Best Practices

I came across this wonderful resource by Theresa Wilson that broke down the best practises in teaching Aboriginal students.  Seeking out ways to turn classrooms into spaces of belonging: those ways may include paying close attention to:  Instructional approach, subject matter, critical questioning, collaborative evaluative practices, and modeling respect. 

Combining high expectations, particularly of critical awareness and research skills, with a belief in the importance of relationships in establishing trust and respect. I closely examined this literature and found a lot of useful information that I deemed worthy of sharing.  I will definitely be putting some of these into my own professional and personal practise.

As you read through her suggestions I'd like you to keep in mind the best practises you currently implement, one new thing you've learned or a concept you hadn't considered before that got you thinking.


Identity:  Knowing who you are and where you come from

 The importance of relationships in forming connections with Aboriginal students is foundational for Aboriginal educators.  Understanding the relationships with human beings and with all living and non-living things.  Knowing who you are in the Aboriginal culture means knowing your community, and knowing where you come from is based on your connection with the earth.  Best practices with Aboriginal learners are grounded first in relationships.  Important for Aboriginal learners to find a sense of place and belonging within schools.  Space can also be created in the ways that a teacher approaches subject matter in the class.  Re-naming can create spaces of belonging within the curriculum: sharing conversations, versus public speaking, leadership versus at-risk student program.  Values central to Aboriginal Education: trust, autonomy, confidence, encouragement and acceptance.

Political Consciousness:

 Aboriginal Education should not be seen as a single activity, or a token preservation of folkways.  Aboriginal Education is more than Beads to Bannock, Aboriginal education must be woven throughout the curriculum.  Teachers must be sensitive and aware to the loss and grieving that is historically and politically a significant part of the Aboriginal student’s lives.  Teaching resides in the distance travelled between the head and the heart.  Develop political consciousness in the very young students.  Combine critical challenge with issue of importance to Aboriginal students and their communities.  A critical investigative attitude deploys skills such as inference, direct observation, or identifying bias and angles of vision.  Critical challenges help non-Aboriginal learners develop a new appreciation for indigenous sources of knowledge and to discern how the truth is portrayed to the media.  The ability to relocate: this involves being able to question one’s own cultural background.  Seeing the act of teaching as a journey toward learning in itself.  Becoming aware of the privilege that participation in a dominant literacy confers.  The journey involves creating a new home for the self to dwell in. 

Teacher-Student Interactions:

 Acknowledging the existence of a community beyond the classroom to which the teacher is responsible.  Participate and initiate activities outside the classroom, many involving the local Aboriginal community.  Rely on high, yet attainable expectations.  Effective teachers demonstrate an openness to other ways of knowing and other ways of valuing how they teach and handle the materials they use in the classroom.  


 Broaden teacher-student relations outside the classroom to embrace the community.  Effective teachers were involved in student’s lives.  Emphasized the importance of forming relationships, making connections and generally being there.  Involved students in thinking and valuing what they learned. 

Observing the Importance of Relationships:

 Acknowledging the relationships that exist in young people’s lives (family, friends and community).  Acknowledge the need of students to find a place of belonging within school and community.  Recognizing the student’s desires to connect with the curriculum, or how it is being taught.  Providing students with opportunities to participate in culture.  Honoring the many Aboriginal ways of knowing and learning.  Being there for students: acknowledge them as individuals.  Having faith and confidence in them as learners.  Building on their strengths.  Participating in extracurricular activities.  Being a teacher who is easy to get along with.  Creating a relationship with the local Aboriginal communities.

Wilson, Theresa. (2001). Best practices in teaching Aboriginal children: From an Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Perspective (Adaptation from Master’s Thesis). University of Victoria. Retrieved from: https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/deepeningknowledge/UserFiles/File/UploadedAmina_/Best_Practices_for_Teaching_Aboriginal_Students.pdf
  

Always Learning

Although I have a Metis background, this was only discovered within the last 4 years and I was raised unknowing of this family lineage.  I often struggle with white privilege and self identifying as FNMI when I have not lived through any racism, hardships, or disadvantages so many Aboriginal women have faced.  So often times you will notice I walk a fine line so that I do not speak on behalf of the culture but rather as an ally.  I am very much still learning how to navigate these waters.

