Who’s responsible?
Government sets what is in the curriculum.
Teachers decide how to teach the curriculum.

Curriculum
A set of documents outlining what must be taught in each subject and grade.

Pedagogy
The art, science or profession of how to teach.

How would a teacher teach... personal connections to land and place?

Learning outcome (curriculum): Students illustrate personal connections to land and place.

How could a teacher teach this (pedagogy)?

Following the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, action has been taken to infuse the K-12 curriculum with Indigenous history, ways of knowing and culture. An extension of this progress is movement towards weaving Indigenous approaches like land-based learning into teaching practice.

It’s long been a common practice to address social studies learning outcomes through in-class discussions and hands-on research projects. The following examples combine this “traditional” western approach with a traditional Indigenous approach.

Example 1

Engage in a medicine walk on the land in consultation with a local Elder, Knowledge Keeper or Cultural Advisor to learn about the medicinal properties of traditional plants (i.e. sage, sweetgrass, etc.), including preparation and storage.

Example 2

Invite a local Elder, Knowledge Keeper, or Cultural Advisor to share stories related to the local landscape and have students respond by orally sharing their own stories of connection to the land. 

Example 3

Have students investigate place names within their local area to learn about the significance and meaning in relation to Indigenous peoples, cultures, languages and histories. 

Examples provided by Shannon Loutitt and Crystal Clark, former consultants with the ATA’s Walking Together program, and Melissa Purcell, an Indigenous education specialist with the Alberta Teachers’ Association.