Author Archives: zoe armstrong

Barriers to Implementation – M2 P5

As part of my final research project, I have decided to look into some of the barriers of implantation for white settler educators when it comes to discussing Indigenous ways of knowing, perspectives and experiences in the classroom. As a starting point, I created a Google Form and sent it to the staff at my school as well as a few previous colleagues. I thought I would share some of my findings here as they may lead to different reflection points for each of us:

Don’t have enough knowledge to speak or teach about certain aspects
Worry that it is inappropriate to teach certain things
Specifically about high school Math: limited PD and research around the subject as Canada is limited to colonizer/European Math
Using appropriate language at a receptive level when teaching younger students
Lack of Indigenous content outcomes in Program of Studies and having to teach to ensure success on government exams
Students can get defensive and feel guilty about being a settler themselves
Not enough confidence and lack of understanding.

Do some of these resonate?

The 3 P’s of Cultural Appropriation – M2 P4

Kayne Kawaski is a Cultural Commentator and Black History educator from Peckham, London. In this 2022 TedTalk, he discusses the toolkit that he has created to help people in conversations on sensitive issues related to culture and race.

Kawaski’s 3 P’s of Cultural Appropriation are:

Property
Privilege
Profit

Though not directly linked to Indigenous experience, Kawaski’s discussion can be used as a way for settler educators to reflect on the ways in which they incorporate Indigenous perspectives into their teachings.

Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation – M2 P3

As settler educators, when incorporating Indigenous perspectives into our pedagogy, we need to pay attention to the ways in which we do this. The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) released a document titled, Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation in 2019 that highlighted many of the key differences between the two. A few quick takeaways from the document include:

“In terms of cultural teachings, it is not appropriate for educators to teach a culture that is not their own. Rather they should make connections with the Indigenous community itself to share their cultural knowledge.” (p. 9)
“Cultural appropriation is taking and using Indigenous images, ideas, knowledge and material for purposes that hurt or damage the Indigenous community from which it belongs. Cultural appreciation uses this knowledge to benefit, build and partner with the Indigenous community from where it comes from.” (p. 9)
“As part of the continued and collective learning about cultural appropriation vs. cultural appreciation, it is important that educators self-reflect on their own identity in relation to power and privilege.” (p. 10)
“When learning about other cultural groups it is a good practice to constantly selfreflect on your own culture and identity. Everyone is coming with experiences from diverse backgrounds and it is through story that people can relate to one another.” (p. 16)
“It is important to recognize that our intention can be different from our impact when we engage with a culture that is not our own.” (p. 17)

One of the challenges I hear about frequently among settler educators is that they would like to bring in Elders or Knowledge Keepers to speak with their students but are not sure where to start or what is “appropriate.” Pages 13 and 14 of this document discuss Indigenous traditions and engagement protocols giving educators a starting point.

Indigenous Films & TV Series for Youth – M2 P2

Authentic film can be a really useful way to incorporate Indigenous voices in the classroom, especially as a settler educator who does not have any lived experience. Here are a few examples:

Maq and the Spirit of the Woods (2006)

This short brings to life the idea of Elders and Spirits. It’s the story of a young Mi’kmaq boy learning more about story, medicine and song. Created by Phyllis Grant who is a Mi’kmaq from the Pabineau First Nation.

Nunavut Animation Lab: Qalupalik (2010)

Another short that takes place near the Arctic Ocean and depicts a young boy, Angutii, who does not want to listen to his parents. Created my Ame Papatsie, an Inuk artist based in Pangnirtung, Nunavut.

Wapos Bay Series (2005-2011)

A number of different topics are covered in each of these episodes and can be used to teach about Cree culture and honoring tradition. The series is also available in Cree and in French which could be useful for French immersion educators.

Although these examples could most definitely be used in a middle school setting, I find some of them to be a little bit young. It appears there are a decent amount of film resources available for younger students and for older students as well but few that hit the 13-15 year old ages.

Indigenous Movies & TV Series – M2 P1

As we dove into Module 2 we were tasked with thinking about how the media contributes to the stereotypes that exist about Indigenous people and communities. For this post I attempted to find a few representations of the Indigenous experience, represented through film that were “accurate.” Research on who critiqued these representations was crucial to ensuring the “wannabes” described by Zimmerman et al. (2000) didn’t make the cut. Though not all of these pieces of media may not be suitable for all grade levels, they could act as a starting point for settler educators when attempting to learn more about Indigenous cultures, traditions and livelihoods prior to classroom discussions.

Indian Horse (2017)

Description from Rice (2020): “This film is about a young Canadian First Nations boy who becomes a champion hockey player, but truly it’s about his experience using hockey as an escape from the boarding schools. If you haven’t heard about boarding schools, known at the time as Indian residential schools, and how they were created to strip Natives of our culture, the film might be shocking to you. Watching it as a Native woman was difficult, mostly because I have heard many elders speak quietly of these times, and of the pain they endured. It’s an emotional film, to be sure.”

Songs My Brother Taught Me (2015)

Description from Rice (2020): “Written and directed by Chloé Zhao, Songs My Brothers Taught Me showcases the harsh realities Native families face on the reservation. It follows the lives and relationship of two siblings living on Pine Ridge in South Dakota. Living as a Native in a postcolonial world is about survival, and this film captures the emotions and the pains many of us go through who live and survive on reservations today.”

Gather (2020)

Description from Rice (2020): “Sanjay Rawal’s new documentary follows Indigenous people as they reclaim traditional foods and put into practice their sovereignty. Being in control over one’s traditional foods and ways of eating and living is a practice that is slowly coming back to our peoples. This film showcases the journey of several Native peoples as they journey down that road of reclamation.”

