Description
Supporting Indigenous Children's Development: Community-University Partnerships describes the innovative process of a remarkable partnership between 8 First Nations organizations and the School of Child and Youth Care, University of Victoria. Over a 20-year period the university partnered with tribal councils in British Columbia and Saskatchewan to deliver programs of child-care training for community members. This First Nations Partnership Program grew out of a relationship between the University of Victoria and the Meadow Lake Tribal Council. The tribal council had rejected early childhood education training programs operated by mainstream Canadian educational institutions. As First Nations have become increasingly aware of the need to provide culturally-based, community-controlled training programs for band members undertaking early childhood education, the university in Victoria met the challenge to create the Generative Curriculum Model. This model allowed First Nations' community leaders to serve as co-constructors of the curriculum so that Traditional Knowledge as it applies to education was incorporated. The results were increased rates of student retention and the strengthening of community capacity to design, deliver, and evaluate culturally appropriate education programs for early childhood education. This book delivers an important message about the control of First Nations education programs for First Nations across Canada.