Monday, Sept 29 (18) 

Stories, Story, and Journal

We started with our first greetings presentation and learned some greetings and some words the Pópkw'em  peoples of the Sto:lo nation use. 

Next task was to prime our thinking with a free write. The prompt was "This one time I..."

Students then worked through the following steps in order, with time on each one to actually talk.

Step 1: With a partner, tell them a story about yourself – a time you did something funny, or your first time doing something (first day of school), or any story about you – even the one you wrote for me. 

Step 2: Tell your partner their story. Tell them the story they told you. As the listener, listening to your own story being told, ask yourself – are they getting it right? What are they missing? Is it still your story?

Step 3: To the whole class, were you successful in telling the other person’s story? Also, what is meant by the word story?

Step 4: Journal response: How do stories shape how we see ourselves and the world? And, can we tell other peoples’ stories?

I went around and started checking journals, both to see what students had been thinking about, and as a reminder to do the work. 

Hopefully some thinking was done.

Next Class: Paragraph structure and planning a formal paragraph.

Friday, Sept 26 (17)

Still looking at why it matters

We started after the connection with looking at the article from last day and checking or coming up with three questions about the article. 

Students then worked in small groups to answer their questions, went to a larger (half-class group) to discuss unanswered questions and to practice discussion. It was near the end of this that we had a little earthquake. To be honest we were not sure what it was so we kept going. We then shared out with a brief whole class discussion. 

I also wanted to show how deep we could take things to remind everyone that the deep end exists out there.

Next Class: Telling, Permission, and Journaling

Thursday, Sept 25 (16)

"Why Indigenous Literature Matters"

Students were given Daniel Heath Justice's article "Why Indigenous literatures matter" (article available in class) and given time to annotate and make sense, though I was vague on what they were looking for, on purpose. 

After annotation, students had time to work on their own stories. 

Next Class: Discussing the article and talking about telling stories.

Tuesday, September 23 (14)

Some Writing Time and Discussion of Questions 

We started with 30 minutes of writing time for students to work on their short stories. Hopefully they are incorporating techniques that Geddes used in their own writing. 

Next students had time to be reviewing the two questions we tried to focus some discussion around.

• Despite the hardships of living in the bush, does Geddes’ childhood sound like a good one? If so, why? Give examples.

• Geddes exposes various ways in which the First Nations Peoples have been stereotyped. Point them out and point out the worst of them.

We are still working along in our discussion skills. Some are getting there, some are getting close to starting for there.  We will keep working at it. 

Next Class: Writer's Workshop and Writing Time (starting the next draft)

Special Entry

Writing Assignment – Unforgettable Story

Task: Tell a story about a moment in your life that you will never forget. 

       When you are building your story, pay attention to structure (how does your story start, build and climax), pay attention to your three choices (details, scope, and feelings) and turn the abstract to the concrete as you show and not tell.  

Write your story down. Length varies as it takes space to tell a story, but you should have at least a page. Use paragraphs. Use the conventions of good writing.

Optional Assessment: Turn the story into a spoken piece. Instead of handing the story in to be assessed on how you tell your story with the written word, be assessed on how you tell your story with the spoken word. You may either make an appointment with me to tell me the story (do not just read it, but tell it), or you may record yourself telling the story and submit that. 

Assessment: You will be assessed on structure (beginning, middle, end) and impact and either writing or speaking conventions. (Rubrics below)

Story is Due on Friday October 10. - Hand in written version / Hand in Recorded version / Set appointment for following week morning or after school to tell me the story.

Thursday, Sept 18 (12)

Telling our story

My connection to land started us as usual.

The task for today was to tell the story that students had thought about last class. First they actually told the story to a class mate. Then they (maybe) had a quick conversation about structure of that story. Then it was time to write down the first draft of the story. Ideas need to be put down on paper, so hopefully all students got a working version of the story down.

I suggested students pay attention to their choice of details, choice of scope and choice of feeling, as well as how they structure their story. There was a handout. The details are posted above. 

Next Class: Looking at someone else's story - Geddes "Growing up Native"

Wednesday, Sept  17 (11)

Great Oration

I started with a  connection as I do. 

Today, I gave them the following terms;

Metaphor – a direct comparison

Rhetorical structure - the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

         Criticism of Rhetorical structure - language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience, but often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content.

Flow – smooth pace and transitions

Rhythm – measured beat

Weaving narratives – layering elements in stories together to create a larger whole

People: Chief Dan George – Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. Actor, Musician, Poet, and Author. Nominated for an Academy Award. Activist. 1967.

Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. – American Baptist Minister, Activist, philosopher.  Leader during a Civil Rights Movement. Non-violent protestor to promote Civil Rights for People of Colour. 1963 March on Washington.

