November Edition
Learning Bird Inc.
We partner with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit leaders to develop education solutions for lifelong learning.
Welcome to the November Edition of News from the Nest!?
This edition features free classroom-ready resources for educators looking to celebrate Métis Week in their classrooms, a new blog post with practical strategies for hosting Indigenous guest speakers and events, registration for our webinar about incorporating play into ECE programs, and exciting information about the Indspire National Gathering!
Classroom-Ready Resources for Métis Week
This year, people across Canada will celebrate Métis Week from November 10–16. Métis Week coincides with Louis Riel Day on November 16. This day commemorates the life, legacy, and execution of Louis Riel (1844–1885). This national day of remembrance is different from the Louis Riel Day held in Manitoba in February.?
Are you an educator looking for ways to bring Métis Week into your classroom? Wondering how to teach students about Métis culture and the life and legacy of Louis Riel? We have free classroom-ready resources designed to deepen students’ understanding of Métis culture, history, and leaders both past and present.?
If you’re an educator looking to deepen your own knowledge and understanding of Métis culture and history, check out our previous blog post for resources you can use to incorporate Métis culture in your lesson planning now and long term.?
Who Are the Métis? People, Land, and Culture (4–5) — This resource kit introduces learners to important aspects of Métis culture, land, symbols, and leaders past and present. As they progress through the kit, learners will reflect on what they’ve learned by creating a set of story cards. Finally, learners will use these cards to create a scene that shares what they have learned.
Louis Riel, the Red River Resistance, and Beyond (6–12) — This resource kit provides extension activities that delve deeper into Métis identity, Louis Riel, and the Red River Resistance. The kit allows learners to activate prior and newly acquired knowledge to build a more nuanced understanding of these often-simplified topics.
Hosting Indigenous Guest Speakers and Events
Inviting Indigenous guest speakers to your school is one of the best ways to introduce students to the rich traditions, knowledge, and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples. However, organizing these visits requires careful planning and following certain Protocols to ensure event organizers show respect for their guests. Some educators may be unfamiliar with these Protocols, and hesitant to organize these events as a result. If you’re an educator looking for some practical strategies on how to invite an Indigenous guest speaker or host a cultural event, check out our latest blog post! You’ll find a variety of tips and suggestions for where you can learn more.?
We’re Hiring – Business Development Representative
Are you passionate about cultivating strong client relationships, adept at understanding customer needs, and interested in working with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit leaders to support education and language program development??
If you’ve succeeded in sales and thrive in a dynamic environment, we invite you to explore an exciting opportunity to join our team!
Upcoming Webinar – Early Childhood Education: Enhancing Learning Through Play
From playing with toys to crafting complex make-believe scenarios, play is a FUN-damental part of childhood and a powerful learning tool. Through play, children naturally explore, experiment, and engage in problem-solving. While this comes naturally to kids on a playground, educators can find it challenging to create play-based learning environments that foster curiosity, creativity, and resilience, making early education a fun and impactful foundation for learning and growth.
Join Joelle Chemali and Anastasia Machan as they discuss integrating play into early childhood education (ECE), Head Start, and daycare programs and curricula. Discover innovative strategies and best practices for incorporating play to help you create a nurturing and effective learning environment for young children.
Early Childhood Education Curriculum & Resource Development
Speaking of early childhood education (ECE), did you know our team can help you develop and implement a custom early education curriculum that integrates local language and culture for your community? We have expanded our team to include ECE curriculum specialists and adapted our approach to the unique needs of early learners and ECE educators. We can help create age-appropriate learning opportunities, integrate language, incorporate play, and feature seasonal cultural learning activities in a curriculum unique to your community. Once the curriculum is developed, our team can support implementation through professional development and coaching. We can also help develop physical and digital resources for your ECE centre, including games, posters, flashcards, videos, and more.?
To learn more about our ECE curriculum and resource offerings, contact our team at (888) 844-9022 or [email protected].?
Visit Us at the Indspire National Gathering for Indigenous Education!
Learning Bird will be at the Indspire National Gathering for Indigenous Education from November 20–22 in Winnipeg! This unique conference brings together educators and partners to share their perspectives and collaborate to improve the educational outcomes of K–12 Indigenous students.?
We’d love to meet you at the show! Schedule a time to meet with the Learning Bird team at Indspire. Stop by the booth for your chance to win a prize pack, pick up some booth goodies, and sign up to receive a digital copy of our language games to use in your classroom.?
Presentation - Joelle Chemali (Learning Bird) and Lorraine Cardinal-Roy (KTCEA)
We’re excited to announce that Joelle Chemali, Principal Consultant, and Lorraine Cardinal-Roy, Cree Language Specialist from Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council Education Authority (KTCEA), will co-present at Indspire!?
Date: November 21, 2024
Time: 2:15 p.m.?
Creating Language Resources to Support Language Instructors of All Fluency Levels
Creating effective language resources means addressing the needs of both the educator and the learner. In many Indigenous communities, language classes are taught by non-fluent language speakers, which creates unique challenges. In our work with KTCEA, we’ve supported them in designing language resources that accommodate both fluent and non-fluent Cree instructors.?
In this session, Lorraine and Joelle will discuss how this mix of interview-driven materials, illustrated conversation videos, animation videos, and educator guides support educators of all fluency levels. They will also showcase some of these resources and discuss strategies for using language resources as a bridge to enable non-fluent speakers to teach a language class confidently.
Check out the event signs for the specific location, or swing by our booth for more info.?
Out and About: Partner Visits
Little Red River?
Education Consultants Annette Furo, Joelle Chemali, and Naomi Bender joined community members from Little Red River for their annual Fall Camp in Fox Lake. Over the course of this three-week Camp, elementary- to high school-aged youth learned about different traditional practices from Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
The Learning Bird team spent a week conducting interviews with Fall Camp participants and collected footage of Elders speaking on a variety of topics and demonstrating many different skills, including moose calls, preparing meat, friendship feather making, making bannock on a stick, preparing ducks and geese, and hygiene and well-being. The interviews and footage will form the foundation of new resources for educators throughout all three Little Red River communities.
Thank you for welcoming us to the Fall Camp. We love working so closely with Elders and Knowledge Keepers.?