty of Education

and Senate) for a community based native. Indian teacher

education program

authored by Dr. Wyatt in collaboration

with the Mt. Currie Education Advisory Board.

"Documentation of activities in Mt. Currie program planning,

December, 1974 - June, 1975," (but, actually, covering time

S

?

?

period to March, 1976) prepared by Wyatt for the Associate

Vice_ President, AdaderniC, Simon Fraser University.

"Program description: Mount Currie Community Based Native

Teacher Education Program - Simon Fraser UniversitY,"

March, 1976, 'by

'

Dr. June Wyatt.

untitled,

descriptive-analytic paper in manuscript form,

An

approximatel

y

8,000 words, dealing with significant choices

and decisions made by the Mt. Currie community during the

recent educational developments; submitted to Phi Delta

Kappa , Spring, 1976.

Additionall

y

, I have spent several hours of informal discus-

sion with Dr. Wyatt about the development and her role in it.

The Mt. Currie - Simon Fraser University teacher training

program has been developed during a time of major change in

• patterns of schooling for native Indian peoples in British

Columbia (King, 1975). All manifestations of this change, from

minute to extreme, reflect cumulative frustrations of native

people at the inapproPriate

,

and dysfunctional chooliflg which

•

?

has prevailed for them and their children during the past century.

---

dil ferent

?

k jndr,

?

f

?

effort.'.

?

f

?

It

?

I

Despi tc

ninny

'solve

problemS'

?

of how

?

10 prOv

i'IC ?

f h Lt.V

governments to

negative

outCOIflC

?

prevail

?

for

rid ?

i

V(t

U

d(flt ,

?

in

schooling,

dismayifl9lY similar statistic

s

of poor reporied

perfOrIUfl'

e,

age-grade retardation, failure and .wittidraWtl

?

from

schOOl

of

most frequently cited, has been desirabillY

Among needs

involvement of native adults and students in plannin

g

and

more

implementation of SChOOl education --especially a need for more

native teachers.

?

Verbalizin

g

such 'needs' ?

is much simpler than

OOl

satisfyin g

them; most efforts to involve native adults

at

sch

or ?

levels have been tokens of obser-

planning

vation or advisory roles; few native students have achieved

for entryinto,conVefltionai student teaching;

future

qualification

of those who have, only a tiny' fraction have considered a

as teacher to be desirable -- or even credible.

is credited

One of the fine old men of anthropology, Sol Tax,

with initially observin

g

that the white man has done everything

.

for Indians except give them the luxury of making their

?

OWfl

manifestations

This theme has reappeared in numerous

mistakes.

of criticism

in the twenty-five years since Tax spoke it:

monolithic

government bureaucracy; oppressive,

paternalistic

to technosociety and melting pot ethos.;

school patterns geared

"Indian industry," comprised of "experts" whose careers are

•

the

solving Indian problems (and who must, therefore,

dependent on

definitions and needs); economic

continually create new problem

'

genocide, all are sub sets of the

vested interests; cultural

native people to be different

perceived reasons for not allowing

from and still a part of the dominant society.

of rapid change

Among the most dramatic changes in this period

government provides funding,

' emergence

has been

?

of a pattern whereby

hierarchical control of schooling, on

but otherwise

?

1jnquisheS

Fi r

st

of this pattern

a 'contract' basis to local native groupS.

organization,

'

was a United States agreement with a Navajo NaiOn

Schopi

?

at Chinle, Arizona.

•

DINE, to operate Rough Rock Demonstration

and salient

Begun in mid-1960'S, Rough Rock rapidly became viable

(EriCkSOP,1969)

Canada's

throughout the continent as a mqdel.

---

- 4.-

Northwest Terri tori

CS

I ocorpora ted a

var ia

Li

?

of the i de'i

their operation in early 19/0's

dfl(l

the pa

tt.e)'fl 0

ff1 c i a 1 y

?

tue

feasible throughout Canada in 1974. (Actually, order to Treaniry

Board was made in 1973, but (level opuient of guidelines and i mpl in t -

ation lead time inhibited operation before 1914). As yet., very few

Canadian native groups have assumed complete control of

their

OWIt

school operations under this agreement. Mt. Currie was the f'irt1t

native Indian group in British Columbia to assume such control.

The Mt. Currie band made the decision and implemented it

almost literally as soon as it became possible to do so despite

contrary advice and, to say the least, less than enthusiastic

support from local federal or provincial government officials.

In a sense,

it was a desperation move, based more on an assumption

that they could not possibly do worse and thus must do better

•

than

upon any clearly defined plans for school operation or curri-

culum change. Their basic plan from the beginning has been first

to acquire full decision-making responsibility for the school,

then as

rapidly as possible to train and employ teachers from their

own community to work

in

the school, and, as it becomes feasible,

to modify the curriculum in efforts to make the totality of K712

school experience more

relevant to perceived needs of Mt. Currie

coninuflity

students

it is

important to this assessment to have the above priority

• framework in mind -- particularly to realize that the basic plan

priorities were set by the Mt. Currie School Board before any

Involvement

with Simon Fraser

.

-Universit

y

. (I shall refer to the

• policy making group as the "Board" although they have operated

under various titles since the beginning -- see Wyatt documentation).

Only after these decisiOnS were made and the first step achieved.--

full operating responsibility -.- was the Dean of SFU Faculty of

Education approached with a request for assistance in implementing

a teacher training program to begin moving toward the second

objective which assumes an ideal outcome to be :100% staffing of the

school with Mt. Currie community teachers.

Major constraints in moving toward that objective were that most

0

---

-5-

eligible props('CtS for such tra i

fl

i no ( piop

?

IIIt

t i ' 11 y

(

'

1111

0y0(l ts

teacher aides or resource persons) have IdinhlY obi uq.tIOIIi which

Inhibit or prevent leaving home for on-cainp' University study;

further, most of them have less formal chOOlifl9 than is usually

required for university entrance. Board members say thcy approached

Simon Fraser Universit

y

because, of all British Columbia univritiCS,

It has a reputation for the most extensive 'external' (O

ff

-camp1)

program plus a reputation for 'flexibility'.

One sees in retrospect a high-risk challenge to the university.

Despite their reputation for'flexibility' ,

their

.operations are

• ?

geared to normative public schools operating within governmental

frameworks, not to a completely new kind of 'independent' school

with which they had no role in formulation of basic definitionS.

After the fact, the university was asked to enter an already defined

situation and provide a program for achieving the second priority

objective: training Mt. Currie people to become 'qualified' in

regular provincial terms as well as to work in the specific

innovative school. The vaguely defined population available

consisted of academically unprepared people, many of whom were

uncertain about their own ability or desire to function even as

• ?

teacher aides, much less as teachers. A prudent administrator

might well have declined such an invitation.

?

• ?

On the contrary, the Dean of Simon Fraser University's Faculty

?

• ••• ?

of Education requested Dr. June Wyatt to assume responsibilit

y

for

assessing the Mt. Currie operation and implementin

g

a program to

conform with needs expressed and discovered. By stipulation among

both Board and University, such a program also was expected

.

to

?

