Native people are often stereotyped as one-dimensional, exotic figures in text books and invisible in contemporary society. Teachers can help native students reinterpret and self-create a contemporary identity without forsaking traditional cultural values, by integrating present-day native stories, choosing visuals and examples that are relatable to students, and emphasizing critique and self-reflection on the part of students. Done correctly, planning and teaching with relevant content increases academic performance as well as self-efficacy and school participation as students take pride in their identity.
Guiding Teacher Reflections
Indigenizing Content – Is an Indigenous perspective of your content available to students? Are you conducting research to identify resources for integrating an Indigenous perspective?
Creative Expression – Do students have an opportunity to express their learning through creative mediums in your class?
Self-Exploration – Do students have the opportunity to explore their strengths and challenges in your class? Do they have the opportunity to build skills?
Relevant Curriculum – Are students connecting their cultural and social identity to your class?
- What are Meaningful Connections and what are some of my own?
- How do I intentionally and authentically learn about people (outside of just reading books)?
- Do students see themselves and elements of their lives in the visuals that I provide?
- Do students see themselves and elements of their lives in the example problems or narratives that are
told? - Do I understand the history of colonization, oppression, schooling, and stereotypes and how these impact
how students view school and interact in my classroom? - How do I use decolonizing language in my practice, in the content that we learn, in how we conceptualize
things in my class? - Do we talk about the impact of racism–that it exists, how to ‘fight’ against it, and how to move beyond it (far
future)? - Do I use language in my classroom that encourages sociocultural consciousness, affirmative attitudes?
- Do I understand how my identity and life experiences impact how I approach teaching, how students view
my teaching, and how I could change or rely on any of those aspects? - Do I provide space either through content or other practices to help students think about their own
identities? - How do I respect (or incorporate when appropriate) the opportunities for spiritual connectedness in my classroom?
Guiding Teacher Reflections
Indigenizing Content – Is an Indigenous perspective of your content available to students? Are you conducting research to identify resources for integrating an Indigenous perspective?
Creative Expression – Do students have an opportunity to express their learning through creative mediums in your class?
Self-Exploration – Do students have the opportunity to explore their strengths and challenges in your class? Do they have the opportunity to build skills?
Relevant Curriculum – Are students connecting their cultural and social identity to your class?
- What are Meaningful Connections and what are some of my own?
- How do I intentionally and authentically learn about people (outside of just reading books)?
- Do students see themselves and elements of their lives in the visuals that I provide?
- Do students see themselves and elements of their lives in the example problems or narratives that are
told? - Do I understand the history of colonization, oppression, schooling, and stereotypes and how these impact
how students view school and interact in my classroom? - How do I use decolonizing language in my practice, in the content that we learn, in how we conceptualize
things in my class? - Do we talk about the impact of racism–that it exists, how to ‘fight’ against it, and how to move beyond it (far
future)? - Do I use language in my classroom that encourages sociocultural consciousness, affirmative attitudes?
- Do I understand how my identity and life experiences impact how I approach teaching, how students view
my teaching, and how I could change or rely on any of those aspects? - Do I provide space either through content or other practices to help students think about their own
identities? - How do I respect (or incorporate when appropriate) the opportunities for spiritual connectedness in my classroom?