Completing the circle [electronic resource] : teaching our first teachers / Ontario Native Literacy Coalition.

Completing the Circle: Teaching Our First Teachers is a resource that consists of eight modules or sessions, each on a different topic of interest to parents, plus one pre-session that can be used to help set the stage for the training course. Each session is designed to be completely self-sufficient enabling facilitators to use each one as a stand-alone training unit. Sessions can also be combined in any order to meet the needs and interests of participants up to and including using the full eight part sequential training course. Each session begins with an opening in which a traditional Opening Prayer is encouraged followed by a Medicine Wheel teaching and Aboriginal storytelling component related to the session topic. The literacy element is then established with the presentation of key word families which are designed to be used by both low and higher level learners. The actual activities and exercises are designed to be very interactive and to encourage sharing and open communication among the participants, honouring their knowledge and experience. Each session outline concludes with ideas for things the participants can do at home with their children. This is an excellent way to encourage them to begin to practice the new skills they have learned and share the knowledge they have gained with other members of their immediate and extended families.