At a time when issues concerning people of Aboriginal origin dominate, Trent University is launching a unique Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in Aboriginal Education program in the fall of 2016 that will put Aboriginal knowledge and perspectives at the forefront of teacher training.
Reflecting Trent's groundbreaking leadership in Indigenous Studies, the new B.Ed. in Aboriginal Education will offer entry from high school or through transfer agreements with local community colleges or First Nations Education Institutes, offering eligible students credit for their past educational experiences.
As a Concurrent Education Program, the program will be integrated in its nature and encompass three years of general studies and two years of professional studies. Offered in partnership by Trent University's School of Education and Professional Learning and the Department of Indigenous Studies - the first of its kind in North America - the Bachelor of Education Aboriginal is unique in this part of the province and will provide opportunities for students in southern and eastern Ontario.
"A critical factor in improving Aboriginal students' academic success is the presence of teachers who understand how Aboriginal students learn and the challenges that they face," says Professor David Newhouse, chair of the Indigenous Studies program at Trent. "This new program provides an opportunity for those who are interested in teaching in Aboriginal environments, both off and on-reserve, to develop the skills and knowledge to be effective teachers of Aboriginal students."
Professor Newhouse adds that graduates of the new program will also be uniquely positioned to teach non-Aboriginal students and to further their understanding of Aboriginal issues.
Dr. Jackie Muldoon, dean of the School of Education and Professional Learning, explains that partnerships with community colleges, First Nations Education Institutes, Elders and local Aboriginal communities are essential to, and will ensure, a high quality, varied and appropriate program of study. Given the rise in urban Aboriginal populations, the program will also explore ways to educate teachers who can teach effectively in urban areas as well as rural and First Nations communities.
"Trent is perfectly positioned to offer this new program, with its cultural and academic support for Aboriginal students," she adds. "Trent proudly fosters an environment where Indigenous knowledge is respected and recognized as a valid means by which to understand the world."
Funding for the development of the new B.Ed. Aboriginal program was received by the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities' (MTCU) Teacher Education Collaborative Initiatives Fund.
In a second successful proposal, Trent's School of Education and Professional Learning will partner with Laurentian University to offer a specialized online curriculum course. This will qualify teacher candidates from across Ontario to teach Indigenous Studies as a subject at the intermediate and senior levels, and will be available to other faculties of education in the province.
The process for program approval involved endorsements from national and regional leadership in the Indigenous community, including Suzanne Brant, vice president Academic at First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) who, in speaking of the long-standing partnership between Trent and FTNI, stated in a letter of support for the new program, "We recognize the influence of Trent's Haudenosaunee faculty in our own histories which are overlapping. The Elders, including Ernie Benedict, who have laid the foundations for the program along with Chief Jake Thomas as well as Tom Porter, whose influence continues. These Elders and leaders have worked hard to make Trent university a centre of Indigenous influence with both Native and non-Native people." Elder and professor emeritus Shirley Williams added in her letter of support "There are many types of curriculum being developed by educators, but few who understand and incorporate Native leaning styles which are much more experiential, relational, oral and land based. I have every confidence that Trent's new B.Ed. for Indigenous students will prove to be one of the leaders in laying out a good protocol for Indigenous people."
Posted on Wednesday, April 15, 2015.