British Columbia has long had the goal of improving school success for all Indigenous students. Achieving this goal will require that the voice of Indigenous people be heard in all aspects of the education system; the presence of Indigenous languages, cultures, and histories be increased in provincial curricula; and leadership and informed practice be provided.
BC Curriculum
Created by the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC), the First Peoples principles of learning represent an attempt to identify common elements in the varied teaching and learning approaches that prevail within particular First Nations societies. They provide a guide to curriculum teams and educators to embed indigenous knowledge and pedagogies in a way that is authentic and meaningful.
Indigenous knowledge and perspectives in the curriculum are both explicit and implicit. Educators need the support of Indigenous Elders to continue to bring Indigenous knowledge, protocols and pedagogy into the classroom.
Funding, support, advocacy for Indigenous students and their families is imperative to ensure the Calls to Action are implemented at the school district level. Our local school district 73 has an Aboriginal Education Council (AEC) to ensure there is an Indigenous voice in school policy, funding and strategy. I agree it is important to work with and include the Indigenous voice on an everyday basis, so it becomes how things are done, rather than referring to AEC as an afterthought or separately from day-to-day discussions. Advocacy and advisory needs to come from people with lived experience of Indigenous culture, driving change from within the Indigenous community instead of it being yet another thing that is done to Indigenous people.
Here in Kamloops, the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc Indian Band have united to form a K-7 elementary school that combines traditional ways with academic excellence for the benefit of local indigenous children. Their explicit philosophy is to promote Secwepemc language, history and culture and to prepare students for success in both worlds – indigenous and non-indigenous.
The Sk’elep School of Excellence will provide educational opportunities for all children that balance high academic standards and traditional Secwepemc Culture in a healthy, safe environment for now and the next seven generations, in one house– our house.
https://skelep.com/mission-statement/
There are many examples of technology supporting the Indigenization of learning. It’s fantastic that these resources are digital and accessible for all, as it will increasingly enable students in an inquiry-based classroom to do their own research and learning about Indigenous cultures.
- Indigenous language apps and sites (https://www.firstvoices.com/)
- Audio/video of Indigenous storytelling (https://www.nccie.ca/story/kenthen-thomas-secwepemc-storyteller/; https://rootsandblues.ca/secwepemc-stories/)
- Virtual field trips (https://umistapotlatch.ca/visite_virtuelle_intro-virtual_tour_intro-eng.php)
- Indigenous arts & media digital galleries (https://ago.ca/collection/indigenous)
References
BC Curriculum. (2023). https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/overview#:~:text=British%20Columbia%20has%20long,informed%20practice%20be%20provided.
First Nations Education Steering Committee. (n.d.). https://www.fnesc.ca/about-fnesc/
Indigenous Futurism. (2023). Indigenous futurism. Mackenzie Art Gallery. https://mackenzie.art/digital-art/learn-about-digital-art/indigenous-futurism/
SD73. (2018). Aboriginal education. School District 73. https://www.sd73.bc.ca/en/working-together-departments/aboriginal-education.aspx
Sk’elep School of Excellence. (2023). https://skelep.com/