Pimooteewin on the CBC News!

Centennial College and the Pimooteewin Closing Ceremony was mentioned at the end of CBC's evening news last night!

Click here for CBC's < VIDEO LINK > and fast forward to marker 9:30 to see our 40 second spotlight.

Program Closing Ceremony (Part 1)

March 31st, 2011 marks the last day of classes for the Pimooteewin students...

In recognition of our three semesters together with over 50 students this past year, Pimooteewin held a huge celebration tonight (March 30th). Dozens of people from the aboriginal community attended the event, sharing in the singing, dancing, and feasting to help close the program in a special Closing Ceremony. The five Elders who taught traditional teachings to the students throughout the year were also present to share their wisdom and reflections on the program.

Here was the agenda for the night:

(Part 2 will include videos and pictures from tonight's event.)

In the meantime, please watch our highlights < VIDEO CLIP > shown at the event, which includes many of the fun and exciting activities the students participated in over the course of the year.

Posted by Karen Craigs

Quick Class Poll

Today in class we asked the students a few questions about the program. Here's what they had to say:

Q: What will you take with you, having progressed through the Pimooteewin program?

"My smarts."
"My math!"
"That book that you read in class, "Rich by Thirty". I didn't get to read it but I want to."

Q: What made the most impact?

"Being motivated to do better in my life, to come to school. Time management skills will help me a lot!"
"The trips -- I've never been to the ROM or the AGO."
"The people in the classroom. It was awesome for the people who showed up regularly."
"The awesome food... and the free tokens."

Q: What would you change for next time?

"I'd change my attitude towards math next time -- it's not as bad as I think sometimes... as long as I think."
"I would change the way that it is taught, make it more strict. Like, giving consequences or more homework."
"Maybe do one take-home assignment every week."
"Windows that open."
"No windows!"
"I want to see more people, more that are willing to be here every day."
"Absolutely nothing."

Q: What are your next steps?

"I want to do more outreach in the community for the program."
"I need to find a job where I can do some reading, writing, and math."
"I'm going to try to find a job in the community, like, to work with the community."
"I want to apply to Native Child this year!"

This program has been such a unique and memorable experience for everyone involved. We'd love to hear your comments and feedback in the form below!

Posted by Karen Craigs

Making Drums

In March, special guest and local drummaker Steve Teagan came in to Centennial to teach our class how to make drums.


We used special wood and deerskin materials as a base, and Steve taught us the traditional teachings behind the story of the drum.


Check out our < VIDEO LINK > on YouTube from the day!

Posted by Karen Craigs

The Art Gallery of Ontario Trip

In the middle of February, a bunch of us took the subway downtown for the day to spend some time at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Smerf, Kyle, and Mitch, chillin' in front of the AGO

Afterward we chatted about the galleries that were interesting or that grabbed our attention. (Unfortunately there are no photos or videos allowed inside the exhibits so we went outside to film it.)

Watch our video on YouTube here: < VIDEO LINK >

Posted by Karen Craigs

Kenekuk's prayer

Kenekuk was the last chief of the Vermillion River Kickapoo, who lived in unceded territory between the Wabash and Vermillion Rivers along what is now the Indiana- Illinois border. This is also where part of my family originates. Kenekuk was a prophet with great skills in oratory and negotation. He kept his people together in the face of increased military pressure and settler expansion through spiritual power and charisma and by adopting some aspects of the settler religion within which he maintained and revitalized the spiritual and cultural traditions of the Nations of the Northwest Confederacy. 

Kenekuk was not a war chief. He used political savvy and the newcomers own beliefs to provide a place for his people to live in their lands. He also did not shirk from conflict, lending shelter and aid to the Mesquakie (Fox) led by Blackhawk who returned to their traditional territory during what is called the Backhawk War.

By late 1835 and 1836 under threat of being  massacred by the U.S. military and mobs (militia) from local towns and facing the tremendous deprivation of winter, Kenekuk agreed to leave the Vermillion River territory and to move to reservations, first in present day Missouri and then in Kansas. One of the hundreds of trails of tears that mark our collective histories.

I wrote this poem in a moment of clarity and spiritual understanding; an understanding of the conflicted and ambivalent nature of the human condition. I found connection between the powerful and deeply moving dilemma faced by Kenekuk and his people, a dilemma also faced by hundreds of Nations on Turtle Island, and my own, much smaller yet not insignificant struggle to understand my own identity, my path in this life, and to comprehend the depth and breadth of human suffering and joy. From this internal struggle, I took Kenekuk as my spirit name to honour the spirit of this brilliant prophet. 