Recently my sister and I were invited to the 4th annual women indigenous educators symposium with ETFO.  We both questioned if we were Metis "enough" to attend.  We were pleased to have had the opportunity and learn from 33 other women who came from all indigenous backgrounds.  It was a valuable learning experience. 

This sparked the question on how I can personally indigenizing my teaching. Indigenizing curriculum works hand in hand with decolonizing my practises.  I ask myself and in turn you,  to self reflect if you are doing your part in supporting the persistence of Indigenous people and their ways of knowing through your instructional practises?

Are we building relationships with Elders and the community? Can we take a closer look at the artists we discuss, the literature we present, the media we share? How can we decolonize ourselves, the classroom and the content we teach?

Please see the below link for a video about Decolonizing Education



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100 Ways to Indigenize

Here I have attached a wonderful article about The University of Reginas plan to Indigenize the curriculum and its criteria to measure success.   https://www.uregina.ca/president/assets/docs/president-docs/indigenization/indigenize-decolonize-university-courses.pdf

From this article and plan I have found several interesting objectives I'd like to discuss and highlight. (Mind you it was very hard to narrow down the ones I wanted to address).

 8. Promote the inclusion of diverse parties in the process of academic program reform (i.e. local Indigenous educators, Elders, students, faculty colleagues from FNUniv, Indigenous alumni, and community members) – addressing governance early on may ensure that academic programming reform reflects the priorities, interests, concerns and experiences of local Indigenous peoples

What a novel concept to include those who are knowledgeable and experienced in indigenous interests, concerns and priorities.  This practise should be included across all programs.  Including Elders and local community members in the planning and discussions shows a great deal of respect and that we value their voice of current and past realities.

17. Create physical spaces that reflect Indigenous peoples histories, contributions, languages and diversities.  Review and develop signage, bulletin boards, and promotional materials for inclusion of diverse students, staff and faculty?

[2] 

When you look around your post secondary setting what do you see and hear? Are indigenous students represented.  Do you see flyers in native language, do you see Indigenous educators on the faculty?  What impact do these physical spaced have for all students and faculty? Above is one of the new additions to Algonquin colleges landscape. It was built to promote Truth and Reconciliation.


21. Develop and sustain programmatic approaches to the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge.

Developing these programs will take time and money and resources but sustaining the approaches to inclusion of these Indigenous knowledge is going to take passion and energy and a drive for success.

26. Consider department based celebrations and welcoming events targeted at getting to know your Indigenous learners.

I haven't personally attended any of the welcoming events offered at Algonquin College but I plan on doing so in the near future.  On campus they have the Mamidosewin Center- a place with a mandate to " empower and support Indigenous students into the next phases of their lives in a way that is respectful and reflective of Indigenous cultures." [2]

41. Read Herman Michell’s book, Working with Elders and Indigenous Knowledge Systems: A Reader and Guide for Places of Higher Learning.

I loved that this was included in their 100 ways to Indigenize.  I encourage all of you to find one book or resource to read and share with others whether its colleagues, students or family.


47. Indigenous learners are here to learn.  Expecting them to fill in the curricular gaps by addressing Indigenous issues is an unfair burden that is not shared with other learners; nor do they get “extra credit” for doing so.  You must be the catalyst.  You are in the position of power in the classroom; if you are ill-prepared to bring forth Indigenous topics, and then utilize your material and human resources to do it with you.

I thought this was a great addition to the paper.  What a wonderful reflective practise to remember that all students are here to learn and aren't responsible for addressing issues.    Be a catalyst!!!


