Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Native Friendship Centre
I found the presentation very engaging and informative. Without the help of any audio-visual material, Leslie managed to teach me a great deal. I especially liked how she inserted he own personal experiences into the presentation. The stories about the animals (owl, hummingbird and frog) really caught my attention. I love watching humingbirds, and now I will think of them in a different way. What can we learn about different ways to teaching and learning from this?
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10 comments:
I thought their inviting yet non forceful approach to visitors is a great way to encourage but not frighten away those interested in help. Offering help and simply creating awareness of the different programs and options availiable without pressure seems like a strategy that is working for the VNFC and one I may use in certain situations with my students.
I think that Leslie presentation was more meaningful because she included the element of introducing us and sharing with us some of her personal experiences. It allowed me to have a different perspective on the situation and challenges that the aboriginal people have gone through and still struggle with today. It also right away made me respect her as a person and not just as a teacher who is standing up in front of me solely for the purpose of delivering a lecture. I will definitely try to use this skill in my teaching practices in the future by connecting with my students on a more personal level through sharing my knowledge and experiences that are appropriately fit into the particular content being taught at that time. This will hopefully enable my students to have a better understanding of what is being taught by providing them with a meaningful concrete example that they can connect with and use as a way of learning and remembering.
I found Leslie's presentation to be very informative. The use of personal stories as a teaching technique was a great way to hold the audiences attention. Also having the information told as a personal story made her information hold a higher value due to the emotional connection to the information.
To comment on Emily's comment, I also found the Native Friendship Centre to be very inviting. I noticed a great sense of community and trust within the centre. I found there open and non-forceful approach to visitors a great way to attract people who may need help.
I really enjoyed visiting the Vic Native Centre. It is a truly inviting place. I particularly remember the art centre because of the huge painted letters that read Territory Of Art. What sparked my intrest most was when she spoke a little bit about her family the Hunts in Alert bay. I took an Aboriginal Ways of Knowing course taught by Leslie's second cousin last May, and had the opportunity to read some of their family books, and interview some members.
The atmosphere reminds me of one of the best, most inviting, hands on courses I have ever taken at uvic.I believe the teachings provided at this centre are valuable to both Aboriginal and non Aboriginal people.
Going into the Friendship Centre I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't know if we were going to be interacting with people visiting the Centre or learning in a lecture setting. I was hoping to be interacting with children and families that were visiting there but after listening to Leslie's presentation I was pleased with the outcome. I felt I learned a lot about the the Native's history and the many obstacles they had to overcome. I really enjoyed Leslie's stories she included as it added more of a personal touch. It kept me interested and engaged. I loved to hear how open and inviting the Friendship Centre is to those in need (and not in need). They are there to support and help anyone who enters the Centre, whether it be a huge crisis or simple problem. I also like how they encourage non-Natives to attend their activities. I felt that I took away a lot of valuable information from the presentation that I will be able to use in my future teaching.
"Gilakasla!”
Like everyone who has commented on our visit to the Friendship Center, I also found it to be very powerful and resourceful. As Leslie mentioned, British Columbia celebrates the most diverse Native population in North America, and has one of the highest increasing populations. I believe this visit was very vital for us (prospective teachers), as many of us will remain in British Columbia to teach. I think it is important to learn about the history, teaching methods, and traditions of the first people of Canada. Not only will our students (both Native and non-Native) benefit from their rich history and strong teaching methods, we will help to keep the Native culture alive in our country
I was very moved by our visit to the Native Friendship Center. I felt that although there were no visual aids the speaker did not need them. The lack of distraction made you focus on her voice and the powerful messages she was sending. I especially liked the part of her talk about when you learn something pass on this knowledge and you will remember it, when you make something for the first time give it away and you will make another one...an interesting concept of learning and teaching.
As many of the others have already mentioned, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I walked through the doors of the Native Friendship Centre. Originally, I had presumed we were visiting a native School; however, prior to our visit I took a quick look at their website and learned that it was a community centre for anyone to visit, whether they are in need of help or a safe place to interact with others their own age.
Leslie’s presentation was captivating! Her ability to paint a picture and invite the class into her personal life was amazing. Upon entering the Multipurpose Room we were greeted with Aboriginal music, followed by a brief vocabulary lesson, which introduced us to the welcoming atmosphere of the Friendship Centre. Leslie’s presentation felt more like a group of friends learning about each other’s culture and family history than a group of students attending a lecture. To expand on what Ara has started about Leslie’s comment “when you learn something you should pass it on and you will remember it”… I felt this to be an extremely great way of looking at our future profession and it is something that I will take with me.
When I walked into the Native Friendship Centre, I was unsure of what to expect. Initially, when we were seated, it was the music that caught my attention and from that point onward I was captivated by the whole experience. Leslie's complete unabashed approach was an example of how learning can be taught in a different way other than the 'standard' or the 'norm'. She injected personal stories of her native tradition that not only were interesting; they had the ability to place you in her shoes. Her way of communicating took us on a journey from beginning to end and for me personally, it was very moving. This example proves that the personal level of instruction is important to take into consideration as it is the personal touch that people, in general, tend to remember the most.
Now that I have visited both an alternate and traditional setting i believe i can reflect on my experience at the Native Friendship Centre. I thought this was a great visit. The Centre was so inviting and almost seemed like a family was being created within an old school. This Centre is not what people usually think of as a learning environment, we usually go straight to a traditional school but I think more learning goes on here then perhaps in a traditional school. Here the clients, for the most part, want to be there and want to do something with their lives. I think the Native Friendship Centre has created a great learning environment for its visitors and it has opened my eyes to the vast number of places in the community where learning goes on.
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