• ?

conform to the basic norms of SFU teacher training so that any

credits or certificates earned as •a result

will

be equivalent of

comparable achievement by regular SFU students,

?

• ?

From this point on, essential details are contained in Wyatt'S

documentation. We reflect information and impressiOnS derived from

our observations And interviews at Mt. Currie ,hich confirm all

Substantive details of that documentation and, further, lead us

r. Wyatt has been the key person responsible

to

for development

the

of

conclusion

a most remarkable inamjc in this

that

program.

D

---

The title,

?

l

"ML. Currie Teacher Ira in nq I rorfl,"

'

new levels of self-awareness among a i

riVOl VNI,

Ihe attitudinal

changes, the identity affirmations, the a

urflC.e

of

1(tflhid

In addition to her regular duties, Wyatt ha spent

Ilkirly

hour,

days, months in arriving at genuine understaIId11Y* of the

?

tlldtiOfl

and people involved. She, herself, taught three initial cour.es on

the reserve which, all informants agree, were largely responsible

for generating among student teachers (then teacher aides) a first

realization of their own capabilities to function at a respectable

academic level. She then followed through on every detail of

proposal, approval and implementation of the program as it became

ultimately defined.

Undoubtedly

most important in this total effort has been Dr.

Wyatt's unique mode of operation which has satisfied Board members,

school and student teachers that

?

çy are controlling decision

• .

?

makers in the whole process. We asked several leading questions

during our interviews with the Board attempting to determine

instances where the Board or others had 'rejected' or modified a

plan put forward from the university or by Wyatt. We were gently,

but emphatically corrected in our erroneous assumption that this

kind of

operation had occured. The Board described their procesS

as being one in which ILey defined what was wanted, Dr. Wyatt

provided descriptions of choices, constraints, etc.' the Board then

decided what was to be done and Dr; Wyatt saw to it that it happened.

Thus, they asserted, there has never been occasion for the Board to

'accept s

or 'reject' an external idea since the plan from beginning

has been theirs. Although the first program proposal was authored

by Wyatt for presentation to the university, it was, by Board

members' account, generated-essentially by them. This pattern has

prevailed through each step of implementation, including each

specific course and choices. of Instructors, in response to a

question, Board members say. tha Wyatt was not essential to the

program development in the sense that if

,

Dr. Wyatt had not existed

the program never would have happened

.

. ("We knew what we wanted a

we'd have found somebody, somewhere....") This was immediately

---

-1-

followed, hOWCY(, by

1fl

5

5('rt jon th t,

Of"`

Wy

It. wi s

I nv('

V

s

(1,

her particiPat°U at every stacje was con

i.

t.nt.

I

Y .wPrO; idtP nd

essential to continuatiOn,

?

for

,eVCl tiiiriIi(f"

.

w

absolutely

specific instances cited to demonstrate how horOUqh,

dprfl(tdt)lP

omnicOmpetent, yet non-directive

Wya t

t has been in providing

Information and explorin

g

choices both formally and inforrnflY

with Board members and others. One member summed it up: "Without

her, we'd

have

to .

go

back to scratch and start all over. We don't

really think of her as a 'professor'. it's hard to think of her

that way; she's more like family...."

Student teachers expressed similar positive feelings about the

program and university people involved. A few of the students

have been 'out' to secondary school, college or university but had

found such experiences. less than gratifying and had quit prior to

any program completion. A majority has not had even that much

formal school experience. All present members began as teacher

aides or resource persons; none began with a serious idea of

becoming a teacher.

"..I had no idea what to do with my life. I was just

staying home, taking care of the kids, not doing

much. My life was just drifting along nowhere. So

when there was this job as teacher aide, I thought

it might be something good to do...."

•

?

?

"...After I finished (secondary) school in Vancouver,

?

I sure didn't want to stay around there. But I

0

?

?

never thought of being a teacher. I wanted to be

?

home and then there was this job as aide and I

thought it might be something to do for a while.

Then when I got into it and began taking the

courses and all, 1 got really excited. Being a

teacher is really gratifying...."

"..I

was

working as resource persons mostly showing

kids bead work. I never thought of being a

regular teacher -- it's fifteen years

since

I

was evennear school and even then I never learned

all that much. Mostly it was June (Wyatt) in her

classes who got me thinking about being a teacher

0 ?

0

?

•.,.

Now, I know 1 can do it...."

In reference to the academic courses

providec

on reserve

by Simon Fraser UniverSitY, studeptS were uniformly positive

---

both about

the

direct usefulness of i nformt Li

(UI

proV dd

Ifl(I JtJOtI t

their own growing realization of capat) I i ly to fi,ric.t i on within a

university course framework, given appropriate eriv i roriwerital

context.

"...I took some of this at (connunity college), and I didn't

like itat all. Like this psychology... I didn't

understand much; it

.

was all a bunch of talk and riclinç1

about theory that didn't have much meaning. And it

was a big lecture class. I dropped it. Here, I find

it's different. So much is really relevant to what

we're doing in school or in the community.. .we can see

these things. And I haye more time to read... .1 really

enjoy it....

"...Doing the courses here where I'm comfortable makes all

the difference. I didn't like the college at all. I

know I'd never make it if I had to be out in that

hassle...."

' 1

...At

first

I was kinda worried about 'university'

courses. But we meet with June and the teacher and

• go Over what it's all about and then it all seems to

fit in with what we're doing. ' Sometimes I have to

plug along one word at a

,

time in the books -- but I'm

• ?

getting there...."

Despite our leading questions about possible modifications or

criticisms of some of the program components, students consistently

asserted that the experiences, time sequences, course content

and total program operation are optimal. A few comments emerged

about desire

for more knowledge relating to what to do when

•

?

children have troubles in school with subjects like mathematics

or

reading,

but there is a concurrent assumption that this will be

forthcoming 'in future courses or workshops..

Perhaps most significant in all this is the credibility factor.

Among members of the first two 'groups of student teachers the ideas

of university study in general as well as becoming a qualified

•

?

teacherwere all but incredible three years ago. Now these same

people are completely confident of their abilities to complete

the qualification requirements and to function as 'regular'

teachers. Further, with these people as models a new group of

teacher aides is working, some about to assume student-teacher

status, all operating with assumptions that university course and

professional qualificatio

n

achievemente reasonable aspirations.

---

9

(In my opinion, the importance of this fictor

(,arItU)t

be civer-

emphas I zod .

?

lack

Of credibility under1 I

CS II),

t of t-he ctirrent.

cri ticisinS of schools, univers i ties, Social s(. leut. ists;

much

of

what is glibly referred to as 'drop-Out' syndrome -- a

t.eiifl

Which

places onus on the individual -- is more aptly described as a

rational retreat from incredible situations. Many of the problems

of social scientists and educational researchers stem from their

failure to achieve credibility for themselves as humans or their

ideas as relevant to any known reality.)

