As an internationally educated teacher, I was very curious to learn about Indigenous history. During my previous course on BC K to 12 , my understanding of Indigenous perspectives was quite limited.  This course has opened my eyes and exceeded all my expectations.

My takeaways or learnings from this course :

• Land is not a place; it is a connection between nature and all living things. Land-based education is a great way to foster cultural continuity and promote student learning.  To integrate land-based learning- outdoor learning, going for a nature walk, and exploring the surroundings is important. Additionally, Indigenous wisdom is a great source of learning.   It relates to land nature and emphasizes that everything is interrelated.

• From this course, I have understand that  the importance of incorporating new resources and perspectives that focus Indiginious voices in my classroom I’ve also learned effective ways to assess learning and incorporating the First Peoples Principles of Learning (FPPLs). 

• Learning is not only about transferring knowledge but also about respecting culture and diverse ways of knowing .Knowledge is embedded in experience.  It is a holistic approach that integrates physical, emotional, and spiritual development.It can be passed through experience, stories, language, and community. 

• Relationships are important .Wisdom is rooted in balanced and long-term relationships within the family, extended family, and community. Intelligence flows through relationships between living entities.indigenous values are essential for learning because they create a deep connection and a supportive environment for holistic or meaningful education.

• One important message I learned from "The Danger of a Single Story," by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is that every situation or person embodies multiple perspectives and warns against relying on a single narrative.  Misrepresentation of a culture or relying on stereotypes can do more harm to students. To understand the complete situation or information, we need to access multiple authentic sources. To teach Canadian History, it is crucial to use authentic resources that tell us about the indigenous voices rather than narratives of European settlers. 

• To foster a strong relationship between indigenous people and the  community and government. knowing the First Nation people’s  history,fundamental rights to their lands, resources, and their sovereignty is essential.

• Adopting an open-minded approach allows students foster a deeper understanding of Indigenous history and culture to receive information, evaluating, and making decisions. It is important to create a safe and respectful environment and to decolonize the classroom

• To promotes mutual respect and collaboration between Indigenous and Western worldviews having a two eyed seeinfg approach is esential

• Reconciliation is a ongoing commitment .Education is one the single most powerful levers for reconciliation because it shapes what a society knows about its past and how future generations relate to one another.  Being  educators it is important to consistently evaluating our teaching practices and curriculum to ensure that  they contribute meaningfully to equity, understanding, and healing. 

Impact on my Professional Growth 

This learning  journey has transformed my  understanding of indiginious wisdom, history and culture.  I recognized the importance of  incorporating  FPPL im my  teaching practice and land based learning. Implementing the Indiginious knowlwdge and wisdom plays significant role in all over development of the students. Additionally using the concept of Two-Eyed Seeing has encouraged me to use multiple perspectives in my teaching.   I now feel equipped to foster empathy, cultural sensitivity, and mutual understanding in my classroom. Finally , this course has challenged me to rethink my approach to both teaching and assessment.  I now understand  the importance of creating culturally safe spaces where students feel their identities and knowledge systems are respected and valued .

References:

 Indigenous Peoples: Language Guidelines from the University of British Columbia, UBC (2021)