Basketball or Nothing (2019)

Description from Rice (2020): “This Netflix docuseries follows the Chinle High School basketball team on the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Basketball is a huge sport in Indian Country, and I remember when this series first came out, how all my Navajo friends felt seen! Natives across most of the U.S. follow the basketball scene very closely, and this series specifically focuses on the Native side of the sport.”

Reference:

Rice, C. (2020, November 16). 8 Essential Films of the Native American Experience. AARP. https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/movies-for-grownups/info-2020/native-american-films.html

Zimmerman, L. J., Zimmerman, K. P., & Bruguier, L. R. (2000). Cyberspace Smoke Signals: New Technologies and Native American Ethnicity. In Indigenous Cultures in an Interconnected World (pp. 69–86). Routledge.

Rupertsland Institute – M1 P5

Rupertsland Institute is an affiliate of the Métis Nation of Alberta. This resource is especially awesome for educators residing in AB. Among a number of things, they offer resources for meaningfully educating around Métis culture and tradition. They have lesson plans, activities and what really drew me in was a tab titled, Empowering Educators. Under this tab one can learn about the Foundational Knowledge Themes identified by Rupertsland Institute. They also offer a free and asynchronous Foundational Knowledge course that anyone can join. I have come across a few of their resources when looking for activities for Métis Week in the classroom but never dove deeper into their website. It appears to be a great and authentic resource for educators to utilize when incorporating Indigenous perspectives in their classrooms.

Website: https://www.rupertsland.org/

3 Points for Settler Educators – M1 P4

I came across the following article, Settler Educators Teaching Indigenous Perspectives and History by Dr Angela Nardozi who is an educator at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at U of T. She shares 3 points to assist settler educators in teaching about Indigenous perspectives and histories:

“Spend time remembering and unlearning your own education about Indigenous peoples.”
“Listen to Indigenous peoples in terms of what they want taught.”
“Center Indigenous peoples experiences and stories in your teaching.”

A few of the resources mentioned in the article worth noting:

Stolen Lives: A book created for Canadian educators with first-person accounts.
Shi-shi-etko: A short illustrated story that introduces residential schools in an age appropriate way

The full article can be found here.

Yellowhead Institute – M1 P3

Yellowhead Institute is an Indigenous-led research and education centre. They offer resources surrounding many topics some of which include the 94 Calls to Action, reclaiming Indigenous governance of culture and heritage, climate action and treaty rights and title. The research they are conducting and resources they are producing are critical voices for educators to listen to when discussing reconciliation and Indigenous perspectives in the classroom. They also have a Youtube channel which can be useful if you prefer to learn through audio or visual as opposed to reading articles.

Website: https://yellowheadinstitute.org/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/YellowheadInstitute

Indigenous Folks To Learn From – M1 P2

One of the topics I always bring up with my students when we have discussions around residential schools, colonization and their legacies is that though it is extremely important to learn and reflect on these topics, it is just as important to learn and celebrate Indigenous joy. Coming to this course, I had been previously learning from a number of really awesome Indigenous individuals. One of the ways we can support Indigenous communities is by sharing their work, buying their work and amplifying their platforms. Here is just a few of the awesome Indigenous individuals I have appreciated learning from over the last few years:

Megan Tipler (@tiplerteaches on Instagram and Twitter) She is a former teacher and current Master’s student at the University of Alberta who authentically shares her experiences as an educator and creates fantastic classroom resources.
Blake Desjarlais (@blakedesjarlais on Instagram and Twitter) He is a current MP for Edmonton Griesbach and shares many of the happening within the federal government and Indigenous relations.
The folks behind the Yellowhead Institute (@yellowheadinstitute on Instagram, @Yellowhead_ on Twitter) They provide critical perspectives on Indigenous policy and always have vital information to share about the 94 Calls to Action.
Michael Linklater (@michael_linklater on Instagram) As a basketball coach I love celebrating the accomplishments of this guy. He has played on the 3X3 Team Canada and has a community project called Boys with Braids that encourages and supports Indigenous men and boys who wear traditional braids.
James Jones (@notoriouscree on Instagram and TikTok) Shares cultural dances, dress, songs and traditions. I especially enjoying showing his videos to my students.
Dr James Makokis (@creeture82 on Instagram and @DrMakokis on Twitter) A medical doctor who also won the Amazing Race Canada with partner Anthony Johnson. Dr Makokis shares insights into what healthcare looks like for Indigenous folk both on and off reserves.

There are so many others, including fantastic artists that are so open and willing to share about their culture with their platform and following. I always share with my students that we consume so much media. It is important to make sure some of that media supports and represents Indigenous creators.

Sylvia Duckworth’s Wheel of Power/Privilege – M1 P1

The following image is a powerful tool that I find myself reaching for frequently when engaging in conversation and reflection about colonization, education, research or even technology. I have used it to spark conversation amongst my middle schoolers, many of whom have not yet engaged with the word “privilege” quite yet. It provides an opportunity for us to reflect on the things we innately possess, even without knowing it and the way our society has been set up to be easier to navigate for those sitting closer to the center of this wheel. This often leads us into a discussion of equity versus equality and why it is okay and in fact, important to acknowledge these differences amongst one another.

Duckworth, S. (2020). Wheel of Power/Privilege. This is How You Can. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://www.thisishowyoucan.com/post/__wheel_of_power_and_privilege.