Many Canadians may not be familiar with LINC, an organization aimed at helping newcomers to Canada settle into an educational identify in Canada. While English language teaching is a LINC priority, they also share responsibility for teaching all things Canadian, including Indigenous Issues. I came across this general website with an array of Indigenous authored material at Norquest College.
Of course, one has to have a Norquest College email and log in to peruse the materials. This hierarchy of knowledge dissemination is how Western education works: pay a fee, get a degree. This is in stark contrast with Indigenous ways of knowing and passing on knowledge, an issue I am still digging deeply into. After this initial barrier imposed by Western education on Indigenous resources, I am immediately confronted with the ethical question of hermetic learning.That is quickly countered with the rationalization that if the Indigenous authors themselves have intended this knowledge sharing, then it must be ok. But wait, haven’t we read how many Indigenous technogentsia are trying to use these tools to transgress traditional power structures, but have they had adequate equity, inclusion, diversity, decolonisation and anti racism training? Or is their genetic Indigeneity enough to justify this role and responsibility? But who is considered Indigenous? And if they are, have they had the training and permission to share this knowledge and tell these stories? There are all gargantuan questions in discussions as we speak
The LINC website concedes “While curriculum redesign may not always be feasible, there are often opportunities to reassess the materials used in the classroom. The perspectives presented in classroom materials influence learners’ understanding of Canadian culture. In many cases, we are able to weave a broader range of perspectives into the classroom to support initiatives to Indigenize curriculum.”
There is an ‘Indigenous Voices in the Classroom’ (IVC) project that I am currently reading more about. Will keep you posted!
Kirsten, please seperate your posts so that you may number them by module and post numbers. Thank you.