Brock University and the District School Board of Niagara Conference 2009 Call for Papers and Presenters

Tomorrow is Mine: Responding to the Needs of Aboriginal Children in Public Education

The Tecumseh Centre for Aboriginal Research and Education, Faculty of Education in partnership with the District School Board of Niagara is pleased to announce an Aboriginal Education Conference to be held 14 and 15 of May, 2009 at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, CANADA.The release of the First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework by the Ontario Ministry of Education in 2007 has generated a wave of activity that has brought school boards, teachers, faculties of education, and Aboriginal communities together in support of the academic achievement of Aboriginal children in publicly funded schools.

The conference theme “Tomorrow is Mine: Responding to the Needs of Aboriginal Children in Public Education” brings together those working on the front lines of Aboriginal public education. Elders, researchers, representatives from Aboriginal communities working with school boards, teachers, Aboriginal counsellors, scholars, and graduate students are invited to create and deliver workshops and seminars that reflect one or more of the conference sub-themes.

This conference seeks to go beyond the presentation of best practices. The vision of Tomorrow is Mine is to reflect the many relationships, knowledges, and lines of action that have generated positive outcomes for Aboriginal students in public education.

Conference Sub-Themes

1. Building Relationships
Building relationships with Aboriginal families and communities.
Enhancing Aboriginal student self-esteem.

2. Inclusion of Knowledges
Knowledge sharing, collaboration, and issue resolution between Aboriginal communities, Elders, Clan Mothers, Faith Keepers, schools, and boards of education.
Integrating Aboriginal knowledges (cultures, languages, histories, traditions) in schools.

3. Actions
Activities that build teacher’s capacity for effective teaching, assessment, and evaluation of Aboriginal students.
Activities that improve literacy, numeracy and reduce the gaps of Aboriginal
student outcomes.

General Information

Proposals should include a 250 word abstract/summary and biography. Submitted abstracts will be reviewed and assessed by a Conference Review Committee. Selection of proposals will be based on support of the overall conference sub-themes.

1. Presenter must attend the conference and make their presentations in person.
2. All presentations are limited to 60 minutes in length.
3. Presenters are expected to offer their workshop or seminar twice – once in one of the two morning sessions and once in one of the two afternoon sessions.
4. Presenters are encouraged to create interactive presentations that engage their audience in a learning experience.
5. As part of their commitment and ongoing support to the conference, accepted presenters are expected to register in the conference and meet their own costs.
6. Finally, those invited to present may be asked to provide a paper that may be published.

Modes of Presentation

Interactive Workshops
The presenter spends a limited amount of time delivering the educational theory, tool, and/or process that underpins the workshop and spends the majority of the time involving the delegates in a related hands-on activity. Workshops will run for 60 minutes.

Seminar Presentations
The presenter spends the majority of the time presenting the educational theory, tool, and/or process and a short time is allocated for questions from the delegates. Seminar Presentations will run for 60 minutes.

Submitting Abstracts

Abstracts must be submitted by January 30, 2009 and must include the following detail.
• Title of the proposed presentation.
• Name of the author and their associated organization.
• If there are multiple authors, please include details of each author.
• Conference sub-theme that is most appropriate to your proposal.
• Text of the abstract (maximum 250 words).
• Short biography of each author (max. 100 words).

All abstracts should be e-mailed as a Word or PDF attachment to:
Sarah.Mcgean@brocku.ca