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"
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