Some unique relationships among Board, teachers and student

teachers, undoubtedly contribute to the positive ethos of this

program. Despite having exercised fate control power in initial

employment of aides, subsequent selection of student teacher

candidates and ultimate employment of teachers, Board communications

appear to be so open and well shared as to cause student teachers

to feel that they are active participants in all relevant program

decisions. Thus they reflect a feeling that this is 'their'

program-- an assurance comparable to that reflected by the Board

concerning the entire operation since assumption of control. This

Is attributed to the usual patterns of decision making in the

community plus Dr. Wyatt's many hours of patient assistance in

exploring all dimensions of every situation and in identification

of highly appropriate university resource people for providing the

direct university input.

The Dean's Outline

The above introduction and summary of data derived from our

stay in Mt. Currie serve as base for responding directly to the

questions implicit in the outline provided by Dean Ellis in his

letter, May 10, 1976. 1 shall follow the outline in a narrative

paragraph form. A considerable amount of the information referred

to is contained above or in documentation provided and generally

verified by our

,

observations. (e.g.. 'sequence of events...')

P11 make no further reference to them.

As part of the background of the program, the socio-political

context of education in Canada ano British Columbia makes this

Mount Currie development (and the few others of similar nature now

under way) of more ignifiCaflCe than simply local community school

---

- 10

growth.

?

React

1

OIlS

d9c

115

t I a rge school operI

I.

i

OIV.

efficiency, predictabilit

y

and

ineasurtd pro'iur

t_

IV i t)j frUtr!

'delivery systems' of skill and content are qerieiit. ug i ncrased

0

emphasis on 'alternative' patterns, community

%C11001

s

and the co

?

't

of 'devolution (Aoki, 1974). There is a growing realiiatiOn

that.

societal needs of humans can be served by schools and prubaHy

transcend in importance the individual needs for achievement,

?

• I ?

mobility, etc., which have tended to prevail in our schools over

recent decades. Thus the pattern of local conununity control, while

of unique significance to nat... ive Indian peoples who have so long

?

• ?

been denied access to

.

power, is one that is susceptible of implement-

ation on a much wider scale than among native peoples or even

• minority ethnic groups in general. Historically, our schools have

developed on monolithic, centralized patterns of common definitions

for all. As pressures for change grow, the native school patterns

now emerging may well become models for much more extensive change

in common schooling.

Comparison with development of other university programs is

difficult. While I don't know all other programs

!

I know of some

and know of none which have combined full operation within the

school community with response to community definition. The

University of Alberta cooperated for several years with Government

of the Northwest Territories in implementation of a native teacher

training program based in Fort Smith, but including some required

attendance at Edmonton campus. The relationship did not last long.

• ?

The University of New Mexico has been operating a totally reserve

based program for teacher training during the past two years; but,

• ?

to

avoid uncertainties of planning, communication, etc., the

?

•

?

university maintains complete control of the program. It is more

of asmall extension of campus afield than a part of overall

developmental program.

Conceptually, operating the program in local community rather

than on campus seems a highly important factor in establishing

the credibility referred to above. As long as students

Oo

not

feel deprived of some important identity factor or resource

?

• ?

associated with campus living, community implementation of program

---

- 11

SC('UIS ?

to ?

have

?

II1XI)tiII

?

1nd.i'nt ?

al

?

for ?

iii

?

I

ny ?

t h

?

Un

?

it

y

?

a ?

liv I ng

force ?

in society as

?

opposed ?

to the

corivcflt.0fIdl

?

ivory

?

tower el it. i.t

i(Ient i ty

image. ?

(Mt. ?

Currie students

?

asserted

?

that

?

they ?

fel t

?

f iii

1

"Simon Fraser University students "WithOUt any

I;eNI ?

for

?

v

ii

iq

as

any

?

of the time on campus.)

?

Opening the

proqrnI Ur

?

tudon

part

who lack formal academic qualifications

?

even

courageous, but hardly innovative.

?

Throughout North

America

universities have been experiencing significant success

?

in relaxing

such requirements for 'high-risk' students who demonstrate

commitment and general competence.

?

There is really everything to

gain and little to lose in such a program

?

particularlY when it

is based upon demonstrated performance in a regular work situation

and consensus selection process from within the community.

?

Every

Mt. Currie person with whom we spoke involved in this program has

•

asserted the absolute necessity of beginning with classroom

experience and offering the classes in the community.

?

Some members

of the non-educatio

n

classes offered have been other than student

teachers -- community persons who take the courses for intrinsic

values only.

?

In one case this has amounted to a majority of the

class. ?

This was cited by several

?

informants as an unexpected, but

further positive indication of the pervasive change taking place;

most of those people had never before thought of doing university

studies.

I pursued the rationale of such offerings with the Board members

and school administrator, using the English composition course as

an example. ?

From .a

?

'logical', external perspective, there appears

to

be

little

justification for

•

a relatively high cost, university

level course

in composition for this general population.

?

Secondary

schools or community colleges conceivably could and should be able

to offer the service, even as community based adult education, as

effectively and at a more reasonable cost.

?

Nobody denied the

•

should assertion nor the desirability of more appropriate local

•

schooling.

?

The importance of this course, I was told, lies in the

quality of teaching and perform4flCe of students.

?

Most students

had encountered particular problems with English composition as

•

they had gone to regular school.

?

In this course they had realized

11

---

I?

for the first time what " . . . qood teaching

CUU1

(1 h

?

Y

)h.UI

learned that "ordinary people" could 1 earn effectively the princ 1ples

of good English composition. There was agreement that, ultinitely,

this kind of learning should be a function of lower levels of

schooling but that the patterns of

,

instruction in those cchool

had to change before it would happen and that they now htd i new

awareness of criteria to apply to teaching and learning in

ther

own schools for the future. As well, successful achievement in

these courses is credited for awakening new levels of awareness of

potential and aspirations for future achievement. Not least in

importance is the model factor provided for present secondary

students who perceive community adults in roles as successful.

students. ? .

?

.

As to organizational plan and implementation, there remains

?

• ?

little to

be said. Mt. Currie 'non-professionals' and students

clearly think it is their program; Simon Fraser University has

?

•

?

given

approval to the program proposal and courses offered so

they may be assumed to fit that university's official criteria.

The overwhelmingly positive reactions of involved people at all

levels is powerful evidence of effective implementation. (1 have

never before, at any level of secondary or post-secondary

schooling, encountered'a.groUp of students who did not have some

kind of

critical comments

.

or complaints or at least small gripes

when given the opportunity to voice them informally.) Effectiveness

at this level

and to date must be ranked as remarkably high. How

this will become manifested over time

,

remains to be seen. In one

sense, the future developments. may be seen as a test of the validity

?

• ?

. ?

of Simon Fraser University's philosophy and basic program models since

?

•

?

student performance in the program and environmental factors for

applications of knowledge acquired seem near optimal. External.

political and econonic factors may be ultimate determinants of

long-range developnnt. Increase levels of support will be required

to implement the full school development plan; within the not

-too-

distant future, available job situionS within the school program --

even at most optimistic projectiop .. will be filled and program

needs will become re-defined as ip-service teacher training and

general education.

