Humanising Pedagogy Educator Commitments

The 7 Humanising Pedagogy Educator Commitments guide teachers to reflect on their practice in a clear progression: building relationships in the classroom, creating inclusive spaces, raising awareness of power dynamics, exploring diverse perspectives, and helping students apply their learning to make a positive difference. 

To support educators with putting these commitments into practice, the committee has created a Humanising Pedagogy: Educator Self-Assessment Tool. This tool’s structure includes the main commitments, sub-commitments, and classroom attributes mirrors this progression, reinforcing the idea that humanising pedagogy starts with personal transformation and relationships and ultimately inspires lasting, positive change.

To that end, engage with the self-assessment tool on a personal level. Use it to consider where you are now and how you can begin to enrich your teaching practice. You may find the following steps helpful in your process:

Self-Assessment

Reflect on each commitment and how every sub-commitment contributes to empowering learners in your classroom. For each sub-commitment, consider the descriptive attribute of a classroom reflecting this commitment. Based on these descriptions, think about where your practice lies on the continuum. Are you just beginning to recognize the importance of this sub-commitment, or are you self-critiquing the ways in which you are using this practice in your classroom?

Collaborative Assessment

To deepen your understanding, consider working with a partner or in a small support group to unpack each commitment. Share examples and perspectives to develop your understanding of each topic and how your practice connects.

Identifying Growth Areas

Use your self-assessment and group discussions to pinpoint specific areas where you’d like to develop further. Working together could help you identify resources in your community to support your growth.

Accessing Research

The document provides a range of academic references and resources. Use these to deepen your understanding of your selected growth areas and to inform your development with evidence-based practices.

Collaborative Growth

Work with a trusted colleague to set concrete goals for growth in a specific domain. Regular check-ins with this colleague can provide mutual feedback, encouragement, and accountability as you continue to refine your practice.

The Self Assessment Tool

Notes on Sequencing: Each commitment is broken down into sub-commitments and attributes that follow a clear, pedagogical progression. This sequence begins by modelling the commitment in the classroom, then introducing humanising resources and perspectives, engaging with these ideas through the learning process, and finally applying them in meaningful ways.

Educators commit to engaging in humanising and liberating pedagogical practices. Through these commitments, they scaffold learning experiences that address biases and systems of oppression, while fostering a joy of learning for all students.

1. Incorporate & Value Lived Experiences

2. Challenge Dominant Paradigms

3. Co-Construct Learning Through Reflective and Responsive Practice

4. Promote Resilience and Embrace Unresolved Complexities

5. Foster Joy and Diversity in Community

6. Support Visionary Change Through Inclusive Partnerships

7. Integrate Environment and Indigenous Knowledge for Equity