Becoming Nikanaittuq - Strengthening the Indigenous-Based Teaching Practices of non-Indigenous Educators

Author

Tyrone S. Power, Western UniversityFollow

Date of Submission

8-29-2023

Document Type

OIP

Degree

Doctor of Education

Department

Education

Keywords

Indigenous Education, Adaptive Leadership, Culturally Responsive Leadership, Authentic Leadership, Reconciliation

Abstract

In 2015, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada published its 94 Calls to Action to address the atrocities that Indigenous people have experienced since first contact with Europeans and laid the groundwork for the reconciliation process between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. The report makes particular references to educational reform being essential if reconciliation is to be successful. At present, many non-Indigenous educators at Snowy Mountain Academy (SMA, a pseudonym) hold a predominantly colonized and Eurocentric educational philosophy resulting in the lack of a culturally relevant educational program which has negatively impacted the sense of identity, culture, and belonging of Indigenous students. The Problem of Practice (PoP) to be addressed in this Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) is the need to implement initiatives focusing on building the pedagogical understanding and self-efficacy of non-Indigenous educators, improving their ability, confidence, and willingness to educate all students on the cultures, traditions, and worldviews of Indigenous peoples. As an adaptive, authentic and culturally responsive educational leader who is envisioning this PoP using a social constructivist and two-eyed seeing lens, I will work in collaboration with educational stakeholders to develop and guide the implementation of strategies that enable non-Indigenous educators to integrate Indigenous-based perspectives into their teaching practices. This integration is done to recognize and validate the important contributions of Indigenous peoples in the formation of modern-day Canada and to empower Indigenous and non-Indigenous students with the knowledge of the important contributions Indigenous peoples make to shaping Canada as a country.

Recommended Citation

Power, T. S. (2023). Becoming Nikanaittuq - Strengthening the Indigenous-Based Teaching Practices of non-Indigenous Educators. The Organizational Improvement Plan at Western University, 343. Retrieved from https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/oip/343