Indigenous Perspectives and Innovation in Learning/Teaching

 In the article “As if Indigenous Knowledge and Communities Mattered” by Ball (2004), the author explores how to inclusively incorporate and give space to Indigenous voices in post-secondary settings. Many Indigenous communities learn through community-based knowledge and learn from shared knowledge from Elders and knowledge keepers in the community (Ball, 2004). This is in contrast to Euro-western learning as it typically involves learning from books and from one person. When including community members in the class, it allows for “lived learning,” and gives Indigenous students the ability to use their voice and to hear and learn from each other (Ball, 2004). The article relates to innovation in teaching as it transforms our view of higher education to address a problem. The issue in post-secondary is that it is not a space that Indigenous peoples are reflected in, nor is their culture reflected in the teaching. Thus, taking an approach and mixing Euro-Western teaching and Indigenous teaching practices to address this issue is an innovative solution. For learning, students are taught in a certain way in post-secondary which is not a community-based approach. By addressing this issue of inclusivity for Indigenous students, it takes an innovative approach to find a solution. A question I have for the author is about the comment of “lived learning,” and saying that they need to pivot often for what they have planned for the next day (Ball, 2004). Because of this, my question is what are the authors’ suggestions for this? Like many educators, I often get anxious if I do not have my week planned out, which makes using a live learning method of education a reluctant approach to use. In my school, we have Indigenous students from two of the local reserves. This article made me reflect on how I make space for Indigenous peoples to use their voice within the classroom. I often invite Elders and our Indigenous support teachers into our classroom, but I feel that I can reframe more of my classes to support my Indigenous students. 

In the article “Integrating Aboriginal teaching and values into the classrooms” by Toulouse (2008), the author highlights the 7 learning principles to include Indigenous approaches to teaching and in the classroom. These 7 learning principles include: respect, love, bravery, wisdom, humility, honesty, and truth, and they are all fundamental to raise self-esteem of Indigenous students and their well being (Toulouse, 2008). Having these learning principles embedded in the teaching practices put these values in the forefront of curriculum and lesson planning. When planning, values are not often considered as an output, however, these are important values for Indigenous students to belong in the classroom. These ideas relate to my understanding of innovation in learning as Indigenous students in schools has been a historic and important challenge that educators need to address, and requires a solution. Due to intergenerational trauma, giving the voice and space for Indigenous communities to share what they expect from school now. By embedded these principles and listening to our local Indigenous communities is an innovative way to rethink and reframe education as an institution. For learning, this article takes an innovative approach to the traditional framework of unit and lesson planning. As educators, we are required to consider the outputs of what we want students to learn. Taking this and adding the 7 principles into our lessons is an innovative way to change this process. A question I have for the author is if these principles change throughout Canada depending on the Nation that you are working with? As each Nation has a different culture, history, and background, it is important not to brush Indigenous nations with one brush. What would the author recommend for teachers on how to connect with local communities to embed their principles of education into their local schools? For me, the principles have been at the forefront of my planning as we serve a large Indigenous community, including a remote reserve. However, this article has highlighted the need for me to lean on and learn from our Indigenous support teachers to learn from our local communities and how they smoothly embed these into my lesson. It is important for me to actively learn from my local community to help ensure that my students are supported both academically and in their well being.  

References 

Ball, J. (2004). As if Indigenous knowledge and communities mattered: Transformative 

education in First Nations communities in Canada. The American Indian Quarterly, 28, 454-479.

Toulouse, P. R. (2008). Integrating Aboriginal teaching and values into the classroom. What 

Works? Research into Practice(Research monograph #11).