Indigenous Education Archives | Faculty of Education

PhD student brings Indigenous food to Ontario hospital menus

acoward — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 19:33:43 +0000

National indigenous history Month feature

�³��Rick Powless learned that Health Sciences North in Sudbury launched its first Indigenous hospital menu, he felt a shift happen.

The third-year doctoral student at 91��ɫ's Faculty of Education is a Red Seal-certified Indigenous chef, an Ontario College of Teachers-certified educator and a member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Oneida Nation of the Thames, Bear Clan.

He was also the primary consultant on an initiative led by Compass Group Canada to bring Indigenous meals into Ontario hospitals – a project that recognizes the role of traditional and cultural food in healing.

His contributions also serve as a testament to his work to advance meaningful cross-cultural engagement.

_{Rick Powless}

"It was emotional for me," he says of the menu’s launch in Sudbury. At 91��ɫ, his PhD research draws on Indigenous food sovereignty, food insecurity in urban centres and strategies to integrate traditional foods and land-based knowledge into Kindergarten to Grade 12 education.

Much of Powless's work focuses on how traditional foods and land-based knowledge support well-being, identity and learning for Indigenous people living in urban communities. His research explores the impact of food and cultural disconnection on mental health while also examining how Indigenous knowledge is taught – or overlooked – in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 12 classrooms. For Powless, that means pushing beyond superficial, checkbox-driven approaches and creating space for stories, reciprocity and food-based learning rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing.

“If you give somebody a recipe to cook Indigenous food but don't have the stories or the history behind those recipes then the students aren't getting anything out of it,” he says. “Beyond mere sustenance, our food is also a form of cultural transmission.”

Part of what makes his work distinct is its attention to access. Indigenous ingredients – such as sun chokes, wild rice, butternut squash – have been more commercialized, driving up prices and making them less accessible.

Read the full story in the June 3, 2026 issue of Yfile

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Waaban Indigenous Teacher Education Program - Information Session

acoward — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:20:02 +0000

Join us for an online Information Session to learn more about 91��ɫ's Bachelor of Education - Waaban Indigenous Teacher Education. program

During this session, we'll cover:

An overview of the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree program
Application process and deadlines
Course offerings for teaching certifications (Primary-Junior and Junior-Intermediate)
Funding opportunities
Practicum experiences

After registering, you will receive a comfirmation email with details on how to join the session.

We look forward to connecting with you!

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Waaban program continues to turn Indigenous knowledges into teaching credentials

acoward — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 14:27:20 +0000

The Waaban teacher education program in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education is being given a reboot designed to ensure students feel comfortable in both Indigenous and university settings.

The accelerated 16-month program is offered every two years, and applications are open through mid-January for its 2026 cohort. Cohort members move through the program together, forming a community.

Assistant Professor John Hupfield, the program co-ordinator, emphasizes Waaban’s unique pathway toward a Bachelor of Education degree and Ontario teacher accreditation.

_{John Hupfield}

“We’re creating a conduit for Indigenous educators,” says Hupfield, an Anishinaabe educator and grass dancer from Wasauksing First Nation near Parry Sound, Ont. “We’re creating an access point for mature learners and culture-based educators so they can get into the classroom. It’s a way of giving back to our Indigenous communities.”

The accelerated 16-month program doesn’t require its candidates to have any university experience or a teachable subject; the Faculty of Education team considers an applicant’s knowledges, experience and interest in sharing it. People with a passion for their culture, whether they create beadwork or ribbon skirts, dance in pow wows or serve as knowledge keepers for their First Nation, are encouraged to apply.

“The university education system wasn’t designed by Indigenous Peoples,” Hupfield says. “That construct didn’t exist in our communities, and the education system isn’t equipped to meet our needs. The Waaban program takes into consideration the unique needs of Indigenous students, rooted in history and factoring in the residential school experience and the resulting intergenerational trauma.”

At Waaban, however, students’ Indigenous backgrounds are considered valuable and important.

“It’s not traditional teacher education,” says Gabrielle Ayotte, a 2021 Waaban graduate, who is currently working on her PhD in Indigenous education at 91��ɫ. “The program implements oral knowledge, and the relationship between students and teachers is at the centre. We’re able to think about land and spirit and have opportunities to bring our own stories into the classroom. Our knowledges are not usually validated in the education system.”

