July 2, 3, 4, 2025
Courtyard by Marriott, Prince George

August 20, 21, 22, 2025
Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel, Richmond

The Learning First Peoples Summer Institute, hosted by the First Nations Education Steering Committee and First Nations Schools Association, is intended to support teachers to bring quality, authentic First Peoples teaching and learning into BC classrooms. The sessions will introduce resources that focus on themes, issues, and topics of importance to First Peoples learning and informed by the First Peoples Principles of Learning. These sessions will also support effective implementation of the new Indigenous-focused graduation requirement.

At each session, participants will receive a printed copy of the teacher resource guide, collaboratively explore its units, discuss implementation of the lessons/activities, and participate in collegial discussions with other educators. Sessions can be selected individually.

Eligibility

First Nations school, public school and independent school teachers are eligible to attend. Travel and accommodation are the responsibility of each participant.
There is a maximum of 10 people per school district per day.

Sessions and Descriptions

Day 1    English First Peoples Gr. 10-12 Teacher Resource Guide

Founded upon the First Peoples Principles of Learning, English First Peoples courses for Grades 10-12 offer all BC students the opportunity to explore First Peoples’ worldviews through written, visual, and oral literature. The courses were developed through the collaboration of FNESC and the BC Ministry of Education and Child Care.  It is notable that English First Peoples (EFP) 12 is fully equivalent to English 12 for post-secondary entrance requirements. The EFP 10-12 Teacher Resource Guide (2018) has been revised to reflect the revised BC curriculum and incorporates recently-published First Peoples literature. At this workshop, teachers will receive a copy of the resource guide, discuss its use, participate in an activity from the guide, and see our display of First Peoples literature. This workshop will also include draft units from the new EFP 10-12 Teacher Resource Guides (due to be released in Winter 2025)

 

Day 2    BC First Peoples 12 Teacher Resource Guide

FNESC and FNSA’s resource, the BC First Peoples 12 Teacher Resource Guide, is intended to support students and teachers of BC First Peoples 12.  The resource has eight thematic units:  Here, Now; Story and Storytelling; Honouring the Children; The Power of Names; Acknowledging Rights; Food, Health, and Wellness; Resources and Economies; Maps and Borders; and Taking Action. Participants will receive a copy of resource guide, collaboratively explore its units, discuss implementation of its lessons, and network with other educators.

 

Day 3    Applied Design, Skills and Technologies (ADST) First Peoples Teacher Resource Guide (K-12)

The Applied Design, Skills and Technologies First Peoples Teacher Resource Guide (K-12) is scheduled for release in the summer of 2025. The session explores how First Nations’ knowledges and perspectives can be recognized and included in the diverse courses that fall under the ADST umbrella and the session will provide hands-on learning opportunities. The resource has the following thematic units: Oral Traditions and the Land; Digital Storytelling, Nature’s Colour Wheel: Dyes and Paints of BC First Nations; Coast Salish Weaving and Coding; Clothing, Design and Identity; First Nations Textiles: The Art of Salmon Leather; First Nations Food Studies; First Nations Fishing Technologies; First Nations Technologies of Fire; First Nations Technologies in Wood; Conscious Housing; and Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Tourism. This session is designed for K-12 ADST teachers of K-12 but has applicability to other K-12 curricular content.

Registration | Accommodation | Schedule

Date: July 2 – 4, 2025

Registration

  • Registration fee: $50 per session. You may select 1, 2 or 3 sessions.
  • Credit card: Credit card is accepted online during registration or phone in credit card payment to CivicInfo at 250-383-4898.
  • Cheques: Payable to First Nations Education Steering Committee c/o CivicInfo Mail to: CivicInfo BC, #203 – 4475 Viewmont Avenue, Victoria BC, V8Z 6L8.
  • Participant name must be included with the cheque.
  • Registration Deadline: June 10, 2025
  • Registration fees must be received by June 18, 2025 or your registration may be cancelled.
  • No refunds for cancellations made less than 30 days before the event; resources will not be mailed to those who do not attend.

 

Accommodation

  • Courtyard by Marriot Prince George, 900 Brunswick St, Prince George
  • Book by June 1, 2025 for the group rate of $164 + tax. Limited rooms are available at the reduced rate.
  • Book Online
  • Reservations: 1-250-596-6274, Quoting “FNESC Learning First Peoples Summer Institute”

Schedule

Day 1 and Day 2: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Breakfast (8:00 am) and lunch provided.
Day 3: 8:30am – 2:00pm (Breakfast at 8:00 am; lunch from 11:45 am – 12:30 pm)

Date: August 20 – 22, 2025

Registration

  • Registration fee: $50 per session. You may select 1, 2 or 3 sessions.
  • Credit card: Credit card is accepted online during registration or phone in credit card payment to CivicInfo at 250-383-4898.
  • Cheques: Payable to First Nations Education Steering Committee c/o CivicInfo Mail to: CivicInfo BC, #203 – 4475 Viewmont Avenue, Victoria BC, V8Z 6L8.
  • Participant name must be included with the cheque.
  • Registration Deadline: July 11, 2025
  • Registration fees must be received by July 29, 2025 or your registration may be cancelled.
  • No refunds for cancellations made less than 30 days before the event; resources will not be mailed to those who do not attend.

 

Accommodation

  • Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel, 7551 Westminster Highway, Richmond
  • Book by July 29, 2025 for the group rate of $299 + tax. Limited rooms are available at the reduced rate.
  • Book Online
  • Reservations: 1-800-663-0299, Quoting “FNESC Learning First Peoples Summer Institute”

Schedule

Session 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Breakfast (8:00 am) and lunch provided.

Health and Safety

Please stay home if you are feeling unwell. Only registered participants are eligible to attend. Family and friends cannot attend the event at any time, including for meals. The decision to attend in-person events is a personal one and it should be made in consideration of your individual risk factors and vulnerabilities.

 

Event Contact

Ethan McLeary, Administrative Assistant, FNESC
Toll-free 1-877-422-3672  P: 604-925-6087  emcleary@fnesc.ca