Session 2:

Supporting Indigenous Learners in Mathematics

Pijashin! Welcome!

Materials Needed for Session 2:

Completed 5 bead looming designs from Session 1 Take Away Task
- Each design should be saved as a .jpeg and ready for upload to a Shared Google Slide
5 Bead Loom Template
7 Bead Loom Template
9 Bead Loom Template (optional)
Coloured pencils or markers
Interlocking cubes
Device for taking pictures of work and uploading to shared Google Slides and Docs

Acknowledgement: Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation

Reflection:

Take a moment to acknowledge the land on which you are situated. What would you like to learn more about with the local First Nation, Métis, and/ or Inuit community?

Part A: Introduction

Welcome to session two of the four-part learning series, Supporting Indigenous Students in Mathematics. We hope that the learning journey shared throughout this series supports you in your local context working with First Nation, Métis and Inuit partners in supporting community goals, as well as those shared regarding the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Discuss and Record:

In session one, we reflected on who the Indigenous learners are in our system and upon how we support them in Mathematics. We then began to explore these questions through the shared collaborative learning journey of educators, researchers and members of the Algonquin First Nation of Pikwakanagan. In this session we would like to begin to record our collective thinking and wonderings so that we may learn from and with each other.

Discussion prompts:
- What have you been thinking about since last session?
- What have been some of your experiences in working with community in respect to mathematics?
- What actions have you taken since session one? e.g., Have you contacted your board FNMI coordinator?
- What questions do you have?
Share your thinking, experiences and wonderings in the Google Doc (we will continue to add to this document in Sessions 3 and 4).

Part B: Connections

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, The First Nation, Métis and Inuit Framework, Implementation Plan and Board Action Plans

Video: Indigenous Education Office

Nick Bertrand and JoAnn Henry from the Indigenous Education Office continue to make links of the project to the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Policy Framework, Implementation Plan and Board Action Plans to carry out the vision of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In today's session, the focus is on truth and action with an address from Dr. Murray Sinclair.

Note: Please turn on closed captioning (cc), located in bottom right tool bar, if audio quality is poor.

Part C: Protocols and Community Leadership

Video: Introduction

Introduction to the importance of protocols in establishing and developing respectful relationships with community partners.

Video: Protocols

Jody Alexander, Vice-Principal FNMI Education, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and Pikwakanagan community advisor for the project, discusses protocols for reaching out to community partners.

Video: Importance of Story

William Dick, The Algonquin Way Cultural Centre, Omamiwinini Pimadjwowin, speaks to the importance of story, language and teaching of the bead.

Videos: Story of the Bead

First Nation, Métis and Inuit Nations and communities have their own stories and teachings. Although some are similar, differences exist in relation to the local context of land, language, culture and community. It is our practice within the collaborative nature of our work that stories and cultural teachings only be shared by community members. In the story of the bead by Elder Stephen Kejick, because it is a teaching from a different community, we consulted about its appropriateness and use with Algonquin members of Pikwakanagan First Nation who were overseeing the project. In this specific case, the advising community members gave permission and requested we share in the context of the project with students.

"Shirley Kokomo, Elder Pikwakanagan First Nation, spoke about the focus of the community of regaining traditional knowledge and cultural practices.

From the outside it’s perceived that we have all the culture. We don’t. Culture was taken from us. We are actually in the process of learning our culture again. That’s all historical stuff. I find that so intriguing right now. Cause I’m just learning that now too. Who are we and how did we get here?

It is important to note the distinction between the culture being lost, and the culture being taken. Like most Indigenous communities in Canada, the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan were forced to abandon many cultural practices, which they are now currently in the process of reviving. This focus on cultural revitalization in the community is something the advisors believed should be reflected in the students’ experience in the classroom." (Beatty, R., & Blair, D. (2015). Indigenous pedagogy for early mathematics: Algonquin looming in a grade 2 math classroom. The International Journal of Holistic Early Learning and Development, 1, 3-24.

Part D: Exploring the Mathematics in Looming

Task 1: 5 Bead Looming Design (Take Away Task from Session 1)

In session one we introduced the Take Away Task: 5 Bead Looming Design. If you have not had a chance to complete the task, take time now to create at least one pattern. If you only used the 5 row template, perhaps try the 7 row.

Using the 5 row or 7 row template, create 2 or 3 different repeating patterns, with a 4 and/or 5 column pattern core (one pattern per template)
Using the 5 row or 7 row template, explore repeating patterns with a different size core (e.g., 2 columns, 6 columns, etc.)
Take a picture or scan your patterns
Save each as a .jpeg
Upload your pattern/ patterns to the shared Google Slides
Look at the variety of designs and identify the pattern core in each
Use interlocking cubes to build your pattern or explore someone else's pattern
- How did you built the core? (Did you attend to the shape, column, row...?)
- How does the experience of physically building your pattern compare to colouring in the template?

Examples:

Videos: Unpacking Grade 3 Student Thinking

In each example, first watch the introductory video on the left and then video of student thinking on the right

Introduction to Analyzing Patterns

Introduction to Multiplication

Note: Pause at the end of the first slide, "From Units of Repeat to Multiplication" to consider the posed question.