Ayotte grew up in Montreal as a member of Garden River First Nation. She visited her community near Sault Ste. Marie each summer.

_{Gabrielle Ayotte}

“My Indigenous identity was never discussed growing up,” Ayotte says, “but family and friends began to ask questions about residential schools [when news broke about the Joyce Echaquan tragedy] and our identities. I wanted to learn more about my identity and colonization, and Waaban seemed like the perfect program for me. It had all the elements I needed to learn about and grow.

“It provided a space where my classmates and I could breathe and didn’t have to explain what it means to be Indigenous. I found community there.”

Hupfield says that Waaban “tries to create educators better equipped to meet the specific needs of Indigenous students. One of the ways we do that is by helping teaching candidates foster their own sense of identity and understand the values they carry and the teachings they know. I want to equip them to take on a leadership role.”

Waaban classes have generally been held at the Urban Indigenous Education Centre (UIEC) in Toronto’s East End, but this year, the 91��ɫ campus will host the classes throughout the summer. Hupfield is eager to see 91��ɫ build stronger ties between the university and local Indigenous communities.

“There are lots of opportunities for the program to grow and for 91��ɫ to have meaningful relationships with the Anishinaabe Nation and other First Nations,” Hupfield says.

“91��ɫ will once again be hosting the winter Pow Wow on campus, and it is an opportunity for Indigenous people to see themselves on campus and consider it as a place for culture-based gatherings.”

UIEC also has a major benefit as a classroom space; it is located next to Wandering Spirit School (Kâpapâmahchakwêw), a K-12 Toronto District School Board school that “provides Indigenous children with an opportunity to learn about Anishinaabe cultural traditions in a nurturing, caring environment.”

Laurie LaBrecque, who graduated from Waaban’s first cohort, teaches land-based learning and physical education at Wandering Spirit School. A member of Dokis First Nation situated along Ontario’s French River, LaBrecque, who grew up in Toronto, says “Waaban changed my life.”

“I grew up in a white, middle-class environment and saw myself as white, even though I knew my culture. My grandfather was a residential school survivor who grew up on a trapline, and I went to Pow Wows with my aunt. But I struggled at university, and graduation felt very far away.”

A friend who taught at Wandering Spirit School encouraged her to consider Waaban, given that she had always enjoyed working with children.

“I look at people talking about Indigenous pedagogy and a lot of them have no classroom experience,” says LaBrecque, who is now working on a master’s degree at the University of Toronto. “I believe the biggest change I can make is in the classroom.

“Education was used as a weapon of violence against Indigenous people. The only way to make change is to have people with lived experience involved in the system.”

As Waaban graduate Ayotte says,

“The media frame us as broken people, but we are reframing that.”

The Waaban program is an important piece of that puzzle.

To learn more about the Waaban teacher education program or to apply, visit /edu/students/waaban/

Article by Elaine Smith, special contributing writer

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Researchers receive grants to advance Indigenous scholarship

acoward — Wed, 08 May 2024 13:33:10 +0000

Six Indigenous scholars at 91��ɫ have been awarded a combined $204,298 in new funding from the latest round of Indigenous Research Seed Fund Grants to explore language revitalization, Indigenous-led land restoration, decolonizing physical education curriculum and more.

The 91��ɫ Indigenous Seed Fund was established in 2021 by the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation in collaboration with the Office of the Vice-President Equity, People & Culture, the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges & Languages (CIKL) and the Indigenous Council, an internal committee at 91��ɫ that works to improve access, input and opportunities for Indigenous peoples in higher education. The fund aims to build on the University’s ongoing commitment to support Indigenous early career researchers, their knowledge creation and the Indigenous communities they are working with.

“91��ɫ is wholly invested in advancing Indigenous research excellence, recognizing the critical importance Indigenous perspectives have in the pursuit of new knowledge and learning capable of creating positive change,” said Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. “The seed fund grants contribute to an emerging area of research expertise at 91��ɫ focused on Indigenous futurities, which emphasizes scholarship that can directly benefit Indigenous communities and imagines a brighter future for nations, communities and individuals.”