Students then started with Chief Dan George. (link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL9JedH5ngA). The task was to make sense of the speech. What is Chief Dan George saying. Not only that, but what oratory devices is he using, and are they effective. Students had a couple minutes to chat with each other. We then moved on and gave The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr a chance to speak and we listened once, then took notes a second time. (link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP4iY1TtS3s. Students did the same thing in talking about what they heard and thier answers to the questions. 

We then looked at two more questions. 

• What motivated these speakers? (be specific)

• What risks did these speaker face delivering those speeches when and where they did?

We got a brief time to discuss these. Perhaps we will do more discussion on this later. 

Homework: Think about a story of a time you will never forget. 

Tuesday, Sept 16 (10)

Devices, Statements, Working, and Journaling- oh my!

We started with my connection through pictures as we do. It might have lead to ghost stories for a moment.

We summed up our discussion from last day and looked at some of the techniques used in the poem. It lead us to our journal question as this is the point of the exercise.

The journal prompt - "What impact does writing stories down have?"

Next, I handed out a sheet of poetic devices - available in class - and we took a quick look. If you have questions be sure to ask me. I will assume that you learn them all.

From there I spoke about the authors statement that you need to add to your poem. Poems are due on Wednesday. The Authors statement is a few sentences about you, in third person - where is home, what about you, how do you connect to the poem, something like that. 

Students had time to work on their journal, and their poem.

Next Class:  A look at formal oratory and technique.

Friday, Sept 12 (8)

Writing Time, about place.

Students began writing their place based poetry, their poems about a place that has shaped or impacted them in some way. They had the period to create a rough draft. Feel free to check the examples from last day.

Next Class: Some history and some annotation

Sept 10, Wednesday (6)

Oral Traditions continued - Listening

We started my connection to land then a quick gallery walk of the question response posters to see what others had put for answers. We continued through the power point from last day. We then completed a list of the qualities of a good listener. Students were able to make a list. We then put those lists on the board and added to them. The list so far; eye-contact - faces the speaker; attentive - understands, removes distractions; open-minded - does not judge; non-interruptive, listens until done then responds, or responds if asked but does not think what to say while you are speaking; responsive - nods, gestures, or asks questions for clarifications; calm and patient.

I then reminded students that listening is a big part of the course and requires energy and focus, so students may need to work on reminding themselves to be attentive and listen, especially if they find their attention wandering. 

From there students were directed to their handout on journaling and what a reflective learning journal is. (Handout available in class or click the button below for a link). Students were then given two prompts to respond to in their journal and then time to journal.

Journal entries also available on the journal prompt page.

Prompt 1: What do you already know about First Peoples’ Oral Traditions? 

Prompt 2: Did your ideas about oral communication remain the same or change after talking with your classmates and hearing or seeing others’ answers to the questions?

To finish off I introduced a couple of site or location based poems. I will put links on tomorrows blog post of those poems. 

Next Class: Thinking about place, a walk, and writing where we are from.

Sept 8, Monday (4)

Purpose of Story, Practicing Reading and Discussing

We started with another example of my connection to the land.

Our first stop on today's journey was around the power of story and the purpose of story. We covered all the reasons why we tell stories. I hinted at but did not specifically state why the First Peoples tell stories. Their reasons are;

• teaching; life lessons community responsibilities, rites of passage, etc

• sharing creation stories

• recording personal, family, and community histories,

• "mapping" the geography and resources of an area

• ensuring cultural continuity (e.g. knowledge of ancestors, language)

• healing

• entertainment

After this conversation students read the text "Raven Brings Light to the World" (Available in class)

Questions:

When you are done reading …

• What are your thoughts about the story?

• What connections can you make to the story, or from the story?

• What questions do you have about the story? Can you answer your questions?

• What is the purpose of this story? 

Make note of your answers, then when you feel you have your thoughts in order, discuss with someone your answers.

We briefly discussed these questions as a class.

Next Class: Oral Stories and Storytelling introduction, Journaling, and maybe more.

Sept 5, Friday (3)

Geography, Discussion, Journaling, oh my!

We started with my connection to land, then we took another quick look at a map of BC to finish familiarizing ourselves with some places. 

From there we took up our discussion practice. I asked the students to use what we learned last day and discuss the First People's Learning Principles. I gave the prompt of How/in what way/why are the First People's Learning Principles important to us. Students were split into two groups and they practiced discussion. There was awkwardness and some great points. 

From there I introduced the idea of journaling and spoke of why we do it and how it is useful. I then gave their first journal prompt. 

Prompt: Which of the First People's Learning Principles do you connect with and why? (also on journal page)

Next class: The purpose of story and "Raven Brings Light to the World".