?

. ?

. . ?

. .

?

• •

---

13

. ?

-

Assuming at

?

least 'contir,utt ion of

?

present. ?

'xternd1 ?

.upport

policies

?

the ?

internal

?

relationships, ?

qu

a li ty

of ?

(:OIIulfl'I

cdt

Ofl

•

and levels of awareness are such as

?

to 'indicate a posit iv(!

prediction for future developments.

?

The people involved --

community and university -- have given a great deal of thouqht

to future directions as well as to present program development.

The thinking seems to reflect directly the model provided by

Wyatt in her role. as applied, social

?

scientist coordinatin

g

the

program so far. ' That is, within the underlying commitment to

self-determination, most future prospects are viewed in a model

of options' and alternatives:

?

IF this, then that...;

?

if not, then

• ?

0,

another premise begins another dialectic.

?

The band is prepared

•

to see its development continue as a completely localized program;

they are equally prepared to see themselves.-as a model and center

for a broad regional development, or for manifestations between

these extremes.

?

There is an encouraging absence of rhetoric and

•

ideology accompanying the deep assurance of ability to cope.

The basic principles are indeed of interest and potentially

applicable outside of Mt. Currie.

?

(In the week following our

visit,

a Hopi group from United

'

States was due to spend some time

at Mt. Currie; one problem they have already encountered and will

find continuing is that of hosting the numerous visitors who seek

more first-hand information.)

?

The basic model of self-determination

will be a consistent message Mt. Currie people convey to others;

the model of their teacher training program and their goal of lOO.

local teachers for their schools will be defended by them as theirs,

but not necessarily proposed for all.. ' It contrasts sharply with

•

other models where emphasis has been placed on major curriculum

•

change and materials production.

?

Such contrasts will be valuable

- ?

to other groups as they

'

develOP their own self-determination plans.

To provide judgment as to whether the program as such is "better

•

or .poorer than what is going on elsewhere" would require a level

of omniscience one hesitates to assume.

?

To assrt that the

developmental dynamic has been and is near-ide1

is

another matter

and I now feel no hesitation in making such assertion.

?

This ?

is an

---

- 14

innovation of which any dcaclenhic percon (or tJniv(rjt.y) can be

abundantly proud. (It is perhaps a 0

1110 Y

y CO N.

(flC('

that

our assessment comes about

almost

concurrentl

y

with the Briti'h

Columbia Department of Education Wincgard report on 'Itit pruv.iOfl

of University Degree Programmes in the interior of British Cuuwhia."

in which Simon Fraser 's external program is cited briefly but the Mt..

Currie model is overlooked. At university and provincial government

levels, the innovative model will surely receive much consideration

soon.)

June Wyatt's role in relating her scholarly knowledge with

innovative practice has been described as that of "culture broker",

an

apt enough term to those familiar with the definitive literature

• ?

about that term. I think more specifically she has provided what

will become a significant.model of how an. applied anthropologist

can serve both the discipline and a client population. Serious.

•

?

. ?

questions of role and ethics.have plagued the discipline in recent

years. Applied anthropology has been charged with being an

•exploltive, paternalistic support to colonial efforts at remediating

perceived deficiencies in "underdeveloped" peoples (assuming that

all people want, or should want to be as we are). Laura Thompson

has written recently about the "colonial yoke" and the need for

emergence of a new definition for an applied anthropologist's role:

"...in the postcolonial world two crucial questions arise

regarding application of a multi-disciplinar

y

ethnographic

• .

?

approach and its factually based findings to contemporary

social problems. First, how can a client community's

situation be formulated to foster and use the problem-

•

?

solving and culture-changing assets of Its members? Second,

•

?

if a client group is accepted as the decision maker and

• ?

active agent of change, what should be the role of the

applied anthropologist?

According to the present clinical approach, it is

suggested that, on the basis of professional training

and eye-witness experience, an applied anthropologist

may aid a client group as consultant by defining the

•

?

group's practical options in local, regional, national

and global context.. Using understanding of group

behaviour in the context of its on-going life situation,

a clinical anthropologist may predict, withi$ certain

limitations, the probable effect that the selection of

each option would have on the client community were it

---

to he'el

('('.t.C(l

Ond i

iiIplII'RrIt((I

by (ii'

?

ilI9ItII!

.h i p.

?

('.h'

if

. ?

of

a preferred

a I tcrtiit

IV(

.tn(I I t..

(fli. tI(Iit. •

should reiiafl

tti'

pr(rwj.it.lve arid

r(",pOflSit)

iii

ty

of ttir

client." (TIioiiipcOn 1976, P. 6)

This might well have been written to (lescrbe Wyitt'c role

rather than as a general prescription for disciplinary role

changes. A unique subtlety might be suggested in that

F.hlr

has,

in

fact, worked with two "client" groups -- the band and the

university.

Thus the 'culture -broker' designation takes on expanded meaning.

One day Wyatt will be able to .provide more of her own description

and analysis of this process and social science will be the richer

for her contribution. Ethical considerations inhibit such

"scholarly production" at present.

A major aspect of "colonial yoke" anthropology was the

production of ethnography and ethnology for academic uses.

Anthropologists typicallyspOke only to each other as peers, using

their informants as sources of knowledge with which the scholars

could achieve status in their own society. A residue of bitterness

at this kind of exploitation has led to suspicion and downright

hostility toward anthropologists and other social scientists in

recent years. A

great many of the traditional social scientists

are simply finding it impossible to work as they previously were

accustomed. Oppressed peoples are demanding that their needs be

paramount that their definitions of role prevail, that the

anthropologist -- or other social scientist -- be able to provide

them with a service other than theorizing;

in

short, that he be

'

able to DO something useful or else stay away from them.

Once the useful development is achieved, it will be possible

for the scholars to write about what they have done. it is

imperative to the new role that such writing be done only when

and as the client group considers it appropriate. (in this

instance, one notes a Band Council Resolutjon provides Wyatt with

authority to distribute the 1974 report done jqintly with Yuzdepski;

• ?

also, formal approval was obtained by Wyatt for preparation of the

paper submitted to Phi Delta Kappan in 1976.) A pattern is emerging

---

• ?

-

-16.

which will ?

1

(-

ad

?

to

?

ul timte

?

finariclill

?

and ?

v p t.d

?

int ?

(',t ?

in

such production 1H

?

fl9

Y ?

t.ii

1 flNI

by the

ci

?

en

t ?

¶rouI). ?

I her,1

considerable

Ce

that this kind of

eviden

?

(

1ev

( 1OpmCflt iS

not

d

hut,

"know-nothing"

?

rejection of intellectualism or socldl

?

S(.iCflCC

determination that available rewards be more equitably

,ather, a

distributed.

for the applied social scientist requires

?

thorough

The new role

in

djSciP11flY and methodological

?

theory, plus a

highly

grounding

empathy for field relationships, plus a level of

sensitive

in the human enterprise that transcends need

commitment to sharing

reward gratifications.

