Reflecting classroom culture and diversity is at the forefront of K-12 classrooms in Canada. In response to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action and to foster cultural diversity, many public schools in B.C. have adopted First Peoples frameworks to support further understanding and acknowledgement of Indigenous educational practices (Government of British Columbia, n.d.). Ladson-Billings (1995) initially defined culturally relevant pedagogies as students experiencing academic success while continuing to practice cultural competence and challenging the current social order. Ladson-Billings (1995) also noted the importance of building bonds with students and creating a community of learners. K-12 educators can take this idea of culturally relevant education by integrating Indigenous framework(s) into their teaching, focusing on the commonalities of learning that are experiential, holistic, place-based, and intergenerational (Antoine et al., 2022).
There are many available frameworks for teachers, including the First Peoples Principles of Learning, Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being, and the Circle of Courage, all of which encompass the four ways of Indigenous learning in varied ways. A framework that I have come across that would allow me to practice culturally relevant teaching was created by the Calgary Board of Education. Its design is focused on the Medicine Wheel, which has been a tool for many Indigenous groups and represents the interconnectedness of life and the importance of balance (Toulouse, 2016, as cited in Calgary Board of Education, 2022). The four interconnected aspects of this framework include Mind-To Know, Spirit-To Be, Heart-To Belong, and Body-To Do (Calgary Board of Education, 2022). This resource also provides suggestions to educators for implementing the various aspects of Indigenous ways of learning and being into their practice and school environments.
In my practice, I am currently practicing the Belonging section of the circle by providing students with opportunities to learn the Hul’q’umi’num language through various activities while focusing on building trusting relationships (Calgary Board of Education, 2022). An area that I would like to invest more time in is the Spirit realm. Educators and administrators can encourage opportunities for students and teachers to connect with Elders and Knowledge Keepers (Calgary Board of Education, 2022). I want to invite Elders to share stories and cultural knowledge with my classes; this would connect with Ladson-Billing’s (1995) research on building a community of learners while also practicing Antoine et al.’s (2022) suggestions for implementing Indigenous ways of learning.
References
Antoine, A., Mason, R., Mason, R., Palahicky, S., & Rodriguez de France, C. (2022, January 6). Indigenization guide: Indigenous epistemologies and pedagogies. BCcampus. https://bccampus.ca/2022/01/06/indigenization-guide-indigenous-epistemologies-and-pedagogies/
Calgary Board of Education. (2022, March). Indigenous education: Holistic lifelong learning framework [PDF]. https://www.cbe.ab.ca/about-us/policies-and-regulations/Documents/Indigenous-Education-Holistic-Lifelong-Learning-Framework.pdf
Government of British Columbia. (n.d.). Report on actions taken to support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/administration/program-management/indigenous-education/actions-taken-on-reconciliation
Ladson-Billings, G. (1995, Summer). But that’s just good teaching! The Case for culturally relevant pedagogy. Theory Into Practice, 34(3), 159-165. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1476635