This is a sample workshop for educators to discuss and learn the beginning of contributions of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Canadians to our society.

1. Contributions of FNMI Peoples to
Canadian Society
By, Amanda

2. Task:
Design a 45-minute workshop suitable for a professional development day at
your school that would introduce teachers and all staff to the contributions
FNMI peoples have made to Canadian society. Include timing and resources
in your design.

3. Welcome
Today as a staff, we would like to share the contributions of First Nations, Métis,
and Inuit peoples to Canadian society. We hope that by sharing these contributions,
that we can better appreciate the many influences Canada’s first peoples, and their
important place in our nation.

4. Personal Introductions
Before we all get started, we will begin by sharing our names, our role in
education, and our connection to the land and/or our interest in indigenous culture
and knowledge.
Please share only when holding the speaking stick, and pass to the next person
after you’ve finished.

5. Education
Starting with all of us on the same page in education, we have to
consider WHY do we want to engage with knowing the importance
and contributions of indigenous peoples to modern-day Canadian society?
How does this fit into our teaching practice?
⇨ Indigenous knowledge and content can be incorporated into most any subject area.
⇨ Indigenous knowledge keepers can be invited into your classroom to share
first-hand experience and cultural teachings.
⇨ Indigenous knowledge promotes awareness of indigenous traditions, beyond the
scope of our western perspective.

6. Education and the Calls to Action
We are governed in our approach to reconciliation with this thought: the way
that we have all been educated in this country…has brought us to where we
are today—to a point where the psychological and emotional well-being of
Aboriginal children has been harmed, and the relationship between
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people has been seriously damaged… but
education holds the key to making things better… if we agree on the
objective of reconciliation, and agree to work together, the work we do
today, will immeasurably strengthen the social fabric of Canada tomorrow.3
The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair
Chair, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

7. The whole child & the Medicine Wheel
This Holistic model is based on the Medicine
Wheel, shared with us by the Ojibwe First Nations.
This model incorporates the 4 domains (Health,
social/emotional, citizenship, and creativity) from
the Measuring what Matters papers into a broader
Indigenous worldview.
Task: In your groups, brainstorm and present in a
method of your choice, and share in what way your
section of the medicine wheel has a direct relationship
to quality learning environments that extend beyond
literacy, numeracy and standardized curriculum.

8. Government
Indigenous cultures have given much to our society- namely the whole concept of
true democracy, from the Huron Confederacy.
Many Indigenous Canadians continue to play major roles intellectually and politically
in our country, holding important positions of influence. Some of these include Grand
Chiefs and Clan Mothers, and may also include
Members of Parliament or the Senate.
MPs such as Romeo Saganish, Vince Badawey, and Melanie Joe Mark
are just a few indigenous Canadians who have helped shape our
Democracy today, campaigning for education, healthcare, and the
environment.

9. The Arts
The arts is a fitting place for us to finish our workshop today, as all of us here today
teach at least 2 of the 4 art strands.
Visual art, music, dance, and drama are all meaningful mediums to honour
indigenous contributions to Canadian society, and for us to express the importance of
indigenous culture through our teaching.
TASK: Using your prior knowledge, write down one idea on each
sticky note of where indigenous cultures and teachings can be
incorporated to each art strand.

10. Closing
Thank you, migwetch everyone, for your participation in today’s workshop.
While there are many more areas in our society in which indigenous Canadians have
greatly contributed, I hope that discussing these three topics today will get your
thoughts flowing to impact your teaching. Please keep these important cultural
impacts in mind, and continue your own research and