?

It is

?

this latter

for immediate other

that is too often lacking among scholars and that has

attribute

demonstrated by Dr. June Wyatt, along with her

?

more

been nicely

obVIOUS

demonstration

Of the other attributes.

REFERENCES

"Toward devolution in the control of

education

Aoki, Ted

November, 1973

?

on a native reserve in Alberta

?

Council

Ofl

Education

Newsletter, Vol

IV,

nthropOO9Y and

No.

?

2.

Erickson, Donald

Col.

mUfl_tY .

SChOOl

at Rou9i Rock (An evaluation

April, 1969

?

for United States Officeof Economic Opportunity)

ERIC Clearinghouse, PB 184 571.

King, A. Richard

?

• "Native Indian education developments in British

October, 1975

?

Columbials L.E.A.R.N. Newsletter, Vol Viii, No. 1.

Thompson, Laura

?

"An appropriate role for otcolon1a1 applied

Spring, 1976 ?

nthropOlbgi5tS" ?

Vol 35

• ? •Nol.

---

0 ?

PICGRESS RERI' : THE

Mr.

QJRRIE CCM4JNITY BASED

NAME

INDIAN 'IEAQIER EDUCATION PIXM

February 14, 1978

Dr • June Wyatt

Faculty of Education

sTiSW(.1

•

The Mt.

Currie.Ccztiuunity

Based Native IndianTeacher Education Program,

in operation sire July 1975, was designed to prepare native Indians from

Mt.

Currie

to cxxplete rpiirents for provincial teacher certification.

Theproposal for this program, accepted by

Senate

and the Joint Board of

Teacher ?

ation:

1)

provided for the delivery to

t

he Mt. Curie ocimtunity of P .D.P. and

additional course work necessary for certification.

2)

allowed the application of alternative admissions criteria

to

S.F.U. and the P.D.P.

3)

roughly outlined a

plan of study which would allow for developnt

of standard teaching competencies as well as special ones appropriate

to

the

native

ocxmtnity setting (language and culture prograns).

This report records

1) student progress tcMard provincial licensing and

certification

2) academic achievement

of students

(a)

academic

background

(b)

perfonnoe

in S.F .U. courses

3) student teaching performance

program of study: selection of courses; design of courses

5)

staffing - a) instructors

- b) faculty associate

6)

JRRICWZ4 DOir

current status, current projects

7)

OTHER EEV O!4TS

8)

SCHOOL STAFFING - Projection of Needs

9)

SPECIAL FICI

1) Sthint Progress 'Bards Provincial Licensing and

Certification:

• Each

of the 17 students admitted to the program has completed the P.D.P.

F

our have standard certificates (P.D.P. plus 45-units of coursework) and

seven

have licenses (P.D.P.

plus 15 units of course work). Six will

complete licenses after taking 8 units of snmer course

work

in 78-2. The

differential rate of credential completion is accounted for

in

part by the

fact that

there

were 3 intakes - one in '75 (8 students), one in January '76

(2

students) and one in

Septter

76 (7 students) and in part by the varied

academic backgrounds of students (sane entered with university transfer

credit) (See table 1 for summary). All who have

cxileted

licenses are

working tcMards certificates and all but one with certificates are working

.

---

toward SJ degree cxitpletion. Each student enrolled in the program worked

(X)fltifllx)USly

in a program of academic and professional studies. Only one

has discontinued for

any significant length of time. (This student

cupleted

her standard certificate and discontinued for medical reasons).

In order for the 5 studentsworking towards licenses to complete

standard certification it will be necessary to provide 4 courses per year

for the next 2 years

(78-3 to 80-2, see section

-

6 below).

Students in the Mt. Currie program will require this length of time

to

cXIIç)lete

credentials

because they are not full timestudents. Each is

eflployed

as a full-time teacher at the Mt. Currie ocitiminity school. Their

work schedules allow

them to take 1 course per semester in fall and spring

and two

in smer.

A proposal for

financial support for courses has been submitted to Con-

tinuing Studies.

2) ?

Academic Achiev

eme

nt

a)

Three of the students entering the program had university transfer

credit,

an additional 7 had

cxipleted

grade 12. The remainder (7)

had not

xlTç)leted

grade 12. All but 3 of the entrants qualified

for mature student entry to the university. Special arrangements

were made tonit these. None of the entrants had the normally

required 60 units for entry to P.D.P. These students began their

professional

program with PDP; oourse work for credentialling

was

taken concurrently with and after cxxnpletion of PDP.

Because of a cxip1ex of economic, social and cultural factors it was

difficult to tell at the outset what the students' potential for

ac'iemic achievement was. Even those who had cxzipleted

university

work had done

•

so with difficulty. Students unanimously identified

a need for

inçroving

their cxxnposition skills. Because of these

difficulties students were required to datonstrate ccupeteroe in and

xmmittuent to

teaching prior to entering the program.

They

did

this

by serving

as supervised fuil time teacher aides for a semester

prior to entry.

The intent of locating the program in Mt. Currie was to minimize

factors which would

interfere

with academic success.

¶Lt

intent of

starting directly with the POP and practice teaching was to maximize

factors which would contribute to academic success.

b)

Performance in S.F.U. Courses

Students

were

instructed and evaluated by S.F.U. faculty. Grade point

averages are recorded in Table II. In general the more mature students

(age and experience) and those who had done university work performed is

at a higher level than the rest. An outstanding exception was a

---

3.

special

entry

student (under 23) who

had

not completed sea)rK3arY

school and rapidly

began to get A's

and B's

in her courses

(in

addition she cxnçlete

d

grade 12 math by correspondence).

I interviewed all instructors to ascertain their views of students'

academic ability. All evaluated the students according to the

sate

criteria used on canç*iS..,Instructors fran The Faculty of Arts

and EklucatiOfl

were unaniiULS that the Mt. Currie students in

general had to put in more time and effort to achieve

the

same

grades as canç*is students. Qrollary to this was that the instructors

• found that they needed to give more individual attention and provide

greater direction than they did on caxrpis. (Note: This was not

true for all Mt. Currie students). In one or two courses studentS

actually produced more

in

the way of projects than was ordinarily

the case. All instructors commented that the small class sizes

enabled them to provide the necessary extra attention. In addition

the Faculty Associate who resided full time in Mt. Currie provided

• tutoring. A general response of faculty was that the lead-in or

want up periods to workshops and the introductory sections to courses

took longer than usual.

It is no surprise that many of the students

academic abilities were

weak. We did not anticipate that simply locating the program in the

(x*mulntywoul

d

amaliorate this condition. Intensive attention to

. ?

individual student development has clearly been a critical factor

in the students

academic achievement.

Grath in this area has been

impressive

and fully warrants, in the opinion of instructors and

students, the lower

F1E'

a generated by Mt. Currie courses than others

in the university.

3)

?

