AUDIENCE: K-12 TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, INDIGENOUS COACHES, AND OTHER SCHOOL LEADERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.
“Indigenous scholars suggest that a process of decolonization must be enacted in order to activate the process of including Indigenous Knowledge into Western [current] schools structures so that the balance between knowledge systems can be achieved." Garcia & Shirley, 2012
Join us for this interactive and informative webinar series! This 5-part series will focus on how to weave Indigenous Knowledge systems into our current teaching and learning practices. Each webinar will build understanding of what Indigenous Knowledge systems were and continue to be, as well as create an awareness of traditional Indigenous pedagogical processes and how they could be respectfully incorporated into current teaching practices. As we dive deeper into each session, we will build an appreciation of how weaving together Indigenous ways of knowing with current pedagogical practices can benefit all students.
Educational Synthesis: An Introduction to Indigenous Knowledge Systems
This Introductory session will focus on building an understanding and appreciation for Indigenous Knowledge systems. Participants will learn the importance of land, language, Elders, and relationships in traditional education and how to use these new understandings in synthesis with their current teaching methods. This session is designed to help educators understand that Indigenous Knowledge systems cannot live in contemporary schools rather they can inspire us to teach in varied ways that benefit all learners.
Creating a Culture of Belonging: Supporting Curriculum and Understanding Indigenous Learning Processes
The second session in the Weaving Ways series (part 2 of 5) will focus on creating educational environments that foster belonging. This session will introduce educators to three Indigenous themes that research has identified as successfully supporting a sense of belonging in classrooms, or as whole-school approaches. Participants will unpack ideas of belonging and brainstorm ways to weave this teaching into what they are currently doing.
Instructional Design: Supporting Curriculum and Understanding Indigenous Learning Processes
In the third session of the Weaving Ways series (part 3 of 5), educators will explore how Indigenous communities approach understanding in ways that are holistic, collaborative, and relational and consider how these approaches can enhance their current practices to support deep learning for students. Participants will be introduced to a variety of online resources with tools, examples, and templates to support their planning and thinking.
Pedagogy: Supporting Curriculum and Understanding Indigenous Learning Processes
This fourth session in the Weaving Ways series (part 4 of 5) will focus on historical forms of teaching in Indigenous societies. The goal of this session is to have educators become inspired to teach in alternate ways that benefit all learners. We will talk about the importance of people, places, and processes and discuss how we might weave these past teaching methods into current teaching practices.
Sharing Through Story: Supporting Curriculum and Understanding Indigenous Learning Processes
The fifth and last session in the Weaving Ways series (part 5 of 5). This session reveals how stories connect us to family, friends, the land, and even ourselves. These teachings have the potential to benefit our schools and help to support the curriculum implementation process by seeing stories as an extension or a foundation to our curriculum. Learn how song, dance, landscapes and art can be woven into the ways you currently teach or tell stories.
This learning opportunity is being offered through a grant from Alberta Education.