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My name is Heather Storkan, my maiden name is Minnabarriet. My family is large and I pride myself with having many relatives.

I come from a mixed and beautiful background. My paternal side is Nlakapamux & Secwepemc. My maternal side is Canadian and Irish. My roots are becoming stronger with my Indigenous culture through raising my children and having a husband who likes to fish, and hunt and provides for us. Through this, my children will grow up eating our traditional foods like deer, moose, and salmon. They are able to grow up and watch it be processed and stored for the winter.

I have been married to my husband, Travis since 2016. We have three amazing and funny children, Myla (6), Jaxson (4), and Bennett (2). I have many cousins and I am so thankfully to be raising my children near their cousins and in a big and fun family like I had growing up. Family is very important to be and building relationships.

We love to be outside in the spring and summer. We love to camp, ride bikes with and without motors.

In the winter we play hockey and we try to travel to Mexico to escape the cold. We thrive in the fall, spring and summer months so spending some time in the sun helps us get through that.

I am a believer in raising my children with the "natural consequence way" I allow my children to fail, I allow them to make mistakes, and I let them fall and get hurt (to an extent). I want my children and students to thrive. In order to thrive I think it is important to help them through the struggle and allow them to know that it is okay to fall and get hurt, but we must keep going. We will face struggles, and we will learn from our mistakes. We will have helpers and support along the way. I think this ties into accountability.

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As an Indigenous educator, my teaching philosophy is deeply rooted in the belief that every student has the right to access quality education, regardless of their background, abilities, or identities. I am committed to creating an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated, and every student feels valued, respected and empowered to succeed.

Inclusive education is an essential foundation of my teaching philosophy. I believe in creating a classroom where all students are welcomed and supported. Along with inclusive education, placed-based learning is another cornerstone because it connects students to their local environment and community. Place-based allows us to integrate real-world experiences and local resources into the curriculum. Students can develop a deeper understanding of their surroundings and the world around them. Place-based learning enables our students to make the connections between their education and the world outside the classroom.

Finally, I want to empower our future Change Makers. I believe my teaching should not only empower students to excel academically but also I want to inspire them to become people of positive change in their communities. By allowing students to critically think and have creativity it will help students with the skills and mindset that are needed to tackle complex challenges and create meaningful change. Throughout these things that will create my classroom I will encourage students to explore their passions, develop their voices and become active participants who will help create a more sustainable society.

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10 ii. Improving education attainment levels and success rates among Indigenous communities because it is not only a moral obligation but also a fundamental step towards reconciliation. Education serves as a huge stepping stone towards empowerment, self-determination, and socioeconomic advancement. However, through the residential school and historical injustices caused by those schools have severely hindered Indigenous peoples’ access to a quality education and intergenerational trauma.

To address this and implement strategies aimed at removing barriers to education for Indigenous students. This includes investing in culturally relevant educational resources, enhancing support systems, and fostering a culturally safe learning environment. This could begin to be achieved by initiatives such as mentorship programs,scholarships, and partnerships with the local Indigenous communities. These things could play a crucial role in promoting academic success and retention.

Lastly, efforts should focus on addressing the social inequalities embedded within the education system, with the lack of funding for Indigenous schools, the lack of culturally relevant curriculum, and discriminatory policies. It is crucial to work together with other Indigenous leaders, educators, and local communities to develop these specific demands that meet the unique needs and aspirations of Indigenous students.

iii. Developing culturally appropriate curricula.

The development of culturally appropriate curricula is fundamental in fostering a more inclusive and equitable education system that honors Indigenous knowledge, language and tradition. To achieve this, the curriculum development should be guided by the meaningful engagement in collaboration with Indigenous knowledge keepers, Elders, and community members. These people provide invaluable insight and knowledge and can ensure that the material is meaningful and respectful. The curricula should reflect the diversity of lived Indigenous experiences and history. This should include the ongoing impacts of colonialism and the resilience of Indigenous people.

Efforts to decolonize education should surround the incorporation of Indigenous languages, teachings, and pedagogies into the mainstream curriculum delivery. This will not only revitalize the Indigenous languages, and cultures but also enhance the overall education experience for all students by promoting cross-cultural understanding and respect.

Lastly, development of culturally appropriate material is an on-going learning experience for all staff and students. The development of curricula is essential for promoting reconciliation, and empowering Indigenous students to thrive academically and culturally during their school career is a critical step towards building a more inclusive and equitable society where Indigenous knowledge is valued and respected.

Additionally, one activity that would be a good fit would be holding an Elders tea where we invite local community members and it would build a non threatening environment to welcome people into the schools who may typically not join a school system. The school provides a place to showcase how they can move forward with our education system that we are trying to decolonize. The students can show their “thanks” to the people who attended. The students can create thank you cards, their beading, and any other gifts they think would be relevant to give the people who came. This shows our reciprocity to have them coming, especially those who are intimidated by the education system.

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 Professional Standards for BC Educators and write a paragraph Standard 1 &9

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 Professional Standards for BC Educators and write a paragraph Standard 1 &9

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1. Educators value the success of all students. Educators care for students and act in their best interest.