Student ¶Ladthig Performanc

e

Student teaching in

t

he pDp is evaluated by faculty and school associates

four tines

during the course of the

program. Narrative evaluations describe

the students strengths and

weaknesses

and record

rea*mndatiOns for ijtrove-

mant. No grades

are given; students either pass or are withdrawn fran the

program. AU Mt. Currie

students passed. conveying an overall profile of

their teaching is difficult because of variety in individual styles and

performance and

because

this data must be pulled out of over 100 pages of

written evaluations which follow no standard format.

(These

are the Appraisal

Forms filed for every

student in P .D.P.). All students were passed by

their

school and

faculty

associates, but this says little about individual differences -

strengths and weaknesses or overall patterns which might

distinguish this

particular group of student teachers from any other; on cps or in another

external program. In an effort to organize the evaluation data I interviewed

all associates

and asked them to describe student teacher performance according

to

4

dinnsions: subject matter cciiçeteflce, relations with students, lesson

planning and

organization

and classroom

presentation (see

questionnaire

.

iii - v).

?

he

?

summary is a sijr1ified

Tp

version of the results

. ?

of these interviews. most significant is

that all

students

shed marked

growth during the course of their practice and were generall

y

responsive

to suggestions for improvement. Three students received scholarships, two of

• ?

these were PDP open scholarships..

---

4.

subject 'flatter cxetence - this was judged to be one of the weakest

areas for most students. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 1cM, 5 high) only

six

or seven students

rated a 5 at siester 's end.

?

Three or four rated a

2, the rest rated a 3 or 4. ?

Difficulties in this area

of teaching

were clearly related

to difficulties in àcadaiccourses:

relative

inexperience in identifying

and searching out resource materials,

and

in organizing and preparing

written materials.

These

problems were

exacerbated by inadequate

library resources. The basic, library for external

progr

ams was provided

at Mt. Currie but these tended to be general educational

texts rather than particular sets of curriculum materials.

In addition

the

Mt. Currie school itself

' was

poorly stocked. Unlike other external

Programs

students

could not turn to the local district or

school resource

center. Several trips to S .F .U. facilities

were arranged but

these

were

inadequate to meet needs.

The development

of subject matter competence in L'il'wat (the native

language) was in a]iiost

all cases outstanding. All students learned to

write and read

the

language

and some are now preparing curriculum materials.

(see

section 6 - curriculum developnent).

Relations

with

Students -

Almost all student teachers rated S's. In

addition sdx,ol associates

noted that student teachers showed a high degree

of personal caiinitthent

'

to students as individuals. This went far beyond

ci aroan

interactions to

involvement

with students in after school activities

and a responsiveness

to

students iotional needs based on sensitivity to

personal and family

circumstances.

?

0

The interview

protocol does

.

not raise the issues of discipline and

classroczn management.

Information was however, gathered on this dimension.

Stix1it teachers. experienced' the

sane

general range of problems as most beginners.

71e fact that they

were native did not necessarily imbue them with a "natural"

authority and

in many

cases they encountered a great deal of frustration

deal i

ng with extreie

.discipline

problems. (Students who had long histories

of erratic

attendance etc.) without 'delving into

the

reasons for these

problem it

is inçortant

to

rote the student teachers "hung in" where a

rnxtber of highly experienced non-native

-

professionals fran outside the aiun-

ity could

nt. In

many instances native student teachers could be unyielding

with students

where

non-natives would have hesitated for fear of accusations

of racism

or severe

parental disapproval. (Note: Board Policy forbids the

use of physical

punishment).

Lesson Planning & Organization

The majority of'

students rated '4's and

.

a few rated 5's.

By

the end of

P.D.P. students were capable in short term lesson planning (planning for

one or

two

weeks at

a time). Long, term unit planning extending

over

several months was

pointed to as an area in which all students needed to

improve their skills.

Classroom Presentation

After

an initial lack of self confidence on the part of

sate,

student

?

teachers

rated in the 4's and 5's in their classroom presentations. A number

---

S

of student

teachers

h1 to make substantial changes in their use of

their voices. Many spoke quite softly and could not be

heard by

an

entire class.

Questioning strategies were a central focus of a nttt)er of

workshops and student teachers easily learned to present material and

questions which were varied and called for

increasingly

sophisticated

responses from students.

4) ?

Program of Study - 2 main principles were used in the design and

selection of

courses.

a) That all courses would focus on the development

of standard academic and professional teaching c

ompetencies

-

b)

'

that in all appropria

te

instances course content - whether in

educ-

ation, arts, science etc. would.draw on local resources and experiences.

Curriculum design courses frau Education in the areas of Social Studies,

Language Arts, Environmental Education etc. not only drew on loc

al -

resources

but

required students to produce their own curriculum units

focusing on local issues and materials.

The program

of study

did

not include a Native Studies caonent

p

er se, nor was there a single curriculum course in native studies,

rather native culture and history were

integrated

into each course

offered and were balanced with standard course content.

The following

outline of courses gives an overview of the program.

1974-2 EUX 441-4

Cultural Differences in Education.

?

J. Wyatt

1974-3 EUE 240-3

Social Issues in Education

?

J. Wyatt

1975-1 EDUC

471-4

Curriculum Development:

Thecry

and

P

ractice

?

J. Wyatt

l

]!ae

courses were offered before the teacher training program began

and enrolled only those students (4) eligible for university entry

without

special

arrangements. The 441 was also offered an a non-credit

basis and enrolled all of the

teacher aides

fran the Mt. Currie school

as well as a

iurber

of students enrolled in regular on

cip.1s

SFU programs.

1975-2 EL 010-3 Writing

?

R. Miki

EflX 490-2

Directed Study: Classrocxn Alic-

?

R.

Milki

ations of Oztosition Skills.

This supplemented 010 Student

teachers designed : lessons for

their own students.

Lfl 100-3 CtWIJNICATIC & LANGUAGE

J. Van Eyck

using L' i/'wat as a primary

example.

0

---

6.

.

G.

Turner

1975-3

EUJC

402-7

401 ?

was granted

on basis of

(credit for

previous

teaching experience.

G.

Turner

1976-1

aXJC

405-7

L.

Kearns

EN3L 102-3

IntrO to Poetry

ED1X

491-2

Directed

Study ?

Classrooms

Applications of EG 102

3.

Van Eyck

LD13

230-3

Amerindian I

(Vi

(Vil

Wat)

1976-2

HX

?

405-7

EE 4 84-8

Curriculum Studies

G.

B.

Snively

Alexander

Introductory Psychology

G. Turner

1976-3

ENGL

EUJC 473-4

.

.

Designs for Learning Reading

G.

Turner

1977-1

E2XX 475-4

Designs for Learnin

g:

Math

G.

Turner

1977-2

_

?

452-4

.E1virornIntal Fi3ucatiofl

G.

Snively

-

1977-3 ?

230-3 Amerindian I

?

J. Van Eyck

?

LflG 100-3 Communication & Language

J. Van Eyck

XX 494-4

Directed Stud': Approaches to

Teaching 'i'I Wat)

?

