Remember…that we are all indigenous to some place.
The word Canada comes from the Iroquois word kanata meaning village, settlement or land.
My Inquiry Question: How do we incorporate First Peoples principles of learning in our curriculum while maintaining an inclusive classroom environment?
Growing my Inquiry Question
As non-Aboriginal educators, we might ask – What should dialogues look like if they were framed in the indigenous way of knowing?
Research in the making- Moving Forward
I came across the video below while searching for classroom Aboriginal resources. The UBC Aboriginal studies department was my first place to conduct a search, as, Prof. Jan Hare of UBC has led us to research many documents published on this site. I was curious to know if other teachers have had a similar question to my own and were also wondering how to include Aboriginal perspectives in classroom lessons. I was wondering: What does a classroom look like that includes Aboriginal perspectives? How does a non-Aboriginal teacher present these perspectives inclusively and authentically. The dialogue in the video below demonstrates that these questions have been explored by other teachers with the same wonder. Jo-Ann Archibald, Associate Dean for Indigenous Education at UBC, explains the process that British Columbia is undergoing to help include Aboriginal perspectives in the curriculum. Archibald makes sense of the current happenings and gives teachers a clear understanding of how to be successful with moving forward to include the First Peoples Principles in their classroom.
Video : A glimpse into Aboriginal Education at The University of British Columbia, Canada.
Indigenous knowledge is not static data, but a dynamic lived knowing that grows and adapts to change. – John Grim, Indigenous Traditions.
Lifeways in Indigenous Traditions- Indigenous peoples are usually set within dominant societies, stark contrast with modern nation states and multi-national corporations.
Step one: Educate ourselves. Look and examine your local area.
Step two: Practice. Use the First Peoples Principles in your Unit Plans/Unit of Inquiry.
Step Three: Practice and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.