Professional Pedagogy for Indigenous Inclusion

This symbol is a visual representation of my professional pedagogy of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis inclusion. In my design, there are two people holding hands above a fire while the outside world travels around past them in a flurry of greens and blues.

Firstly, the two people are both working together to care for and protect the fire. For me, fire is heavily connected to human life as it provides warmth, cooks food, and provides a welcoming environment to share stories around. Being around the welcoming fire is akin to a welcoming learning environment. The two people are holding hands which make a circle to represent holistic learning, around this fire that provides for them and they provide to it. The two people are working together to care for the fire, which places an emphasis on working and learning together. The people are equal, as to remove the “sage on the stage”, but also to remind me that students come with their own knowledge and know-how that they are well established in.

Secondly, both people show one eye, so together - they have two-eyed seeing. As a Settler, it is important to me to work in conjunction with Indigenous folks and raise their voices within my classroom, rather than speak over them and their experiences. In short, two-eyed seeing instead of cultural appropriation. There are also no identifying features between the figures, leaving them to be a placeholder for anyone partaking in the learning and inclusion of Indigenous culture and perspectives.

Finally, the green and blue lines are to represent nature and learning outside, and not just in the classroom. Learning goes beyond the classroom environment. The movement that is being represented with the lines shows that learning is on-going.

Inclusion of others is important, but it is vital that it is done together. If we speak over others, we remove their agency in the telling of their stories and knowledge. Inclusion requires mutual respect and understanding, not overstepping and claiming knowledge that is not yours.