Recipients of these grants, supported through CIKL and the Office of the Associate Vice-President Indigenous Initiatives, include:

Rebecca Beaulne-Stuebing, assistant professor, Faculty of Education
“Gekinoomaadijig Mashkiki Gitigaaning Endazhi-Baakwaanaatigikaag: Restoring Urban Land Relations through Indigenous Leadership, Towards Establishing a Land Education Collaboratory”
Kiera Brant-Birioukov, assistant professor, Faculty of Education
“Research Support to Conduct Literature Review for 2024 SSHRC Insight Application”
Ashley Day, assistant professor, School of Kinesiology & Health Science
“Wiisokotaatiwin – Gathering to Discuss & Re-Imagine Health & Physical Education”
Jeremy Green, assistant professor, Department of Humanities, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
“Tehontenhnhonterontáhkwa ‘That by which they are connected’ – Co-creating supportive learning environments for second language learner teachers of Kanien’kéha ‘Mohawk’, an indigenous language”
John Hupfield, assistant professor, Faculty of Education
“The miikaans: movement lab”

“These projects cultivate positive relationships between university-based researchers and Indigenous communities,” said Susan Dion, associate vice-president Indigenous initiatives, who served as co-chair of the committee that reviewed the applications alongside Sean Hillier, interim director of CIKL.

“The institutional commitment to supporting these scholars through the Indigenous seed grant will have impacts beyond their own work and will reverberate throughout the Indigenous communities and peoples they engage with, as well as the wider 91��ɫ community,” said Hillier, as institutional grants for early career researchers provide not only support for foundational and pilot projects but often lead to larger grant proposals.

“The seed fund program is not only about supporting these specific researchers and research programs; it represents a longer-term and wider-ranging commitment to creating conditions in which Indigenous students, colleagues and communities can thrive at 91��ɫ,” said Laina Y. Bay-Cheng, interim vice-president equity, people and culture.

�۴ǰ��’s University Academic Plan 2020-2025 affirmed its commitment to the  and identified six priorities for action for building a better future, including stronger relationships with Indigenous communities. 

Additionally, 91��ɫ’s Strategic Research Plan 2023-2028 (SRP) identifies Indigenous futurities as an opportunity to help research make a positive impact on Indigenous communities and advance social, cultural, artistic, legal, policy, economic and justice areas that holistically shape Indigenous experience.

The Indigenous Research Seed Fund supports the goals of 91��ɫ’s Academic Plan and SRP. The pilot round of the fund awarded a total of $204,298 to 10 scholars in May 2022.

Article originally published in the April 25, 2024 issue of

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Congress 2023 celebrates Indigenous education initiative ��ü��é��󲹳�

acoward — Wed, 31 May 2023 14:18:36 +0000

Join the Faculty of Education for “,” a May 31 celebration of the Faculty’s Indigenous education initiatives and the visionary behind them – Professor Susan Dion, 91��ɫ’s inaugural associate vice-president, Indigenous initiatives and a Lenape and Potawatomi scholar, with mixed Irish and French ancestry.

Professor Susan Dion, 91��ɫ’s inaugural associate vice-president, Indigenous initiatives

��ü��é��󲹳� translates from Lenape as “Making Good Tracks,” and the program has led many Indigenous students on a journey to becoming educators and academics themselves. Itsoptions – the Waaban Indigenous teacher education program and the master’s and PhD cohorts – were developed to highlight the specific strengths of urban Indigenous communities. They are not intended to be taken in a linear sequence; instead, students make their own tracks, choosing to participate based on their timelines and interests.

“Susan [Dion] saw the opportunities to develop these programs and made it happen,” said Pamela Toulouse, a visiting scholar at the Faculty and the emcee for the day’s events. “We want to celebrate these programs and honour her for seeing the possibilities.”

The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the McEwen Auditorium, Room 141 in the Seymour Schulich Building and is open to Congress 2023 attendees and the local community. It features a traditional opening and closing by Elder Pauline Shirt, three panel discussions and a Circle on the Gifts of Our People, where Dion will be awarded with a Star blanket at 2 p.m.

“The Star is about being visionary and it is a reminder of the possibilities Susan gave us,” said Toulouse. “When we wrap her in it, it is letting her know that the community will always hold and take care of her and that we are okay, too.”

