Dec 1, 2022
A Feast to Feature Indigenous role models in classrooms: Future Pathways Teacher’s Guide launches
During the National Gathering for Indigenous Education last week, 45 Indigenous educators and friends gathered at Feast Cafe Bistro in Treaty One Territory to celebrate the launch of a new learning resource for educators that features the learning and career pathways of inspiring role models.
The Future Pathways: Fireside Chats initiative launched at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic during school closures, and has continued to grow and gather stories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis role models across various fields and professions.
Some of the questions in the conversations include “How did you get to where you are today?” And “What are some of your sources of inspiration?”
The first volume of the Teachers Guide, released last week, features 26 lesson plans based on Fireside Chat interviews. To date, Indigenous team members have hosted more than 300 conversations available freely online at firesidechats.ca — these powerful stories have attracted more than 15,000 viewers.
The Teacher’s Guide is accessible in flip book and PDF format free of charge, with a print edition available for purchase on Amazon.ca. In the coming months, a matching textbook will be released for students to discover the role model stories covered in the Teacher’s Guide.
We would like to thank Christine M’Lot and Marika Schalla, co-authors of the Teacher’s Guide and Ashley Richard for helping to organize the event — and hosting many Fireside Chats along with helping to found the initiative. We were thrilled to also have several Fireside Chats role models also join us, including Reanna Merasty, Kale Sheppard, Niigaan Sinclair, Carly Chartier, CJ Loane, Ruby Bruce, and Migwin Orzechowska.
“I would have loved to have this resource as a young person, and I’m so glad that young people today have the opportunity to grow up hearing from Indigenous role models from around the country! I’m grateful to have the opportunity to help teachers bring these incredible stories into their classrooms” — Lead Author Christine M’Lot
In addition to copies being provided to Connected North schools, TakingITGlobal has limited budget available to provide copies of the Teacher’s Guide and textbook free of charge to Indigenous educators. Please contact us at connectednorth@takingitglobal.org to request a copy!
