Ideas

Idea #14: Valuing Connections and Experiences through Indigenous Pedagogy

“It has been my experience that in Western discourse no one really listens to anyone else; everyone is too busy planning their own response.”⁵

Honoring Roots

We recognize and honor that these ideas draw from indigenous knowledge from many tribes and nations. We offer gratitude for the approaches that have been shared to benefit teaching, learning, and relationships. For explorers of these approaches, it is essential that a rooting take place in the meaning of these approaches, with respect for this knowledge, as well as in soft power practices.²

Learning Intention

Much of Western epistemology requires students to back up claims with “evidence” but does not value lived experiences of students as “evidence” to support claims. By using Indigenous pedagogy and teaching practices, educators can honor personal connections made, as well as value lived experiences of students as academic evidence.

Considerations of Power²

Power can be used in ways that can be described as hard and soft, the latter being more traditionally practiced in indigenous cultures. It can be useful to self-reflect on how these practices are enacted in your classes.

Strategies^3,4,5

• Using storytelling: Give students opportunities to talk about their lived experiences that relate to a text. How might their lived experience support or challenge what a text is saying?
• Talking Circles:^2,3 Originating with First Nations leaders, talking circles were used to ensure that all leaders in the tribal council were heard, and that those who were speaking were not interrupted. Positioned in a circle, members of a group introduce themselves, listen respectfully, “speak from the heart,” and keep shared communications in confidence. Members can use a “talking stick” or object to hand to each other as they take turns sharing and they may “pass” if desired.
• Learning from Elders: Identify indigenous elders in your area who do work on a similar topic to that of the class you teach. Invite them to your class, valuing the non-dominant perspective and wealth of knowledge they hold. Offer them the space to share their perspectives about the topic, with compensation for their time.
• Learning from Observation: Consider inviting a community member into your classroom for a demonstration of a discussion. Have students discuss what they observed or took away from having a guest in the class. Invite students to share what they have learned, or what they may have found difficult to comprehend.
• Create a Holistic Learning Environment: “Academic or cognitive knowledge is valued, but self-awareness, emotional growth, social growth, and spiritual development are also valued.”¹ Use student’s lived experiences to expand their growth holistically and engage in difficult conversations surrounding real experiences faced in the student’s lives.

References

1. Antoine, A., Mason, R., Mason, R., Palahicky, S., & France, C. R. de. (2018). Indigenous Epistemologies and Pedagogies. In Pulling Together: A Guide for Curriculum Developers. BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/indigenizationcurriculumdevelopers/chapter/topic-indigenous-epistemologies-and-pedagogies/

2. King, J. (2021). Psychology Department, Western Washington University. Personal interview: April 30, 2021.

3. Learning Centre, First Nations Pedagogy Online. Talking Circles. Retrieved April 30, 2021, from: https://firstnationspedagogy.ca/circletalks.html

4. McEachern, D. (2016). Adult Learning, Transformative Education, and Indigenous Epistemology. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2016(147), 87–96. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tl.20202

5. Merculieff, I.L., & Roderick, L. (2013). Stop Talking: Indigenous Ways of Teaching and Learning and Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education. Anchorage, AK: University of Alaska Anchorage.