Integrating Provincial Standards and Indigenous Ways of Knowing

Beading Indigenous Knowledge

Finding ways to integrate diverse knowledge in a classroom isn’t always easy for educators to accomplish. Often, we rely on things we know or have seen in classrooms as learners ourselves. However, this can mean we are using only certain types of knowledge in our classrooms. That can leave some learners feeling like schools do not represent their culture or identity. This post will share a few ways to integrate Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into your classes.

Partnering with First Nations

Learners and educators often have exposure only to western learning. It isn’t always easy to find new resources or ways of learning or take a different approach. Educators can integrate Indigenous ways of knowing using novels by Indigenous authors or culturally appropriate math examples. We’ve partnered with several First Nations to create content for educators to ensure their lessons reflect learners’ cultural perspectives.

Why are schools including Indigenous ways of knowing?

You may be aware that several provinces have begun mandating the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in public school classrooms. Ministries of Education recognize that it is important for Indigenous learners to see themselves reflected in their learning. Non-Indigenous learners must also learn about the different nations that make up the Indigenous population in Canada.

The Ontario Ministry of Education plans to better support Indigenous learners: “First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students in Ontario will have the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to successfully complete their elementary and secondary education in order to pursue post-secondary education or training and/or to enter the workforce. They will have the traditional and contemporary knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to be socially contributive, politically active, and economically prosperous citizens of the world. All students in Ontario will have knowledge and appreciation of contemporary and traditional First Nation, Métis, and Inuit traditions, cultures, and perspectives.”

This vision aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s recommendations. In the calls to action, the commission recommends that “the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Aboriginal education issues, including:

    • Developing and implementing Kindergarten to Grade Twelve curriculum and learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history and the history and legacy of residential schools.
    • Sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Aboriginal history.
    • Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect.
    • Identifying teacher-training needs relating to the above.”

How can educators from non-Indigenous backgrounds integrate Indigenous knowledge respectfully?

The calls to action are something any educator can embrace and bring into their classroom. Integrating Indigenous ways of knowing into your classroom is considered an act of reconciliation. It can help Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners bridge the gap of understanding. The hard part may be where to start.

Learning which resources exist in your area or within your board is a great place to start. Perhaps your school board has an Indigenous or Aboriginal liaison or resource person. They may be able to connect you with Knowledge Keepers or Elders from a local First Nation. Knowledge Keepers and Elders may be able to visit your classroom or point you in the right direction. Knowledge Keepers and Elders are respected community members who hold particular knowledge. Learn more about the pedagogies of Elders.

Another excellent place to find resources is a local Friendship Centre. Friendship Centres are places where Indigenous people and families in more urban centres can access support and community. They often host events and learning days that are open to the public.

Exploring Diverse Perspectives Through Novel Studies

You can easily introduce learners to diverse perspectives through a novel study. Books enable learners to see and learn about many different peoples and places. Why not use an Indigenous author’s work in your class?

Lambton Kent District School Board decided to do just that with grade 11 English courses. Instead of Shakespeare, learners now engage with Indigenous novels, short stories, plays, and poetry. Learners have the opportunity to engage with authors and writers from Indigenous backgrounds in Canada. These texts provide more relevant insights than mid-15th century England.

Consider choosing a novel from an Indigenous author for your next novel study unit. A memoir such as Fatty Legs by Margaret-Olemaun Pokiak-Fenton and Christy Jordan-Fenton could help connect learners to the experiences of Indigenous Canadians, both historical and current. This unit would require you to prepare learners for difficult topics in Canadian history. Plan a preparation lesson to discuss what learners know about residential schooling. Here, you could use the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada resources to prepare learners who may not have heard about this topic. It will also help learners of Indigenous background who may still be affected by the legacy of residential schooling.

In partnership with Treaty Six Education Council, Learning Bird created a unit on Fatty Legs that helps Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators and learners navigate the memoir and supports reconciliation through learning and sharing knowledge. One of the lessons, “Listening to Fatty Legs,” is a podcast that guides learners through a listening exercise.

Culturally-Relevant Math Examples

Math is a universal subject. No matter your culture or spoken language, basic math and equations are concepts woven into all societies. We use math in activities from planning buildings to constructing tipis to navigating by the stars. Indigenous ways of knowing involve an intimate relationship with math. Math is necessary for creating works of art or pieces of clothing. It can be integrated into many activities in outdoor education. Have you ever considered using music or games to introduce a topic like odds in math? Consider introducing the concept using a music app’s shuffle option and songs by Indigenous artists.

Including diverse artists accomplishes two things:

  • It helps Indigenous learners feel included. Seeing yourself reflected in a positive light in learning objects is important for self-esteem and success.
  • It exposes non-Indigenous learners to artists from different backgrounds that they may not have had the opportunity to hear. That creates interest and respect for Indigenous artists and exposes learners to excellent music!

A unit in math that uses Indigenous games and music is something any educator can do. We do not always have access to a particular First Nation’s knowledge to guide us. However, we can still honour Indigenous Peoples by introducing music or games learners can play while learning math.

Accessing Additional Resources

If you’re interested in learning more about the resources available through Learning Bird, you can register for a free 14-day trial account or contact us at achieve@learningbird.com.