Participants in the Wuleelham program

The three panels will demonstrate the benefits of the ��ü��é��󲹳� programs. A Waaban panel happening at 10:30 a.m. will feature alumni from the teacher education program discussing what they learned and the gifts gained and carried into the workplace. A second panel at 11:45 a.m. will include graduate students from the Master of Education (Med) Urban Indigenous Cohort, focusing on the opportunities they have had. Finally, a faculty-staff panel will start at 1:15 p.m. and this group will share their stories about working with the students who have come through ��ü��é��󲹳�.

Shirt, who will open and close the program, is one of the driving forces behind the , a learning environment that is culturally safe and nurtured their child’s Indigenous identity.

“There is a special relationship between Elder Pauline, Susan and ��ü��é��󲹳�,” Toulouse said. “Wandering Spirit School is the place where many of the Wabaan students go to do their teaching placements; it’s a downtown school. Pauline is a main reason that the school came into being and a leader in Indigenous education.”

91��ɫ and the Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences will host Congress 2023 from May 27 to June 2. to attend, are available and have been adjusted to align with timelines for this year’s event.

Article written by Elaine Smith (special contributing writer) originally published in the May 30, 2023 issue of

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Second meeting of Indigenous book club to consider award-winning ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’

acoward — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 13:37:38 +0000

The next gathering of the Learning from and with Indigenous Community Members Book Club will take place online during National Indigenous History Month on Tuesday, June 14 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Braiding Sweetgrass book cover

Presenting at the second session will be guest speakers and 91��ɫ grads Marianne and Georgie Groat. They will discuss the award-winning book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Potawatomi scholar Robin Wall Kimmerer.

This meeting of the book club will take place online over Zoom. The book club offers a space where non-Indigenous and Indigenous people can come together to learn through conversations amongst Indigenous guest speakers in relation to Indigenous literature and topics that are meaningful to them, their nations and communities. It is an invitation to get to know Indigenous community members at 91��ɫ and in neighbouring communities, and cultivate learning about the diverse histories, ways of knowing, ways of being, lived experiences, identities and visions for the future of Indigenous Peoples.

Marianne and Georgie Groat are settler/Haudenosaunee sisters from St. Catharines, Ontario. Their roots are English and Welsh on their mother’s side and Tuscarora and Mohawk on their father’s side, with many family members coming from the Tuscarora Nation in Lewiston, N.Y. Both hold a master’s degree in Indigenous education from 91��ɫ.

Marianne has been an educator with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) in various roles since 2001. She worked as an instructional leader at the Urban Indigenous Education Centre (TDSB) for three years before being seconded to 91��ɫ in the Fall of 2019. She continues to work in the Faculty of Education at 91��ɫ. She is passionate about supporting the next generation of teachers as they seek to bring Indigenous content and strategies into their regular daily practice.

Georgie holds the role of student achievement leader and is the lead for Indigenous education (principal K-12) at the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN). Her teaching background is in special education. She spent 15 years as a teacher in a day treatment program before moving into the position of consultant for Indigenous education (K-12) at the DSBN. Following this, she was seconded to the Ministry of Education in the Curriculum, Assessment, and Student Success Policy Branch, for three years before becoming a role as a central principal.

This event is open to any member of the 91��ɫ community .

Article originally published in the June 8, 2022 issue of

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Voices of Indigenous Educators

acoward — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 11:24:54 +0000

Voices of Indigenous Educators is a short 3 minute video that introduces four dynamic Indigenous scholars/educators in the Faculty of Education at 91��ɫ. Diversity, strength, commitment and community are words that Pamela, Kiera, Marianne and Natasha bring to life. Find out who they are and why Indigenous education is at the heart of their professional and personal practices.

Dr. Pamela Rose Toulouse (Anishinaabe), Kiera Brant-Birioukov (Haudenosaunee), Rebecca Beaulne-Stuebing (Métis), Marianne Groat (Haudenosaunee & English/Welsh) and Natasha Bascevan (Anishinaabe & Métis) encourage colleagues and their families to take the time to reflect on September 30 – the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The following resources on truth and reconciliation are suggested wise practices as starting points to unlearn (truth) and relearn (reconciliation) together.

Miigwetch, Nia:weh, Maarsi and thank you.