Introduction to Algebraic Thinking

Introduction to EQAO Item

Analyzing Patterns

Multiplication

Algebraic Thinking

EQAO Item

Task 2: Analyzing Patterns

Video: Introduction to Task 2

Task 2 Instructions:

Use one of the repeating patterns you created in Task 1 using either the 5 row or 7 row template
- Note: you can analyze a pattern with any size core, but initially we find the five column core patterns the easiest
Record your analysis on slide with your pattern already uploaded in Google Slides
- or do analysis on paper template with pattern, take a photo, save as a .jpeg and then upload to Google Slides

Part E: Reciprocity

This project has been a collaborative learning journey grounded in respectful and reciprocal relationships. Over the six years of research with different First Nation communities, relationships have grown between communities and project team members. Artists and educators engaged in this work have shared stories and teachings, their time and expertise to support others' projects, and different ways of thinking mathematically. In these videos you will see an example of how learning in Pikwakanagan with Christina Ruddy was shared in the Simcoe County District School Board with Artist, Lee Benson, Rama First Nation, and how this learning with Lee then came full circle back to Pikwakanagan.

Video: Reciprocity

This video highlights the importance and benefits of sharing the learning.

Video: Lee's Pattern

Lee Benson, Rama First Nation, teaches students how he creates a looming pattern.

Part F: Research Team Members' Reflections on CoPlanning, CoTeaching

Videos: Research Team Reflections

Christina Ruddy, Operations Manager, The Algonquin Way Cultural Centre, Omamiwinini Pimadjwowin, remembers learning to bead and reflects on the role and importance of language, as well as the impact of the project on community.

Jody Alexander, Vice-Principal FNMI Education, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and community of Pikwakanagan project advisor, reflects on her own learning within the work.

Anne George, current Vice-Principal Eganville District Public School, and former SWST and Grade 3 classroom teacher, reflects on her experience and the impact of the project.

Part G: Take Away Task for Session 3

Take Away Task:

Design your own pattern using a 5 row, 7 row or 9 row template.

Make sure one of your patterns has a square core - if 5 rows then 5 column core, if 7 row, then 7 column core, etc. (Note: a 5x5 will be the easiest for working with next session but feel free to explore a challenge!)

For Session 3 you will need:

measuring tape
interlocking cubes
coloured pencils or markers
to save design as a .jpeg and be prepared to upload and share

Note: It is important to do multiple patterns with different number of rows (5, 7, 9...), different size pattern cores, and different designs. It is also important to explore through various tools and in no specific order - colouring in templates, looming, creating using blocks, as well as digitally using the Bead option of mathies Colour Tiles. For students, repetition and using a variety of tools supported mastery and deep conceptual understanding of underlying mathematical concepts.

Part H: Final Considerations

Video: Reminder On Cultural Appropriation

In session 1, Jody Alexander, discussed cultural appropriation. She reminds us to be mindful in work involving Indigenous knowledge and culture. Doing the work in a good way means working in partnership - partnerships built on respect and reciprocity. As a research team we continually revisit and reflect as a safe guard against cultural appropriation. We ask you to spend a few minutes of reflection at the end of each session so that you too can go forward in a good way.

Note: Please turn on closed captioning (cc), located in bottom right tool bar, if audio quality is poor.

For further information on Cultural Appropriation please refer to the article by Celia Haig Brown, Indigenous Thought, Appropriation, and Non-Aboriginal People found on the resource page.

Consolidation Task:

In Session 1, we reflected and shared our thinking in response to the following question, "What is the difference between learning culture through education versus educational learning through culture?"

Deepening our understanding through participation in today's session and listening to the experiences and perspectives of research team members...

Session 2:

Supporting Indigenous Learners in Mathematics

Pijashin! Welcome!

Materials Needed for Session 2:

Acknowledgement: Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation

Reflection:

Part A: Introduction

Discuss and Record:

Part B: Connections

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, The First Nation, Métis and Inuit Framework, Implementation Plan and Board Action Plans

Video: Indigenous Education Office

Part C: Protocols and Community Leadership

Video: Introduction

Video: Protocols

Video: Importance of Story

Videos: Story of the Bead

Part D: Exploring the Mathematics in Looming

Task 1: 5 Bead Looming Design (Take Away Task from Session 1)

Examples:

Videos: Unpacking Grade 3 Student Thinking

Task 2: Analyzing Patterns

Video: Introduction to Task 2

Task 2 Instructions:

Part E: Reciprocity

Video: Reciprocity

Video: Lee's Pattern

Part F: Research Team Members' Reflections on CoPlanning, CoTeaching

Videos: Research Team Reflections

Part G: Take Away Task for Session 3

Take Away Task:

Part H: Final Considerations

Video: Reminder On Cultural Appropriation

Consolidation Task:

Thank you for joining us!

See you next time...

Session 3: Thursday, December 7, 2017 1:00 to 3:00pm