Author Archives: Danika

https://empoweringthespirit.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Weaving-Ways-Introductory-Document-10-09.pdf

The empoweringthespirit.ca resources developed by Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia (ARPDC)  organized information in such an accessible way. I found the categories were meaningful, sorted by Foundational Knowledge, Leading and Learning, and Classroom Supports.

On page 4 of the document shares inquiry questions and guiding information organized by 4 quadrants: Cultures of Belonging, Instructional Design, Pedagogy, and Sharing through Story.

The introduction shares that the resource could not have been made without the Collaborative Community of teachers from the Calgary Board of Education (CBE), and Elder Bruce Starlight of the Tsuut’ina Nation in Alberta but I would like to find more information on who was part of the design process. What was the process of creating these resources with consultation and support from First Nations, Metis and Inuit people?

http://www.davidloewen.org/blog/2017/6/11/decolonizing-distance-education

David Loewen introduces himself as a as a non-Indigenous Settler. His inquiry is shaped around the following questions.

• Why is it that ‘distance education’ is considered to start with academic institutions like Queens University in Canada, and University of Chicago in the U.S.? And, starting in the 1800s?

• How is it that we might only be in the “5th generation” of ‘distance learning’?

• If ‘distance learning’ is considered, by definition, to be comprised of teaching and learning with the ‘teacher’ and the ‘learner’ at different places and/or separated by time – and utilizes some form of ‘communications technology’ – then:

  • What is a totem pole? (is it not teacher and learning?)

  • What is an oral history? (Are these not teachers and learning spread across time and space and place?)

and concluding with “that the field of ‘distance education’ could do with some significant decolonizing, or at least opening to much expanded viewpoints about what may, or may not, comprise ‘distance education’ – let alone what might be described as ‘education’ and whom, or what, might deliver it – and probably more importantly… develop it (e.g. learning, curriculum, etc.)” (Loewen, 2017).

I found this inquiry to be thought provoking in how it challenged colonial relationships of teacher and learner and separation by distance and time.

Megan Bang’s powerful presentation resonated differently with me after participating in this course than it did in 2019.

Some of the messages that were most prominent in relation to creating a connection to place and decolonizing education were:

• Megan’s introduction about her family and that we often introduce ourselves but don’t take the time to share about our “full human selves”
• All learning is cultural
• the “imagine a scientist” activity [27 min]
• curricular place & cultural mapping [37 min]

https://naaee.org/eepro/learning/webinars/webinar-environmental-education-and

I really appreciated this video created by the Yukon School District sharing how even though they use the BC Curriculum they are incorporating Yukon First Nations perspectives into their schools and that the content and approach will look different from school to school.

Exploring best practices and place-based specific practices is important to creating respectful cultural engagement.

Throughout this course there has been the important call to action to work not only with students but with the community. Cultivating place-based curriculum weaves many Indigenous knowledge and teaching best practices into learning. The challenge is how to build open communication with parents and families so that even if schedules and commitments prevent them from being in attendance that the are always part of the larger conversation and actively engaged in goals and outcomes.

These 10 things to consider when building relationships with family or parents are a helpful way of reflecting on what barriers could prevent that from being successful. This has important implications for decolonizing schools in communities as well.

https://www.gettingsmart.com/2019/10/10-strategies-for-schools-to-improve-parent-engagement/