J. Van Eyck

tVIE: in

1976-2 EDUC 484-8 CURRICULLWI STUDIES served a dual purpose.

The first group of students enrolled in 484. The second group enrolled

in Educ. 402-7.

There was a single instructor for both groups and

assignments were similar

but

less canpiex for the 402 students. (See

calendar descriptions

of 402 afd.484 which indicate similarity in course

content).

?

. ?

.

omwas Selection

The Ministry of Educ. requires 6 units of English

.

for certification

and the Mt. Currie school Board required enrollment in linguistics

courses as a condition

of

ployment.

(EL,010, Lim 100 have been offered twice to

accommodate

thesor1

intake

of students)

, -

Aside fran these requirentS courses were selected by student

consensus. The weighting was very heavily towards education courses

because of their immediate relevance to professional goals.

?

re is a

notable

ameliorated

absence

to sce

of courses

extent in

in

cubing

a large

semesters.numberof

disciplines.

Course offerings

This will

will be

be

broadened to include Geography, Women's studies, Canadian Studies and

Designs for Learning Natural, Science. Because each course must serve

all students, selection . is naturally weighted txards 'jeneral interest"

courses. Students wishing to specialize will have to enroll in individual

programs on campus. ¶1 plan to do so this fall. While the bulk of

courses is

in

Education and there is little specialization as yet, this

will

enrolled

develop

in a

as

B.G.S.

students

program).

proceed

It

toward

is erouraging

degree cxnpletion

that 2 students

(all arehave

?

40

decided to enroll on campus next year. it indicates a willingness to

.

---

7.

become involved in an environment which several years ago was considered

threatening. Half a

&)zefl

others are also interested in coming to the

S .F .U.

CaTnPIS

but are unable to because of family obligationS.

1

Oou rse Outcomes

These are summarized in part by the grades on Table II. In

addition there are projects which students produce

d.

An

outstanding

group

project resulting

frun

the EwirorIUental Eklucàtion course is appended.

It proposes a plan for a new

ccmlTunity

school at Mt. Currie. (see

brochure labelled xit'olacw.)

5) Staff ing

a)

Instructors

Appointments were wade

on

the basis of recciM1ati0ns by Department

Chairmen Program Directors(

F

of E) and jntexviews. by nthers of the

Mt. Currie

Education Board and students in the program. Instructors

travelled we

?

to Mt. Currie and in the case of

sunier

courses

resided full tine in the citiitY.

b)

Faculty Associate

. ?

Appointed in the sane way as instructors. The individual employed

had an M.A. degree and 7 years of experience (in elementary,

internu3iate,

and university teaching). The associate has been

employed for 3 years and his job

description

has changed during

this period.

75-76

1 - supervised placement and practice teaching of 9 student teachers.

2 - lisson with school associates, program director, school board,

and PDP staff on camps.

3 - organization of 402 workshops.

4 - tutoring student teachers in course work.

5 - assisted in organizing

?

course selectiofl.

76-77

1 - supervision of 8 student teachers and

continuation

of above duties

(with

exdeptiOfl.

of 402)

2 - instructor for EI1JC 473 and 475

• 77-78

1 - employed part time by S.F.U.

F

part time by Department of Indian

Affairs (D.I.A.) as curriculun consultant and liason in delivery

•

?

of in-service course work.

Note that S .F .U. courses offered in Mt. Currie have attracted individuals

in the

ocmuulnity

other than student

teachers.'Twelve

individuals have

S.F .U. and have enrolled in one or nore of the courses

gained

offered at Mt. Currie. A

admittance

number of these individuals work in the

to

band

adrnjflistrat-tVe offices as we

?

and social work aides.

---

S.

6)

a) current Status

The developuent of L' ii 'wat linguistic and cultural

materials

has been

'of focus of all curriculum courses. It became clear

during these

courses that they needed to be supplemented by a

more ccxprehensiVe

effort.

The

basis

of the Mt Currie project

is

to prepare professionals

well versed

in teaching about both cultures and in both

languages. The teacher

preparation program did a great deal in

this directiOn

but

intensive

work is still needed

to

develop

native curriculum.

Provided

as an appendix to this report are sample materials

from

the

Mt. Currie Curriculum

Project launched in Septaiter 1977.

Funds for this project aze

partially from DIA ($55, 000

for

salaries) and partially from S.F.U.

(1/2 Faculty

Associate

Salary). DIA funding fell far short

of the request submitted.

Proposals are being

submitted to DIA for next year. No new

prc)x)sals

are being submitted

to

SFU.

Our commitment

to

curriculum

develppnt

has been

and will

continue to be fulfilled through

Faculty of Education courses and by virtue of the fact that the

b native school staff

members 'working on the Curriculum

Development Project were trained throngh the S.F.U. program.

?

Current Projects

?

.

Lorna Williams

1.

Intermediate

L' ii'

wat Language Lesson package

2.

L' ii 'wat ,rd

list (for intermediate and high scbool).

3.

Transcription from tape of available.ta'i1't stories and

?

legends.. ? .

4.

Develop

listening

post materials, for grade 6-(include stories

and questions plus math., spelling and Indian language)

5.

W

orking with Martina Pierre in developing a. L'ii 'wat

language study unit on' deer. hunting (High scheol).

6.

Prepare and contribute materials' for The

Fish Line

(Children's Magazine).

7.

Translating labels of classroom parts

Marie

Joseph

1.

Develop a

series of L'il'wat language booklets for primary grades

(e.g. counting, farm animals).

2.

Primary grades L'il'wat 1atuage outline with basic word lists

and associated activities.

3.

Develop nre

fully the sulyalesta song and booklets.

4.

Develop

a L'ii 'wat language unit on Birds for primary grades.

5.

Prepare materials for The

Fish

Line (Children's Magazine)

b)

I.

II.

---

9.

III. Gordon Turner

1. Work with Marie Joseph in compiling the Prin.ixy grades

L'il'wat language outline.

2. Caç1ete the science picture card and questions unit

(already begun) for priznazy grades.

3. Develop a L'il'Wat language puzzlebook.

• 4. Create a fishcafl) story reflecting a young girl's experience

(to ccxrç1ant theboy's story already cxrrpleted).

5.

With Frank Rivers and Burt Williams - octçi1e a

social

studies resource booklet for use in TB'zil High Sc

hool

-

6.

With Martina Pierre and Connie Wallace - outline of

TB' zil High school English program using native or native-

related materials.

7. Prepare

the Li' 1 'wat language primer developed by Jan Van

Eyk for printing in multipl e

cxpies.

8.

Netiate

t

he publication of the Wild Maii. Stories.

9.

Develop a TB' zil Board of Education

public

iiliiona

booklet (pictures of staff, philosophy of school, prograrrines).

IV. (birx Projects of

CurriCultzn

TBam

1. The collection and editing of local materials, stories, picture

• ?

files, legends to be cxziiled: into a tbunt Currie Header.