References
[1] Pete. S. 100 ways to Indigenize and decolonize academic programs and courses. [Online]Accessed: January 15, 2019.

[2] McLester. R. (2018). Algonquin College creates a space to promote Truth and Reconciliation. [Online] https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2018/12/11/algonquin-college-creates-a-space-to-promote-truth-and-reconciliation.html. Accessed: January 17, 2019.

Indigenization is not Multiculturalism

What is the difference between Indigenization and Multiculturalism?  

Multiculturalism is

the characteristics of a society, city etc which has many different ethnic or national cultures mingling freely; political or social policies which support or encourage such coexistence [2] 

When thinking about post secondary institutions its important to keep in mind that when talking about indigenization it will look very different than the schools approach to multiculturalism.  While both approaches are necessary and relevant at the core they differ at a political and systematic level.   

 A question we often hear when trying to include Indigenous perspectives into the curriculum is: “Why are we not including other ethnic groups if Canada is a culturally diverse country?” In response to this question, it is important to remember the following:

- Indigenization does not require abandoning multiculturalism; both can be practiced side-by-side
- While multiculturalism as a law and as policy also recognizes Indigenous Peoples, it does not address the social injustices and racist policies to which Indigenous Peoples have been subjected. The history and current situation of Indigenous Peoples in Canada differs in significant ways from immigrants and minority settlers. These differences must be acknowledged to form respectful relationships
- We all live on Indigenous lands, many of which were never ceded but were stolen by settler governments. Those of us who are settlers are considered to be visitors in the lands of Indigenous Peoples. Out of respect, we must come to know, understand, and value Indigenous culture. This means learning about local cultures, languages, and protocols. [1]

The college I work at has a strong Indigenous influence from the courses it offers, to the architecture, and support programs and resources.  I think it does a great job at implementing multicultural and indigenization practises throughout the community.   How do we differentiate the two in our post secondary schools?

[1] The need to Indigenize.  Online. Accessed at https://opentextbc.ca/indigenizationcurriculumdevelopers/chapter/the-need-to-indigenize/. Accessed January 15,2019.
[2] https://wikidiff.com/multicultural/multiculturalism

Innovation in Teaching- Indigenizing Education

For my 7th Masters Course I need to identify a question relating to my own professional context and personal interest. I decided to structure this question around What is my role in indigenizing education?  I will contribute at least 2 entries per week and have done 10 by the end of the course.  Each of my entries will be between 200-500 words.


My role as a colleague...

What are we waiting for?  Most of my colleagues I speak with say they don't know where to begin when it comes to tackling indigenous curriculum, culture, and traditions. It shouldn't be a matter of  "tackling" or becoming overwhelmed.  I always suggest taking it in stride and to try one small thing each week.  Why not start with teaching age appropriate Canadian history?  Its imperative to remember that the beginning of change does not have to wait for regulations and/or funding- although these curriculum standards and resources will be essential for a complete systematic change across Ontario and Canada.

So what does indigenizing education mean anyways?  It means that every subject at every level of education from Kindergarten to Post Secondary studies is examined to consider how and to what extend the currently pedagogies and program content truly reflects the presence of Indigenous people and knowledge.

As my personal and professional research continues it opens a whole realm of conversations I can have with my students, daughter and colleagues.  I love sharing pictures books I have and resources I've come across.

Below is one of my favourites.

"For the first time in educational publishing, Teaching Truly offers K–16 teachers course-specific guidelines for indigenizing mainstream education. The goal is to facilitate greater educational integrity and relevance in the classroom now, without waiting for more «reforms» to policy, standards or curricula in general. Incorporating reality-based teaching common in traditional Indigenous learning cultures, each chapter first exposes educational hegemony, including that existing within the new «common core standards», and then offers alternative, time-tested perspectives and exercises to counter and/or counter-balance such hegemony. Addressing eight common subject areas, the material can be adapted for different grade levels and can be applied to other mainstream course"