Three Approaches to Content Collection

collecting content in community

As Learning Bird’s Education Content Manager, one of my main responsibilities is conducting needs assessments with our school and community partners. Discussing the community’s academic and cultural needs helps us outline the resources we will create collaboratively. A resource could be a video, audio file, handout activity or project, or informational slideshow. During these conversations, communities provide materials that we can incorporate into their resources. These include photos, videos, educational resources, audio clips, and other materials that support learning. We incorporate these materials through our personalized approach to content creation.

Needs Assessments and Content Creation

One of the best parts of the needs assessment conversation is getting to know the community through the people. They share insights into teaching practices, learners, and content that best support the educators, learners, school, and community. Sometimes these are cultural resources to preserve language and traditions. Other times, they are academic resources to encourage student success in English language arts, math or science. It demonstrates that just as each community is different, so is its content needs.

These differences influence how I approach collaborative content creation. I visited three communities over the last few months to conduct onsite needs assessments: Treaty 4 in Saskatchewan, Gitsegukla in British Columbia, and Lac La Croix in Ontario. Each visit was radically different, from the landscapes to the meeting places and conversations. Yet they all resulted in the same outcome: an outline of the resource kits we would create for this project. Read on to learn more about each trip.

Treaty 4 Education Alliance

On a cold but sunny day at the end of February, I visited Treaty Education Alliance’s office in Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan, for a jam-packed day of needs assessment and content collection. My colleague Roxanne and I met with their team of Student Retention Facilitators. We discussed the needs of the five schools we would be working with. Before the meeting, the team had sent some curriculum documents and educational resources to us. We already understood their inquiry-based approach to learning.

We determined they wanted to create resource kits based on storybooks researched, written, and illustrated by several grade 5 classes. These books contained an abundance of information about the communities and their history. As a team, we pulled out the major themes from each book. These included land loss, displacement, colonization, and residential schooling. We decided that four resources would address each storybook and cover the major themes. That way, learners from different schools could learn about each other’s histories.

We also discussed the potential of creating language resources. The team shared a wealth of educational resources and textbooks used in their schools. That allowed us to see a sampling of materials successfully used with learners. We left with our arms full of materials and an agreed-upon topic outline we could develop and expand on.

Gitsegukla First Nation

My trip to Gitsegukla in British Columbia was quite different from Treaty 4. Instead of meeting a whole team of educators, my colleague Kelsey and I drove to Gitsegukla Elementary School to meet with Terri, their grade 7 educator. Before diving into our content conversation, we first discussed her classroom. We talked about her learners and their learning needs, her teaching strategies, and the resources she uses in her classroom. During the conversation, she also mentioned resources she wished she had. We discussed some of the challenges she was facing and brainstormed some ideas.

After I had a better idea of her classroom situation and what her learners were like, we discussed the learning objects she would like to collaborate on. Terri lacked science resources, so we decided to dedicate all but one resource kit to science. We would focus on sustainability, cooking, recycling, and ecosystems. We reserved the last resource kit for an English language arts lesson about Indigenous poetry in British Columbia.

The next day, we observed a visiting scientist teach the learners about insects, bees, and pollination. It was great to meet the learners and observe them interacting in the classroom. I also took photos and collected footage around Terri’s classroom, throughout the school, and the surrounding areas. Collecting visuals helps us personalize our content and make it relevant for the learners, who will recognize their community in content while they are learning. Before leaving, we reviewed the outline with Terri to ensure that the topics and activities would suit her learners and teaching strategies. Through speaking with Terri, it was easier to see the daily reality of her classroom and understand the challenges that her learners face. That helps us ensure the content we’re creating together impacts her classroom.

Lac La Croix First Nation

My latest content needs assessment trip took me to Lac La Croix First Nation in Ontario for a week-long visit with my colleague Charlie. We had already created an outline with this community during previous needs assessment phone calls. Our goal was to come in-community to gather as many materials as possible for the resources we’d agreed to build together. That included recording interviews with Elders and videotaping cultural activities. Once we arrived at the school, we met with the principal Debbie and the team we would be working with during the week. We discussed the schedule of events and activities. We rearranged topics in the outline to accommodate what we could document and gather during our time in the community.

Over the week, the community and activities at the school immersed us, including smoking sturgeon and beaver, a fish fry, maple syrup tapping, and a community meeting about land. We recorded four sessions with community Elders and other Knowledge Keepers. They came to the school and taught the learners various topics, like hunting, land loss, treaties, identity, and culture. The team also sifted through boxes of photos of land-based activities from Debbie and scanned them digitally. We photographed other aspects of the community, such as the lake, forest, and Pow Wow grounds. Our team left with over 200 GB of images and video recordings at the end of the week. We will use them to create resource kits to help preserve and share the culture, traditions, and community members of Lac La Croix.

Personalized Content Creation

As you’ve read, our collaborative approach to content creation is highly personalized and varied from community to community. It allows us to meet the community’s unique needs, and it certainly keeps my job interesting.

If you would like to talk with us about collaborating on content creation for your school or community, don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-888-844-9022 or achieve@learningbird.com.