M3 Entry 1: Weaving Ways

The Alberta Regional Consortia has some great recourses for infusing Indigenous knowledge into the curriculum. Here is their website: https://arpdc.ab.ca/.

In Weaving Ways by ARPDC (2018), it is explained that infusing Indigenous ways of knowing and engaging in practices of cultural appreciation is an essential step in designing learning that is intentional and culturally inclusive. Here is a diagram that simplifies the 4 main components of implementing Indigenous ways of knowing:

Here are guiding questions for each quadrant:

Cultures of Belonging

1. How can we embrace the Indigenous idea of wholeness in the classroom to support greater belonging for all learners?
2. How can I draw from the ways Indigenous peoples foster cultures of belonging to compliment the ways I create belonging in my classroom?

Instructional Design

1. How might valuing Indigenous and other knowledge systems in our learning designs promote cultural appreciation and advance reconciliation
2. In what way can Indigenous knowledge systems enhance how I design learning for my students?

Pedagogy

1. How can the Indigenous idea of Two-Eyed Seeing, or Etuaptmumk, support a blended experience in my classroom that authentically respects and builds on the strengths of both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing and learning?
2. What similarities does Indigenous pedagogy have to my own pedagogical beliefs and approaches?

Sharing Through Story

1. How can we support deeper connection to learning outcomes for all students through storytelling
2. Do my current teaching practices and approaches relate to sharing through story? Can I further incorporate this approach?

I think these questions are AWESOME and it provides detailed guidance on the development of my final project on Indigenous STEM and how Indigenous ways of knowing can be integrated.

References

Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia. (2018, October 9). Weaving ways: Indigenous ways of knowing in classrooms and schools. https://empoweringthespirit.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Weaving-Ways-Introductory-Document-10-09.pdf