Websites

Official Site for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation -
Spirit Bear’s Guide to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action -
Gord Downie/Chanie Wenjack National Day for Truth and Reconciliation -
Official Site for Orange Shirt Day -
CBC Truth and Reconciliation offers 94’ calls to action -
Official Site for the Federal Indian Day Schools Class Action -
UBC’s Research on Indian Day Schools -

Videos

TRC Mini Documentary – Senator Murray Sinclair on Reconciliation -
‘This is not just neglect, this is a cover up’ – Dr. Niigaan Sinclair -
Truth and Reconciliation – Kevin Lamoureux – TEDx University of Winnipeg -
Truth and Reconciliation Progress? Five Years On -
When We Were Alone Book Final Edit Read Aloud by Fairlawn Public School -
How to change systemic racism in Canada -
Dr. Susan Dion – Introducing and disrupting the “perfect stranger” -

Books

The Inconvenient Indian (2015) by Thomas King -
21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality (2018) by Bob Joseph -
Truth and Reconciliation in Canadian Schools (2018) by Dr. Pamela Rose Toulouse -
Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation (2017) by Monique Gray Smith -
The Reason You Walk (2017) by Wab Kinew -
Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story (2021) by David A. Robertson -
Indigenous Ally Toolkit (2018) by Dakota Swiftwolfe and Leilani Shaw for the Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network -

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Fear and discomfort shouldn’t block anti-racism efforts in schools

ariley — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 22:29:34 +0000

Addressing racism in the classroom requires educators to ask hard questions of themselves, white discomfort, and the discarding of old traditions.

by Ixchel Bennett. Originally published on Policy Options
February 24, 2021

In 1920, , then-deputy superintendent of the Department of Indian Affairs is quoted for suggesting that his goal was to “get rid of the Indian problem.” Scott’s solution was to expand the forcing Indigenous people to assimilate. One hundred years later, the legacy of residential schools continues to impact Canada’s current school systems. that Indigenous children continue to experience systemic racism by their peers, teachers and the larger community. Needless to say, shaming and assimilation persist today.

Over the past 16 years, I’ve worked in education in various roles as a teacher, board lead, university course director and now as a vice-principal. Throughout this time, I’ve noted many advancements in championing Indigenous education and narrowing the Indigenous achievement gap by increasing graduation rates. But time and time again, I’ve also noticed deep discomfort and fear among educators when it comes to addressing anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism in schools.

“I don’t feel comfortable!”

For the most part, educators want to have a positive effect on their students. But when asked to participate in creating that change by addressing racism, I’ve witnessed some who squirm and say they prefer not to “rock the boat.” For systemic racism to be dismantled in Canadian schools, however, we need to address the that some educators feel in disrupting anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism in schools.

For example, during a staff meeting at a Scarborough school where I previously worked, an administrator asked staff members how racism was being spread at school. Was it the curriculum? Our choices of books? The way we speak to students? I thought these were excellent questions to ask to encourage self-reflection and to prompt discussion about potential areas for improvement. In response, however, there was a long silence.

By comparison, I asked colleagues at different schools if race-related conversations were also happening during their staff meetings. For example, looking at race-based data and examining in-school practices that might hinder Black and Indigenous students. Most said yes, but added that they were led largely by and racialized educators.

Why are some white educators so uncomfortable? Perhaps it’s fear that openly and honestly engaging in these critical conversations may result in being labelled "racist" or "insensitive." That said, many racialized and white educators do want to speak up. They are on a journey towards unpacking their or – but they don’t know how and where to begin or what language to use. Sometimes, it helps if a critical friend engages them in discussion. But this responsibility usually falls on Indigenous, Black and racialized people, which is problematic because the work of is a personal journey that doesn’t involve others.

“ I do not feel safe”

This makes me wonder what the union’s role is in protecting racialized teachers from microaggressions and unintentionally or intentionally racist remarks. Whose safety matters when having these discussions? What role will the union play in dismantling racism at Canadian schools?I’ve witnessed colleagues respectfully correcting white educators for saying: “I do not think racism is that bad in our school...is it?” Unfortunately, some have complained to the teachers’ union that they "do not feel safe" or feel "attacked" whenever they’re corrected for making a racist or problematic statement.

There’s also significant discomfort among educators when it comes to using anti-racist language when teaching elementary students. I’ve consistently heard some say that children at this age have "tender minds" or are "too young" to learn, and that “we don’t want to instill fear” in them. Yet research suggests that from the age of two. That’s why anti-racist education shouldn’t be just one lesson or unit plan. Instead, it needs to be embedded in everyday practices, starting from kindergarten. And if a student uses the term “racist” incorrectly, teachers should take that as a learning opportunity to address the class.