This is Kenekuk's prayer: 

we are human
we are native


divided skies
denied justice
hear the drum 
heartbeat call


the blood runs red
sun rises high
and the thunderbird screams
nanbush turns into salty rain


try to hide behind 
our fragile selves
made of clay
find sacred earth

the sand now slipping
through our fingers
swallows us whole
eventually


like the giant serpent ride
through dark tunnels
endless chasms sprial
downward

we search the walls
for purchase
and we grasp 
only soft sweet skin
in the fading dusk 
of our one day


finding some comfort
in the brush of a hand
and the smell of your hair


on this light we drift back
this moment might show us
eternity


and smell the sweetgrass
and cedar
the sage
and the tobacco
with which we heal
give thanks
and find 
forgiveness


forgive us our tiny souls
collective pin drops 
in the vast endlessness
of manitou and god


forgive us our ancestor
as we embrace you
your wisdom


forgive us our blindness
for we could not see:


we are human
we are native


--Keith Crowe
  Pimooteewin Learner and Teacher

Nightmares

This is a poem I wrote after having a bad dream. It`s something that is hard to explain until you have noticed it yourself. Everyone has their own views of dreams and this is mine:

 Nightmare

Sleepless nights
Dark shadows
Fighting to wake up
Crying from fear
Yelling Screaming
Not Believing
The False Facts of this Scenario
Holding her tight with the fear in her eyes
Cursing words thrown left to right
Not knowing where to turn
Running in circles
Pain surrounding my body
Shock paring through my soul
This Unknown Heavy breathing
Like I heard before
This evil laughter

That Wont leave me alone

Posted by Amanda Bourque (aka Suzy)

Someone To Love Me

This is a poem I put together after reading the back and the first chapter of the novel called ``Someone to Love Me`` By Anne Schraff. Young women today would do anything to be or to feel loved. Even if it`s all lies to keep the one that they love with them. They don`t understand what they deserve because of the relationships they`ve been involved in. No-one is showing them right from wrong or explaining to them what`s really happening. They start to isolate themselves from others and stop caring about what matters. I know from previous relationships and from what I`ve seen and heard from others: us women are stronger then we think and we need to stick together.   Well, here`s my poem called Someone To Love Me.

Someone To Love Me

She looks in the mirror
At her reflection
Blinded
Not Noticing the Black eye
She showers
Scared to press too hard
Bruises all over
In pain and in shame
Head low
Mascara dripping
Eyeliner running
The sight of Blood appearing through her clothes
The yelling from her mother
But replying with lies
Silent cries
Of the force of his hands
The vulgar voice
Of the sharp words
Cutting through her heart
Piercing through her soul
But she remains the same
Annoyed and ashamed
Taking the hits
Over and over again
The screams that noone hears but noticing to see
The fool she is and is what she chooses to be
Just Looking for someone to love me

Posted by Amanda Bourque (also known as Suzy)

Star Bundles

In early February, quilting expert Lynda Shapiro flew in from Manitoba to help students design and sew together their own star bundles.

Everyone worked diligently during this three day project, sewing together diamond-shaped fabrics into an eight-pointed geometric pattern.

These star bundles display the colours of the medicine wheel: red, yellow, white, and black.

Star bundles are typically used to keep together traditional and sacred pieces collected over a lifetime.

Check out our < VIDEO LINK > on YouTube to see how it all turned out!

Posted by Karen

Invitation to the Closing Ceremony

Your presence is being requested for a special celebration.

Please mark you calendars for Wednesday, March 30th to come and join us in celebrating the completion of the first year of our ground breaking

Pimooteewin Aboriginal Academic Upgrading Program at Centennial College

In this Celebration we will be honouring the students who took the brave step to get back into school and re-dedicate themselves to their educational journey as a means to meaningfully contribute to their personal, familial and communal success.

In unison we will also be honouring the 5 Elders who have worked with our students throughout the program to offer Traditional First Nations teachings helping to bridge the divide for our students and wider Centennial College community between traditional and mainstream education.

Posted by Rachel

Introduction to Algebra

Are there similarities between algebra and Native war record robes?

