Educators as Indigenous Allies

         As I begin my final course in my professional Master's program at Queen's University, it feels refreshing to have the chance reflect through blogging on topics related to innovation in teaching and learning. All of my studies to this point, have helped me recognize and appreciate the rich, revolutionary and innovative ideas relating to teaching, learning, thinking, doing and ways of being that are embedded in diverse Indigenous knowledges.  For example, as we are asked to define teaching, I looked through some of my favorite past course readings to create this definition.               Teaching relates to the passing on, sharing or transmission, of cultural knoweldge, wisdom, or wealth to others. Teaching may be viewed as an action of sharing or contributing, however teachers ...

  Local Indigenous Allyship: Why it matters for all of us, especially educators, and how we can all become better community members, in good relationship with the First Peoples of this place, and with all things. The website " Educators as Local Indigenous Allies " (Mobbs, 2024) is a website for teachers in the area called ʔaqyamǂup in Ktunaxa, k ’iyá’mlup in n̓syilxčn̓ , and Nelson, BC in English. It is an ongoing project as part of my own journey as a settler educator towards decolonization and Reconciliation.  It also documents my own reflective process, primarily as I contemplate the First People's Principles of Learning (FPCC, 2007), guided by Chrona's (2023) thoughts in  Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies – An Act for Reconciliation and Anti-Racist Education.  It is aspirational in motivating other educators to begin to develop good relationships with local Indigenous people, moving us towards Indigenization of education.   The firs...