Tag Archives: Instructional design

Module 2 – Post 4

The Weaving Ways Video Series is found within the Empowering the Spirit website that I shared in my third post. I wanted to build upon the previous post as this resource site has so much to offer. This resource is found under the Classroom Supports tab on the Empowering the Spirit website. The resource is built around four interconnected quadrants of: Cultures of Belonging, Sharing Through Story, Pedagogy and Instructional Design. I found this particular part to be useful as it provides videos on Alberta teachers providing examples of how they create lessons to weave in Indigenous ways of knowing with their current practice. There are currently three videos available each with a different focus on different grade levels (elementary, middle school and high school). The video series also accompanies the Weaving Ways Introductory Guide as well as the Weaving Ways of Knowing in Classrooms and Schools Conversation Guide which can help support teachers and schools in going deeper with the video series.

I have provided the link to the first video and in particular I like how the teacher has provided a hands-on learning experience for her grade four students. She explains how she has blended in the learning from the Alberta curriculum with First Nations people by making it more authentic and real for the students by bringing them into a hands-on learning experience.

ARPDC. (2019, Sept. 16.) Weaving Indigenous Ways of Knowing in Elementary Schools and Classrooms. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H25YqrY89TY&t=21s

Empowering the Spirit website:https://empoweringthespirit.ca/classroom-supports/

Module 2 – Post 3

The Empowering the Spirit website focuses on sharing resources to provide a better understanding “to increase awareness, understanding and application of First Nations, Métis and Inuit histories, perspectives and ways of knowing for the purpose of implementing treaty and residential schools education and Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action for education.” Within the website, there are resources such as lesson plans, land based learning, videos, tool kits, teacher professional development and lots of links to other websites to support schools in applying Indigenous knowledge into the classroom. 

I was particularly drawn to the section on Instructional Design section as it gave me a better idea on weaving in Indigenous ways of knowing and western practices into the classroom. In particular guiding information about strengthening cultural viewpoints that can be brought into lessons and the learning environment. 

The Empowering the Spirit website resources were “developed by Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia (ARPDC) as a result of grants from Alberta Education to support implementation.” 

https://empoweringthespirit.ca/