War Record Robe

This morning we looked at pictures and learned more about the counting coup concept. These war robes and coup sticks were worn by Native warriors (especially from the Plains) as badges of honour, showing the history of their prior battle actions. The more dangerous the action, the more prestigious the coup.

Counting Coup Stick

If you think about it, the robe and the stick are just story-telling devices that group together: a) different symbols representing the elements of the story, b) the actions taken, and c) the consequences of those actions. We found that we can relate these ideas specifically to: a) numbers in a math equation, b) the operators, and c) the results. (This idea was modified from an Australian aboriginal study.)

In class, students drew up several stories using their own meaningful symbols. For example, one student recounted the events of last week's full moon ceremony using just a simple addition story. It contained people coming in from different communities, a full moon and stars, as well as items needed in the ceremony (for example the water and drum). Another student commented how similar these picture stories are to the ancient Egyptian tombs, recounting the histories of the kings with hieroglyphs.

From a mathematical perspective, these stories are important for us to analyze. You might recognize that taking away an element from the story will change the story's consequences -- much like in a math equation. We explored different ways of compensating for making a change, much like you would do in algebra.

For example, if we have the equation 3 + 4 = 7 and we change the 4 to a 2, we tried to find different ways in which we could do something to the story to compensate for the change. (We came up with four ways -- how many ways can you come up with?)

Joke: What kind of clothing does a mermaid wear? ... An algae-bra! 

After the break, we played a counting game with 12-sided dice and Monopoly money. Everyone started with $20 and we took turns rolling the dodecahedra. Integers between -6 and +6 are on each die: a negative roll meant we had to give away that amount; a positive roll, we were given it. Rolling two together meant we had to solve the overall value first!

Dodecahedron: a polyhedron with 12 flat faces

 After a few rounds, we had to start keeping track of IOU's, a perfect example of how negative numbers work in business. We found that negative numbers and subtracting are similar concepts (but they don't always lead you into the hole!).

Tomorrow we'll continue our algebra introduction with some more activities...

Posted by Karen

Tangram Video #1

Just before the holiday break in December, our math class took lots of photos for several stop-motion videos made of tangram pieces.

A tangram is just a small math puzzle where a square has been cut into seven simple pieces (5 triangles, a square, and a rhombus) -- see the picture to the right as a reference. These seven pieces can then be formed into all sorts of funny shapes and characters...

Here is the < VIDEO LINK > to the first stop-motion movie. We made two other ones based on nursery rhymes so check back again for updates!

Posted by Karen

Frieze and Fractal Fun

This morning in math class we started a new topic: Geometry!

Rather than just keep to the typical "What-is-a-point? What-is-a-midpoint? What-is-a-coplanar-line?" geometry introduction, we took a step further to look at the Native American friezes in clothing and quilting works. It turns out that there are just seven ways to manipulate a tile into a border pattern.

(Seven is a happy number that shows up everywhere: 7 Grandfather teachings, 7 ages of man, 7 days of the week, 7 classical planets, 7 musical notes, 7 pillars of wisdom, 7 chakras, and seven also represents the Universe with the 3 of heaven combined with 4 of the world.)

After that, we started making our own friezes and patterns.

For inspiration, we watched a video from NOVA, "Fractals: Hunting the Hidden Dimension". A fractal is just a repeating pattern where the smaller parts actually look like the bigger parts when you zoom in all the way -- happening over and over again, forever!

Here are some colourful examples of fractals -- sometimes fractals are used to show naturally occuring examples in nature, like mountains and cauliflower and tree branches. Sometimes they're just amazing patterns:

Notice how the smaller parts look like miniature versions of the overal picture? That's what makes the pattern a "fractal". Check out how the following simple geometric shapes gradually turn into complex fractals -- see if you can come up with your own pattern:

Posted by Karen

Snow Day!!

Yesterday, Toronto was blanketed in more than 20 cm of white, fluffy snow.

For some schools, there hasn't been a snow day called in over a decade!

 

 Too bad classes were cancelled though. :(

Posted by Karen

Virtual Stock Exchange

A week ago today in math class, we set up a virtual stock exchange game online.

Each student was given a pretend $100,000 to invest in U.S. companies of their choice. (There wasn't a Canadian version available.)

So on Tuesday mornings, we log in to monitor the rankings and make trades with new and old stocks, and basically check out what everyone else is investing in. Each trade is followed up with the calculations governing them, so everyone is practicing decimal multiplication and addition skills.

