In this feature-length documentary, Alanis Obomsawin tells the story of Shannen’s Dream, a national campaign to provide equitable access to education in safe and suitable schools for First Nations children. Strong participation in this initiative eventually brings Shannen's Dream all the way to the United Nations in Geneva.
Ask students to work with a partner to brainstorm the educational challenges facing First Nations students. If “every child matters”, how can your class make a small but meaningful difference in your school or city, or across the country? Cultural education is an important component of First Nations education; have students share aspects of their own cultures in small groups. The Shannen’s Dream motion was unanimously approved. What is the moral of Shannen’s father’s speech?