November 1st, 2019 - PD sessions (Centennial High School - Calgary)

Indigenizing Education - Dr. Dustin Louie

Individualized oppression

A process of how to approach indigenous groups, or oppressed groups (Action oriented model)

1. First, understand that the world is an inherent unequal place, with advantaged and
disadvantaged groups.

2. Most oppression is invisible and normalized, and we need to be aware of this and not deny
it. Recognize it and how can we avoid it. False idea ‘I treat everyone the same’ and not to
believe that. And not every student should be treated the same.

3. It’s not enough just to know that there are inequalities and that there are oppressed groups;
we need to take action. Address these issues in the first area, then bringing them to light in
the second area.

Prejudice + Discrimination + Power = Oppression, it starts with an idea and then acting on it

Socialization - Systematic training into the norms of our culture. It is the process of learning the
meanings and practices that enable us to make sense of and behave appropriately in that
culture.

Stereotypes - prejudices come in play when we add value to stereotypes. These thoughts get
into our subconscious.

Prejudice - Learned prejudgement towards social others and refer to internal thoughts, feelings,
attitudes, and assumptions based on the groups to which they belong.

Discrimination - Turns from an idea to an action. Actions based on prejudices towards social
others. Discrimination occurs when we act on our prejudices.

Power - The degree of control over material, human, intellectual and financial resources
exercised by different sections of society. How is society designed to accommodate certain
groups.

Oppression- In order for oppression to occur, there needs to be a power imbalance. It exploits
one social group to benefit another.
Systemic oppression

External and Structural Dimensions of Privilege

- Being against oppression, but benefiting from it

- The construction of what is normal and not-normal by the dominant group
- The invisibility of privilege for the dominant group - What are ways that we can give that
privilege away?

Example of how discrimination is systemic in society

- ‘Help Wanted ad’ in Boston - Applications with the same qualifications but those with white
sounding names received over 50% more call backs than those with black sounding names.

Structural oppression

-Example - changing government laws for oppressed groups to keep them disadvantaged.
Example making restrictions for access to farming equipment and growing crops for certain
groups Denying access to economy, freedoms and rights

Separate and unequal - Frontline - (Look in to) Creating oppression in Baton Rouge

Decolonizing or indigenizing

Decolonizing - How do we understand how our society is designed, ways to challenge ourselves
to understand how oppression is affecting disadvantaged groups.

Indigenizing - Is bringing in indigenous knowledge and implementing it. Example, bringing an

Elder in to share their teachings. Model how we support and get involved in indigenous
knowledge and practices. Take an active role.

‘Who am I, Where am I going’, get students to get to know each other first before talking about
other groups. Help students to have an understanding of what the terminology means.

As a teacher, model that information about indigenous knowledge and culture is important to
you

You don’t have to be an expert to talk about it. It is important to be supportive and diversify the
spread of knowledge about indigenous education

Frantz Fanon - The uncomfortable feeling we experience when so much new information
competes with our core beliefs, is called cognitive dissonance. New information cannot be
accepted. We need to address it, and understand that it exists.
Aims of Education
- Curriculum
- Pedagogy - How can I challenge the oppressions and decolonize it
- Assessments - The process of students negotiating what they have learned
- Culture of your classroom

Content (what) is more important than Process (how)

Hobbes and Rousseau famous quotes

Hobbes - The idea that we are born terrible and need to be civilized, assimilation, educating for
civic identifies

Rousseau - Man is born free, but everywhere is in chains (the social contract) We are born pure
and corrupted within society. Ex. Montessori schools, individualized education approaches,
follow the natural inclinations of students

Indigenous world views - Linear vs Cyclical

Linear - moving up a linear direction of knowledge and building upon it

Cyclical - Knowledge is always repeating itself and should be revisited. In native ways we
always retell our stories, we repeat them and that is how it sinks in and becomes embodied in
the people. Renewal and cyclical knowledge traditions requires us to recheck our knowledge to
ensure that it is still valid. In education, go back to what has previously been learned in the
course, and how that previous knowledge has been built upon itself.

Pisim - Teach students what these mean and how they can be used and relate to their own
lives, share among class

Pimatsiwin - Celebrate life with a positive attitude

Imihowin - Understand and practice the true meaning of prayer
Sahkitowin - loving and caring for self, others
Istotamowin - Understanding, practicing and valuing holistic teaching
Manacitowin - Respect all creation

Principals of Pisim

-How can we implement parental engagement is indigenous education and knowledge?

-How can engage nurturing knowledge?