NOTE: The following three sections focus on Aboriginal culture. If there are a large number of Aboriginal learners in your area, you may want to work through these sections. Choose those that are best suited to help your tutors. You may choose to do all of them or just one or two.
Some tutors will enter with negative stereotypes about Aboriginal people and, similarly, some Aboriginal learners will enter with negative stereotypes about non-Aboriginal tutors. While participants may not openly acknowledge negative opinions, you can invite tutors to reflect on how negative stereotyping, in both directions, will impact the capacity of the tutor and learner to work in a mutually respectful relationship. They can explore, through discussion, how they can recognize and deal with those attitudes so as to move forward.
When we understand other cultures, we are better able to assist them with their learning. In this section tutors will gain a greater appreciation for Aboriginal culture and values.
Aboriginal culture and learning
This information is adapted with permission from the Saskatchewan Literacy Network’s Saskatchewan Level 2 Learning How to Learn.
We need to examine Aboriginal culture to identify differences in approaches to learning between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal learners. Differences between individuals should also be remembered when talking about general cultural differences and planning instruction that is responsive to the learners’ needs.
Historically, Aboriginal education meant the ongoing education of the whole person: mind, body and spirit, from birth until death. Elders passed on knowledge in a holistic way.
Aboriginal education traditionally included