Action Area 1: Education, Training, and Employment
Focus Area A: Curriculum Development and Deployment
Promote and support the addition of appropriate Indigenous content in early childhood education, including cultural practices, stories, languages, and land based activities.
First Light and Martin Family Initiative (MFI) develop training for Early Childhood Educators (ECEs)
First Light and MFI have collaboratively developed a 40-hour training program delivered over one week for ECEs to share cultural knowledge. The toolbox card resources to be used in the ECE classroom are available in three Indigenous languages: Mi’kmaw, Innu-aimun, and Inuttitut. The toolbox cards include topics such as land-based learning, cultural teachings, and language learning. These cards may be given to the child’s family to continue their learning at home.
AECENL builds ECE knowledge with First Light’s Roots of Knowledge course
The Association for Early Childhood Educators of Newfoundland and Labrador (AECENL) have continued their work to improve knowledge among ECEs of Indigenous cultures. In collaboration with First Light, over 100 ECEs have completed the Roots of Knowledge certificate course. The course itself has evolved with collaborative efforts for continuous improvement. While this number falls short of the original 600, it still marks progress on this Call for Change.
For MFI:
- Review, augment, and improve toolbox training materials.
For AECENL:
- Review, augment, and improve toolbox training materials.
Action Area 1: Education, Training, and Employment
We envision a city where all residents have a sound understanding of the diverse histories and cultures of the Indigenous Peoples of Newfoundland and Labrador and where they mobilize such understanding to close gaps in education and employment outcomes. To realize this vision, we call on all residents of St. John’s to help advance change in the following ways: