Lesson Plans, Podcasts and Discussion Prompts for Teachers Weaving Indigenous Knowledges into the Classroom

Authors

  • Patricia Danyluk University of Calgary
  • Samara Wessel Werklund School of Education
  • Saria James Thomas Werklund School of Education
  • Lisa Trout Werklund School of Education

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/assert81

Keywords:

teacher education, Indigenous knowledges, Indigenous education, teacher resources, Indigenous teaching methods

Abstract

Two years after the implementation of the Teaching Quality Standard number five (TQS 5), ten Alberta teacher education programs came together to examine how teachers in Alberta were weaving Indigenous knowledges into their classrooms. This article reports on the findings of two hundred and forty-seven surveys and thirty interviews with Alberta teachers. The findings indicate how Alberta teachers are gaining confidence in their foundational knowledge of Indigenous peoples and the important role of Indigenous team leads in schools. The article includes access to a website created from the research featuring lesson plans, podcasts and discussion prompts for teachers weaving Indigenous knowledges into the classroom.

Author Biographies

Samara Wessel, Werklund School of Education

Samara Wessel (MSc) is a PhD in Counselling Psychology student at the University of Calgary. Samara's work lies in the intersection of psychology and social justice. Her research centers on the critical topics of cultural safety and exploring the ways in which psychology can support self-determination and data governance within Indigenous communities. 

Saria James Thomas, Werklund School of Education

Saria James-Thomas (BEd.) is a teacher who has returned to the University of Calgary to pursue a second degree in psychology. Saria’s long term goal is to work with children in a psychological context and she aims to research ways to reduce the barriers to the positive mental health of BIPOC populations. She moved from Jamaica and relocated to Calgary at the age of 12. During this time, she has been interested in learning about Indigenous cultures and as a teacher, she tried to implement Indigenous ways of knowing into her lessons. In her free time, Saria is a mental health advocate where she volunteers and works with national organizations such as Jack.org. She also likes experiencing nature and doing activities such as hiking.

Lisa Trout, Werklund School of Education

Lisa Trout is a dedicated educator committed to holistic education and social justice. She has spent over 18 years teaching French immersion in Alberta, Canada, integrating food education and language development while discovering their connection to indigenous ways of knowing.

Currently pursuing her M.Ed. at the University of Calgary, she is deeply committed to experiential learning in classrooms and communities. Her work reflects her belief in the power of food as a tool for cultural connection, environmental stewardship, and social equity. Lisa is passionate about building nourishing educational environments while honouring and integrating Indigenous knowledge and perspectives on sustainability and community well-being

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Published

2024-12-30

How to Cite

Danyluk, P., Wessel, S., James Thomas, S., & Trout, L. (2024). Lesson Plans, Podcasts and Discussion Prompts for Teachers Weaving Indigenous Knowledges into the Classroom. Annals of Social Studies Education Research for Teachers, 6(2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.29173/assert81

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2024): Weaving Knowledges Old and New (Indigenous / Hip Hop / Métis Knowledge & Methods)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Patricia Danyluk, Samara Wessel, Saria James Thomas, Lisa Trout

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

The Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License applies to all works published by this journal, unless it is otherwise stated on the article. Authors will retain copyright of the work in perpetuity.