Category: Weekly Reflections

Humans are story-beings. We have evolved with story, and it is responsible for our survival. That’s what makes teaching with stories one of the most logical, effective, healthy, and holistic Indigenous pedagogies that teachers can apply in their classrooms daily.

A well-told story evokes powerful images through sensory language—words that describe seeing, smelling, hearing, touching, and feeling inside in this world. I have learned through studying songwriting (e.g., by reading professor Pat Pattinson’s book Writing Better Lyrics) that using this type of language engages the listener because it triggers their personal memories.

This human connection naturally enriches learning because it taps into relationships as well as individual experience. It creates a felt experience, shared and shaped by listeners and tellers. I think we find it easier to remember when senses and emotions are engaged because it triggers our survival instincts of having community and sharing wisdom.

Video Creation in the Classroom

Using video creation as a way of storytelling in the classroom has both pros and cons. It can be both an inclusive option as well as an exclusive option, depending on who the students are and their comfortability with technology. When I worked as a summer literacy camp leader in Ivujivik, Nunavik, we “interviewed” students individually or in small groups with puppets that they had made. This was an effective method because the students were very shy, but they enjoyed being theatrical behind the camera. We then showed the video to the class, so they had a chance to perform in a low-pressure way.

A con could be if students are using the technology themselves and if they become frustrated because they do not understand how it works. Another risk is that they could become distracted or act inappropriately if they are not presenting in front of a live audience.

As for using videos for language revitalization, I could see this being useful only once students are comfortable and advanced enough to speak the language independently. I imagine that this would require a lot of scaffolding to get to this point.

I could see video editing giving students an opportunity to act out sentences that they find on FirstVoices, since there are a lot of example sentences that could be performed in small groups. Video would also be beneficial for pronunciation, because they could practice many times and only keep the take that they like. I like how this assignment could engage students with ranging comfortable for performance, because a shyer student could be in charge of video editing, while more outgoing students could do the acting and narrating.

I am grateful for this opportunity to consider video creation as an assignment in my classroom. This topic reminded me of how much I loved making silly videos for projects in my high school French class!

Here is a video I made today, set to a rough recording of a song I wrote:

Here is a screen recording I did of the First Voices website:

Do we need to reimagine education? To me, the answer is that a healthier, more holistic, decolonized system of education has already been imagined and it is our responsibility to join in and take action on this revolution.

Let me begin by explaining that I was a very successful student in the school system because (in addition to my privilege as a white, middle-class student) I knew how to hack it. I knew how to get 100% in my courses, because I knew how to cram information into my short-term memory. I also felt deeply at the time that this was not genuine learning, and I was aware that I was not retaining or processing or feeling the content that I was learning.

In Gr. 12, after watching a video of Sir Ken Robinson in my English class, I felt inspired to write an essay called “The Degenerate Education of My Generation.” Even though I benefited from the system the way it was, I knew it wasn’t fair and that actually everyone in the school should be considered a “gifted” student like I was. I have always felt that the public school system does a disservice to humanity by crushing peoples’ confidence and creativity before they have time to blossom.

Learning about Indigenous ways of knowing and being in this program has been so inspiring and grounding to me, because a holistic pedagogy focused on both individual and community well-being, involving patience and time and encouraging each person’s unique gifts, has already existed for thousands of years. The First Peoples’ Principles of Learning are an excellent resource for anyone who agrees that it is time to “reimagine” education.

The main obstacles that I think educators face when trying to decolonize their practice include parent and colleague pushback. To counteract this force (which is coming from trauma and fear), teachers must surround themselves with a likeminded network of support, accountability, and inspiration. They also must work on healing their own creativity and confidence so that they can continue to go against the grain and accept that not everyone will understand.

There are so many brilliant educators, Elders, and knowledge-keepers already leading the way down this hopeful path, and I am excited to join the procession.

I first heard about Sir Ken Robinson when I was in high school. I love this metaphor he introduces that teachers are more like gardeners than engineers:

Yesterday in class, Rich spoke to us about the benefit of using sketchnotes. As a big proponent of combining visual and verbal skills, this method resonated with me. I already loved using mindmaps in the class, and I am excited to introduce the concept of sketchnotes (simply notes with basic drawings added in) to my future students. Here are my first trials at sketchnoting: