Supporting Initiatives Within Curriculum

The fundamental
step in
helping a child
feel worthwhile . . .
is to believe
in the intrinsic
worth of all
children, to believe
they can grow
as basic
human beings.
Believing in children
is a powerful medicine
which can
work wonders.

From: The Critical Years: Early Childhood Education at the Crossroads by E. L. Widmer, 1974, p. 84. Permission was obtained from Copp Clark, Pitman Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gender Equity

Expectations based primarily on gender limit students' ability to develop to their fullest potential. While some stereotypical views and practices have disappeared, others remain. Endeavours to provide equal opportunities for male and female students must continue. Therefore, it is the responsibility of educators to create a school environment that discourages negative gender bias. This can be facilitated by increased understanding and use of gender-balanced resources and teaching strategies.

Both male and female students need encouragement to explore non-traditional as well as traditional options. To meet the goal of gender equity, Saskatchewan curricula reflect the variety of roles and the wide range of behaviours and attitudes available to all members of society. New curricula and accompanying support materials emphasize gender-balanced content, activities and teaching approaches. These will assist teachers in creating learning environments that are free of stereotyping, enabling female and male students to maximize the development of their abilities and talents.

The gender equitable approach reflected in the Kindergarten curriculum can be reinforced by teachers in many ways. The following guidelines will help teachers promote gender equity:

Choose fair and equitable resources for activity centres (e.g., male and female dolls, a female firefighter puppet, a male nurse puppet).
Select and use resources that reflect the current and evolving roles of women and men in society, and portray females and males in non-traditional roles.
Employ gender equitable instructional and assessment strategies which will enable students to learn and grow without facing artificial barriers or restrictions imposed by gender bias.
Have equally high expectations for both male and female students.
Encourage and respect the interests and abilities of students of both genders. For example, if girls are interested in participating in sports that have been traditionally considered masculine, such as football or hockey, they should be encouraged to do so; if boys are interested in participating in activities that have been traditionally considered feminine, such as cooking or playing with dolls, they should be encouraged to do so.
Encourage cooperation between the genders.
Model gender-fair language and equitable interaction with students.
Insist that language used in formal and informal classroom activities be gender-fair.
Seek a balance of female and male protagonists in literature.
Examine resources for gender equitable content and bring gender-biased materials to students' attention.
Teach students how to recognize gender inequities in what they view and hear.
Encourage questioning of stereotyped generalizations as portrayed in literature and life experiences.
Invite volunteers and guests of both genders into the classroom.
Observe students to ensure that neither gender interrupts nor takes ownership of an activity or project to the exclusion of the other gender.
Ensure that both genders have comparable time and access to resources and equipment.

Indian and Métis Content and Perspectives

The integration of Indian and Métis content and perspectives within the Kindergarten curriculum fulfils a central recommendation of both the Five Year Action Plan for Native Curriculum Development, Saskatchewan Education, 1984 and the Indian and Métis Education Policy from Kindergarten to Grade 12, Saskatchewan Education, 1989. The Policy states:

Saskatchewan Education recognizes that the Indian and Métis peoples of the province are historically unique peoples and occupy a unique and rightful place in society today. Saskatchewan Education recognizes that education programs must meet the needs of Indian and Métis peoples, and the changes to existing programs are also necessary for the benefit of all students. (p. 6)

The inclusion of Indian and Métis content and resources fosters meaningful and culturally identifiable experiences for Indian and Métis students. The inclusion of such content also promotes the development of positive attitudes in all students toward Indian and MＵis peoples. Increasing an awareness of a student's own culture and the cultures of others develops self-concept, promotes an appreciation of Canada's cultural mosaic and supports universal human rights.

Saskatchewan Indian and Métis students come from various cultural backgrounds and social environments including northern, rural and urban areas. Teachers must understand and respect this diversity. Cross-cultural education will assist teachers in meeting the needs of individual students. New curricula require a variety of teaching strategies that accommodate and build upon the knowledge, cultures, learning styles and strengths of Indian and Métis students.

All Saskatchewan teachers should integrate accurate and appropriate Indian and Métis content and perspectives. Teachers have a responsibility to evaluate all resources for bias and to teach students to recognize such bias. Guidelines in Diverse Voices: Selecting Equitable Resources for Indian and Métis Education, Saskatchewan Education, 1992, can assist teachers and students in understanding forms of bias in resources that inaccurately portray Indian and MＵis peoples. The document can help teachers plan classroom experiences that will be effective in increasing awareness of such bias and in developing students' visual literacy and critical thinking skills.

Examples of materials with appropriate Indian and Métis content are included in Children First: A Bibliography for Kindergarten, Saskatchewan Education, 1994.

The following four points from Indian and Métis Education Policy from Kindergarten to Grade 12, Saskatchewan Education, 1989, p. 120, summarize the Aboriginal content expectations for all core curricula:

Curricula and materials will concentrate on positive images of Indian, Métis and Inuit peoples.
Curricula and materials will reinforce and complement the beliefs and values of Indian, Métis and Inuit peoples.
Curricula and materials will include historical and contemporary issues.
Curricula and materials will reflect the legal, cultural, political, social, economic and regional diversity of Indian, Métis and Inuit peoples.

Resource-based Learning

Teachers can assist the development of attitudes and abilities for independent, life-long learning by using a variety of resources and instructional approaches in their classrooms. This method offers students increased opportunities to share the responsibility of setting goals and planning learning experiences. Motivation for learning increases when students make choices in an environment rich in resources.
Resource-based instruction encourages teachers, in collaboration with teacher-librarians (if available), to plan themes which incorporate various resources and instructional approaches, and teach students the processes needed to find, analyze and organize information.
The guidelines listed below will help teachers to implement resource-based learning:

Involve students in the theme planning process. Discuss theme topics, objectives and learning experiences with students.
Incorporate a variety of print and non-print resources in themes of study.
With the assistance of students and the teacher-librarian, (if available) gather appropriate resources. Consider community resources.
Collaborate with resource centre staff and other teachers to coordinate the distribution and sharing of resources.
Participate in themes of study as a co-learner. Demonstrate sincere interest in acquiring new information and ideas.
Model the use and appreciation of learning materials as sources of enjoyment and information.
Assist in the establishment and maintenance of resource collections that support core curricula initiatives.
Using Community Resources
A resourceful Kindergarten teacher finds out about individuals and groups within the community who may be able to provide physical or personal support to the Kindergarten program. Services, publications, pictures and other resources are often available from various government agencies. Local service clubs and businesses may be responsive to requests for special equipment or for volunteer help. Residents of retirement homes can sometimes provide a special kind of care for young children while finding joy in being an "adopted grandparent" for a Kindergarten class.

"Winter Friends" by Greg
The teacher needs to be aware of other programs involving children before and after the Kindergarten year. Communication with personnel from day-care centres, nursery schools and church schools can be mutually beneficial.
For more information on resource-based learning teachers may refer to Resource-based Learning: Policy, Guidelines and Responsibilities for Saskatchewan Learning Resource Centres, Saskatchewan Education 1987.