This standard reflects on my teaching philosophy because I firmly believe that all the students have a right to diverse education where they are cared for, respected and their opinions are valued. I believe in the Change-makers of the generation and how we, as teachers can foster the students passions.

9. Educators respect & value the history of First Nations, Inuit, & Metis in Canada and the impact of the past on the present and the future. Educators contribute towards truth, reconciliation and healing. Educators foster a deeper understanding of ways of knowing and being histories and cultures of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis.

Standard 9 also is embedded into my teaching philosophy because acts of reconciliation are important that as future educators we are including a diverse and inclusive curriculum with our students.

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BC Curriculum (Physical Health Education Grade 7)

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BC Curriculum (Physical Health Education Grade 7)

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Effects of different types of physical activity on the body.

I chose this curriculum to reflect on because I think that PE at times gets "forgotten" about. I am a huge believer in physical exercise and health is so closely tied to mental health and I know that many students do not reach the recommended daily and weekly physical activity standards. Being able to also get our students out on the land ties into my Education Philosophy of Placed-based learning. I also think that Outdoor Learning is not to be brushed over. Being outside, on the land, in the sun is very good for mental health. Placed-based learning situates our students to the land. These can raise our students self esteem.

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LP: I wrote this last semester to challenge myself on a very sensitive topic. 

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LP: I wrote this last semester to challenge myself on a very sensitive topic. 

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LP: Reanna and I wrote this at the start of our first year. 

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LP: Reanna and I wrote this at the start of our first year. 

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This video is of my Grandpa fishing on the river outside of Spences Bridge 

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This video is of my Grandpa fishing on the river outside of Spences Bridge 

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This is on a trip to Oregon last summer and we explore the forest and this is my son exploring picking up this chunk of wood. I relate this to placed-based learning

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This is on a trip to Oregon last summer and we explore the forest and this is my son exploring picking up this chunk of wood. I relate this to placed-based learning

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Lost At School : This reading I found was very interesting because in my last few years of on-call teaching I did see more behavioural issues and I wondering if it had anything to do with COVID and how it impacted these children. I know for my children they did not go out in a restaurant for quite some time. They were not used to being in such an environment where they had to be considerate of others around us. Potentially what is going on in the school system that these children are not able to sit and calmly participate in such settings. I think that as educators we need to work with parents in how we can fix this together. I believe this is a bigger problem thanthenwe as educators can tackle on our own.

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 Link to First Peoples Principles of Learning and write a paragraph reflection about its meaning

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 Link to First Peoples Principles of Learning and write a paragraph reflection about its meaning

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Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred, and only share with permission and/or in certain situations.

I chose this because I recognize that many stories are told orally and that they are sacred to certain families. I think it's very important to have a relationship with our Elders and story tellers so that we can pass these messages along to our youth. I think it is important to build that trust with our story tellers. It is another way that we can build the revitalization. I think story telling is important to use and I think for Indigenous students that a form of assessment verbal communication is a fantastic form of assessment.

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I chose this case study for the FSJ in Nechako Lakes. They worked to engage their students by implementing and living their FPPL and Indigenous Perspectives through personalized inquiry based learning. They added more First People learning and worked with Jo Corona. First Nation workers and liaisons were more involved in the school. The school also said that they wanted to be more involved with the community.

I think that this is great and I wish that this was implemented in all schools. I think collaborations are immensely useful and necessary to build and bridge the gaps.

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https://bcmj.org/sites/default/files/BCMJ_Vol64_No7-news.pdf

I think Dr. Caron is an inspiration being the first Indigenous female general surgeon. My sister is in her Residency to become an Emergency Doctor at Royal Columbia Hospital right now. I feel like when I add that to a topic it personalizes the topic even more and that she is Indigenous. I think it shows Indigenous students that you can do it, you can overcome barriers and become a Doctor. This can be linked to the core competencies on Career Education, ADST, Science, Math and ELA.

I admire that Dr. Caron, created the Big Worry and Fears that is culturally safe mental wellness support for Indigenous families. As an Indigenous teacher I think that this training would be so helpful for all of our teachers to be able to have resources that help us work together and collaboratively.

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This is outside of my house in Ashcroft. My husband and brother in law built a sweat house as traditional as we could. 

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This is outside of my house in Ashcroft. My husband and brother in law built a sweat house as traditional as we could. 

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This is important to show my children that our ancestors used to do this and it was a way of life.

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This is my husband and our children fishing at the river in Ashcroft. It is very important that my children learn to live off of the land and fish sustainably and respect the animal.

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My sister, kids and I went for a hike above Ashcroft out on the land.

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My sister, kids and I went for a hike above Ashcroft out on the land.

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I am very involved in the community and extra-curricular sports. Here I am giving medals to our Pre-School Hockey Team. I have taught (so far) 12 littles how to skate and the fundamentals of the game. This is volunteer time as well.

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In the spring we do u7 FastBall where I am a volunteer coach/manager for our community.