“I have good intentions!”

There is no doubt that educators have good intentions for student safety when participating in school board-wide events, such as , and . But what happens when these events cause harm to students?

For example, the purpose of Orange Shirt Day is for educators to teach students about the cultural genocide committed against First Nations, Métis and Inuit children, so it’s an opportunity for the school community to unite in the spirit of reconciliation. Specifically, students learn that the RCMP forcefully removed Indigenous children from their families and communities, as the Canadian government’s goal was to "

That’s why, on Sept. 30, they read about , a residential school survivor from Northern Secwpemc in British Columbia. As the story goes, Phyllis’ grandmother bought her an orange shirt to wear to St. Joseph’s residential school, but when she arrived, school officials took her shirt away. As a 6-year-old, Phyllis expresses that she felt worthless and like no one cared about her.

Despite this focus on Phyllis and other Indigenous residential school survivors, though, their experiences are often decentered on Orange Shirt Day. How? I’ve seen students receive handouts with the sentence starter, “I matter because…” Students' responses, which ranged from "I am lucky I have a safe school” to “I have a mom and a dad," are all valid but the voices of Indigenous people are erased in the process. It’s essential that educators focus on Phyllis' story because only then can Canadians move forward towards reconciliation. For example, educators can dive deeper into researching residential schools' objectives, and then explain how they were wrongly informed by white supremacist ideologies.

Another board practice we need to reimagine is “spirit days” like Crazy Hair Day, which can be problematic if students choose to wear an Afro, cornrows or Native long braids as a costume. Students also learn that this type of hairstyle is "crazy," which dehumanizes Indigenous and Black people for the sake of “making school fun" or "keeping old traditions." What’s more, Sikh and Muslim students can’t participate in these activities because some wear a turban or hijab, so they’re automatically excluded.

Educators need to understand that some school traditions promote racism, sexism, classism and other forms of discrimination against marginalized groups. We can no longer say, "But we've always done it this way" or "It's a school tradition." For example, hold a spirit day when students identify acts of kindness among their peers and compliment them, or wear their favourite piece of clothing and share why it’s special to them. This would enable students to participate without having to assimilate or adhere to antiquated norms.

It’s time to involve students in critically rethinking past practices and reimagining new inclusive school traditions. Educators can no longer hide behind fear when Indigenous, Black and racialized students' lives depend on it.

This article is part of the special feature.

This first appeared on and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Ixchel Bennett is Indigenous Nahua/Zapoteca from Mexico. She is a vice-principal with Toronto District School Board in a school with a high population of Indigenous students. She is also a PhD Candidate with 91��ɫ’s first Indigenous PhD cohort in the Faculty of Education.

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In the media: How to teach young children about Canada's history with residential schools

acoward — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 12:42:55 +0000

Memorial around Centennial Flame at Parliament Hill to honour the lives of 215 Indigenous children whose remains were found in a mass grave in Kamloops, BC, Canada.

How early is too early to explain the complicated history of Canada and its treatment of Indigenous people? 91��ɫ professor Susan Dion explains how Indigenous history can be taught in primary school.

"It's important that adults work through their understanding of settler colonialism so that they are prepared to teach their children about the history--that the relationship that parents and adults have to the history will impact their capacity in sharing these stories with children."
Professor Susan Dion

Listen to the full interview on .

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Fear and discomfort shouldn’t block anti-racism efforts in schools

acoward — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 16:40:08 +0000

The following article by Faculty of Education PhD candidate Ixchel Bennett was originally posted in the February 24, 2021 issue of as a part of the special feature.

Photo: A grade two classroom is shown at Hunter’s Glen Junior Public School which is part of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scarborough, Ont., on September 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Addressing racism in the classroom requires educators to ask hard questions of themselves, white discomfort, and the discarding of old traditions.

“I don’t feel comfortable!”

Why are some white educators so uncomfortable? Perhaps it’s fear that openly and honestly engaging in these critical conversations may result in being labelled “racist” or “insensitive.” That said, many racialized and white educators do want to speak up. They are on a journey towards unpacking their or – but they don’t know how and where to begin or what language to use. Sometimes, it helps if a critical friend engages them in discussion. But this responsibility usually falls on Indigenous, Black and racialized people, which is problematic because the work of is a personal journey that doesn’t involve others.