Within one day, one of the portfolios increased by more than 4.5% -- that translated into a gain of over $4,000! The rankings change every day though, because the markets fluctuate a lot even over the course of one hour.

Centennial is certainly not recommending that we gamble our money on the stock market but this game does provide good math exercises and is a fun, friendly, competitive group activity.

Posted by Karen

Assembly of First Nations: Virtual Summit

A group of more than 30 First Nations people gathered at Centennial College last Thursday to watch the online AFN Conference on post secondary education for aboriginal peoples. We viewed the webcast from our Pimooteewin classroom.

The AFN was filming in Vancouver, Canada at the Vancouver Island University with more than 400 online viewers from dozens of schools and locations around the country.

Many speakers discussed their passions to get into post secondary institutions and expand their careers. Lots of stories were told of different communities promoting native aspects in their schools, with Elders and traditional teachings being brought into the classroom and by paying attention to the dynamics of indigenous peoples.

Obstacles are commonly seen amongst aboriginal students, including getting stuck in an $8-per-hour job because they are lacking a Grade 12 equivalency. They are often being pulled in many directions with family and other obligations, and many housing issues arise. Students require extra help such as with assisted tutoring services or other transitional support to move into the college and university levels of learning, but not every institution is aware of nor offers such assistance.

The feedback was overwhelming and supportive.

The webcast ended with an eight-year-old listener's comments. She is currently taking Cree syllabics in Alberta but she said that when she grew up, she wished she could go to college and speak Cree with others.

Check out the << full broadcast >> here, along with all the materials and questions that were provided for the listeners and participants. 

Posted by Karen

The Final Semester Begins!

Pimooteewin Pathways has reached the third semester of the year-long pilot program at Centennial College.

Tuesday started with quite an energetic classroom, full of both new and returning students. Nearly 20 students joined in for the day's agenda of traditional ceremonies and activities to open up the term. The guest Elders told us stories from the grandfather teachings, the four medicines and directions, and the medicine wheel throughout the day.

Wanda sang traditional songs while beating her drum, and told us stories about the strawberry and other life lessons. Joseph later shared his stories of the 6 eagle feathers and 4 turtle rattles entrusted to him, and couldn't stress enough the importance of getting -- and maintaining! -- a useful education in life. 

Wednesday found all the students in the first classes: English in the morning and Math in the afternoon. Students also attended their first Self Direction, Self Management class on Thursday morning.

On Friday morning, Ronald shared his knowledge of the sacred medicine tobacco during the morning class. He showed us how he lays out items to the four directions with colour, medicine, and special rocks. We heard him play two different wooden flutes (which later led to an impromptu jam session with frogs and a drum, during the break) and he helped guide us on our own journeys through the music.

Hint for next week?
We're creating an important item for our own bundles...

Posted by Karen

The Royal Ontario Museum Trip

Our Pimooteewin class took a field trip downtown to the Royal Ontario Museum last semester in December.

We spent the day visiting different galleries at the ROM, including the Canadian First Peoples section and special exhibition of Chinese Terracotta Warriors. We also spent some time roaming through rooms filled with million-year old dinosaur bones, experienced the Bat Cave, viewed live fish and bugs, compared bird sizes, and discovered hundreds of beautiful gemstones...

Check out this < VIDEO LINK > for highlights of the day.

One class assignment for the ROM asked students to interview each other about any interesting findings in the galleries. This < VIDEO LINK > is a compilation of those interviews from our "Nongo News" correspondents... ("Nongo" means "today" in Ojibwe.)

Posted by Karen

Scarborough Bluffs

One of the highlights in the Fall was taking a class trip to the Scarborough Bluffs.

The Scarborough Bluffs are actually the remains of a 10,000 year old lake, Lake Iroquois. It disappeared a few thousand years later after the St. Lawrence River ice plug started melting -- the bluffs are the remains of the original coastline. They are also responsible for forming the Toronto Islands!

We spent the morning hiking up trails and exploring the park. Students used digital cameras to document everything along the way: wildlife, tracks, trees, flowers, and beautiful scenery.

Some class activities had been set up for the day too, including a math trail in the morning and writing a reflections essay about the afternoon journey.

After lunch we searched for a path up to the top of the cliffs. When we reached the top, we posed for a class photo next to the tree we had seen from the beach -- a reminder that we can reach our goals if we pay attention to our routes.

Check out this < VIDEO LINK > of the day to find out more!

 Posted by Karen