2 • 'lb

experience

create film

of

strips

t'bunt

and

Currie

slide-sound

psople,

sequences

their history,

to reflect

their stories,

the

and their legends.

. glecontinued production

of

The

Fish Line. !bJnt Currie

•

Children's Magazine is paranount.

4. Audio

tape elders of the ocamunity in regafd to the past.

'lb develop materials

to be used iiidiately in the classroom in

.tunt Currie.

7. Other

DevelopTfltS

In the

sjmr

of 1977 several of the teachers were successful in securing

funds fran DTh for Day Care facilities and staff. Two new buildings have been

added to the school complex and scbool staff

as well as other ccimninity

nthers are participating in

the

operation of the Day Care Centre.

The

Mt.

Currie

Bucation Advisory Board intends to submit a proposal to

DIA and S.F.U. to train another

six

te a

chers. They. will ruest that DIA

provide the

funding

and S.F.U. the program.

The

projected need foradditional

teachers is based on the folling..

a.

one

of

the teachers traineà in the program is taking over as

the school

administrator.

b.

two of the teachers are working full

tiTw

preparing curriculum

• materials.

C

• one is able to work only part time for medical reasons.

---

.

10.

d.

two will be taking one year leaves next year to attend

university.

(the Board is prepared to provide two leaves per year).

e.

school enrollment has increased over the last three years

and is continuing to do so.

9.

SPECIAL

FINI3

7he

financing of the Mt. Currie Program has the same basic costs as

external programs.

Mditional costs are:

1. Stipends; travel

and accommodation for instructors teaching

Six (3 ar4

unit courses). Four courses were taught by a

Faculty

Associate as part of contract.

2. Faculty

associate - 1/2 load, supplemented .

in 2ri year by

•

?

teaching

two courses.

3.

1/2 salary

for one year for curriculum consultant.

4.

Travel for

Program Director

over 4

year period.

Rugh Estimate

of Special Financing

(over 4

year period)

Salaries (Instructors)

?

.

? $12,000

Travel (Instructors & Program Director)

?

$12,000

•

The objectives

of the community based teacher education program at

Mt. Currie are being

net. The

goal of creating a short term program which

would . serve as the impetus for on-going development

on

the

part of the

native cc*munity is

being realized.

-

l

ilie university

commitment to prepare teachers for certification will be

fulfilled if (tinuing Studies and

Diucation

are able to provide funding

for courses through 1980-2. The ximnitment to assist in the development of

native curriculum materials is in n' judgment fulfilled. The Curriculum

Development Project is well under way and

.

it is clearly time for DIA to

take over

fiscal responsibility.

When

the Mt. Currie Fucation Advisory Board submits

'a

proposal for

another

intake of student thahers I recommend that S.F.U. provide the

program and D.I.A.

the financing.

0

---

Ii

.

1

TABLE 1

TF1HING cRrIAtS OF Mr.aJRRIE S'1UDEflS

Credential

?

Date of ccmpletion

standard

?

August

U

?

Deoit'er 77

II

?

of

License

?

August 77

I,

?

11

?

of

SI

?

II

IS

?

I, ?

SI

SI

?

Dccsnber 77

II

I,

?

II ?

St

Licenses to be cctnpleted

by end of 78-2

*rlbtal

Academic

credits to Date

62

71

62

65

50

47

47

47

41

41

51

21

25

25

25

27

25

"N

¶l'bok most courses but riot

?

58

enrolled in P.D.P.

* ?

:

(This includes

credit for 404 courses and for

courses

taken in 77-3

but riot 401, 402 and 405.)

---

'1BLE

II

•

G.P.A. 'S OFtTr.

C(JRRXE Sfl)DENTS

* of hours of credit 1

Cm. G.P.A. 2

71

3.86

62

3.65

62

3.47

58

51

3.13

50

3.07

47

3.23

47

2.28

47

1.70

41

2.45

41

2.37

21

3.17

25

2.74

25

2.42

25

2.21

25

2.16

21

2.00

9 students

between

3.17 & 3.86

4 ?

" ?

"

2.39 & 2.74

4 ?

ii ?

SI

2.00 & 2.28

1 ?

" ?

at

1.70 on

academic

probation

1 This ijxth1es

credit for 404 courses and courses taken in 77-3

2 For all courses in which grades were given 77-3 grades were

not available in the

Faculty

of Education files at time of

preparation

of this report.

---

.

?

iii

.

STUDENT-TEACHER

EVALUATION

.

BY

SCHOOL

ASSOCIATE/FNi.JLTL ASSOCIATE

Nan çf Student-ather

As part of the evaluation of the

SFJ

Professional

DevelOpflent

Program (PDP), you are

requested to indicate your opinion of your

student-teacher's performance on the four dimensions of teaching which

follow.

Your response will

be strictly confidential.

The

identity of

at-teach

erw:111be

known only to tbe evaluation team. Your

I ..A 4

,

nczagaaalry,1-}

oroaram as

a

wle and not

Please

circle the number that represents your opinion of the student-

of the five ratings for each clutnsion are

described by

words--and

phrases printed to the left of the numbers. The intermediate

numbers may also be used for the expression of your opinions.

fl

---

iv ?

S

DIMENSIONS OF

TEACHING ?

DESCRIPTIVE %)I)S AND PHRASES

?

RATING

Subject Matter

?

Thorough, broad, and accurate

?

5

Carçeteflce

knowledge

of

th€rj and practice;

very able to organize, interpret,

explain and illustrate concepts

and relationships.

Adequate understanding; nDst

?

4

interpretations

and

explanations

?

3

are clear.

Krwledge of subject is limited;

?

2

does not give clear explanations

and illustrations.

.

Relations with

?

Excellent rapport; feeling of good-

?

5

will prevails; very interested in

Students

?

students; easily approached;

students arechallenged yet individ-

uality is respected.

Adequate rapport; shows

same

interest 4

in students; usually approachable;

students are encouraged to participate,.

shows sate sense of hunor.

Seems unfriendly and unresponsive;

?

2

impatient; sanetins antagonizes

students; too busy

to be helpful.

---

S

DIMENSIONS OF TEACHING

?

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS AND pj-jpj&9

?

RATI

Lesson Planning and

?

Lessons are carefully planned and

?

5 ?

organization

show definite purpose; words acme

easily; well-organized ideas and

concepts are clearly related.

Usually well prepared, purposes are

?

4

usually clear; prese11tst.1ons are

?

3 ?

fairly well organized.

Lessons not planned, purposes are

?

2

lacking or vague; relationships of

?

I ?

(x)ncepts are not explained.

Classroom Presentation

?

Enthusiastic and stimulating;

?

5

raises ?

htprOvOkiflg

questions;

discussions are lively;

pleasing

manner,

free from annoying

distractions-

Encourages student participation;

?

4

O

bjectionable mannerisms

are

riot

?

3

serious or ntmrou5;

asks sc*te good

questions.

Asks few questions; subject

seen

?

2

uninterestin

g to him; repeatedly

exhibits annoying manfleri.