“ I do not feel safe”

This makes me wonder what the union’s role is in protecting racialized teachers from microaggressions and unintentionally or intentionally racist remarks. Whose safety matters when having these discussions? What role will the union play in dismantling racism at Canadian schools?I’ve witnessed colleagues respectfully correcting white educators for saying: “I do not think racism is that bad in our school…is it?” Unfortunately, some have complained to the teachers’ union that they “do not feel safe” or feel “attacked” whenever they’re corrected for making a racist or problematic statement.

There’s also significant discomfort among educators when it comes to using anti-racist language when teaching elementary students. I’ve consistently heard some say that children at this age have “tender minds” or are “too young” to learn, and that “we don’t want to instill fear” in them. Yet research suggests that from the age of two. That’s why anti-racist education shouldn’t be just one lesson or unit plan. Instead, it needs to be embedded in everyday practices, starting from kindergarten. And if a student uses the term “racist” incorrectly, teachers should take that as a learning opportunity to address the class.

“I have good intentions!”

There is no doubt that educators have good intentions for student safety when participating in school board-wide events, such as , and . But what happens when these events cause harm to students?

Despite this focus on Phyllis and other Indigenous residential school survivors, though, their experiences are often decentered on Orange Shirt Day. How? I’ve seen students receive handouts with the sentence starter, “I matter because…” Students’ responses, which ranged from “I am lucky I have a safe school” to “I have a mom and a dad,” are all valid but the voices of Indigenous people are erased in the process. It’s essential that educators focus on Phyllis’ story because only then can Canadians move forward towards reconciliation. For example, educators can dive deeper into researching residential schools’ objectives, and then explain how they were wrongly informed by white supremacist ideologies.

Another board practice we need to reimagine is “spirit days” like Crazy Hair Day, which can be problematic if students choose to wear an Afro, cornrows or Native long braids as a costume. Students also learn that this type of hairstyle is “crazy,” which dehumanizes Indigenous and Black people for the sake of “making school fun” or “keeping old traditions.” What’s more, Sikh and Muslim students can’t participate in these activities because some wear a turban or hijab, so they’re automatically excluded.

Educators need to understand that some school traditions promote racism, sexism, classism and other forms of discrimination against marginalized groups. We can no longer say, “But we’ve always done it this way” or “It’s a school tradition.” For example, hold a spirit day when students identify acts of kindness among their peers and compliment them, or wear their favourite piece of clothing and share why it’s special to them. This would enable students to participate without having to assimilate or adhere to antiquated norms.

Ixchel Bennett

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Indigenous Education Archives | Faculty of Education

PhD student brings Indigenous food to Ontario hospital menus

National indigenous history Month feature�³�����Rick Powless learned that Health Sciences North in Sudbury launched its first Indigenous hospital menu, he felt a shift happen.

Waaban Indigenous Teacher Education Program - Information Session

Waaban program continues to turn Indigenous knowledges into teaching credentials

The Waaban teacher education program in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education is being given a reboot designed to ensure students feel comfortable in both Indigenous and university settings.

Researchers receive grants to advance Indigenous scholarship

Six Indigenous scholars at 91��ɫ have been awarded a combined $204,298 in new funding from the latest round of Indigenous Research Seed Fund Grants to explore language revitalization, Indigenous-led land restoration, decolonizing physical education curriculum and more.

Congress 2023 celebrates Indigenous education initiative ��ü��é����󲹳�

Second meeting of Indigenous book club to consider award-winning ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’

Voices of Indigenous Educators

Fear and discomfort shouldn’t block anti-racism efforts in schools

Addressing racism in the classroom requires educators to ask hard questions of themselves, white discomfort, and the discarding of old traditions.

In the media: How to teach young children about Canada's history with residential schools

Fear and discomfort shouldn’t block anti-racism efforts in schools

Addressing racism in the classroom requires educators to ask hard questions of themselves, white discomfort, and the discarding of old traditions.

National indigenous history Month feature

�³��Rick Powless learned that Health Sciences North in Sudbury launched its first Indigenous hospital menu, he felt a shift happen.

Congress 2023 celebrates Indigenous education initiative ��ü��é��󲹳