I have spent the entirety of my life surrounded by Indigenous influence. It has only been in the last few years that I have understood how incredibly privileged I am because of this. As I learn and understand more about the trauma faced by local Indigenous peoples, I begin to understand how important it is to weave the First Peoples Principles of Learning into teaching. I find it challenging to pick out specific moments where I have displayed the principles, so I am allowing organic moments to present themselves instead. I hope that you enjoy watching my image gallery grow below.
Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and theĀ ancestors
When I consider how I am acting and changing the environment I am within, I think about how I am altering the life of those around me. I hold a strong buy-in to the butterfly effect. What type of natural disaster could my teaching style be creating in the homes of learners?
Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place)
Learning involves recognizing the consequences of oneāsĀ actions
When I move into a space, both old and new I try to think about what is already there. Knowing what existed prior to my contact allows me to be aware of how I have altered the space both positively and negatively.
Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities
Often I hear the expression ‘There are too many cooks in the kitchen’ when referring to a large community of opinionated people. I believe this to be a Eurocentric phrase, which disregards the value of generational knowledge. When entering a school community, you are guaranteed to have a large volume of ‘cooks’ which will give you feedback that may come across as both positive and negative. I feel that being receptive to the feedback from community members both older, and younger, inside and outside of the school community, allows us to better embody generational roles and responsibilities within daily practice.
Learning recognizes the role of IndigenousĀ knowledge
I think that a lot of people feel that Indigenous knowledge is this otherness that we need to begin to weave into our practices. I feel that we have just been blind to the very present existence of Indigenous knowledge in Canadian culture. I have just recently learned that the term Skookum is an Indigenous jargon term based in the Chinook culture. This is a word I use frequently and did not understand the roots of. This makes me question how much of our daily communication and practices are rooted in Indigenous culture.
Learning involves patience andĀ time
When I think of learners taking patience and time in learning, my mind goes to how long it has taken for me to understand my personal learning style. I had to be okay not understanding concepts as quickly as other students, or having to revisit learning areas because I wasn’t ready to immerse myself in the content previously. There are many areas where this is true for learners, and in all honesty, this principle touches every point of life.
Learning is embedded in memory, history, andĀ story
At this point in time, this principle touches many thoughts in my mind. I find being able to express my understanding in a tangible way is difficult and will require further inquiry.
Learning requires the exploration of oneāsĀ identity
Learning requires great volumes of introspective reflection. What do I like? What do I dislike? What do I find easy? Hard? What is my learning style? What is my cultural background? How do I fit into my community? There are endless questions that bombard learners, that help to further understand the idea of self-identity.
Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certainĀ situations
There is a heavy focus on not sharing stories that do not belong to you, but this also can be used to look at more institutionalized concepts. You can not share confidential information about learners. You could consider how many learners may understand the concept through not sharing a friend’s secret. There is a lot of discomfort with the discussions of secrets with learners, but this is a strong way to help bring a tangible example to the forefront of their minds.