AVisionofIndigenousEducation
forthe
FacultyofEducation,SimonFraserUniversity
Preamble
Thisvisionstatementseekstoarticulatethesharedresponsibilitiesandaspirations
oftheFacultyofEducationwithregardtoallpeopleofIndigenousancestrywhoare
connectedwithoraffectedbyitsprogramsandresearchactivities.Italsosuggests
howtheworkandlifeoftheFacultycanbechallengedandenrichedthrough
ongoingengagementwithIndigenouseducationalscholarshipandpractice.
Theword“Indigenous”isusedheretoreferinclusivelytoallpeoplewhomayselfidentifyasAboriginal,FirstNations,Métis,Inuit,Native,oranyothertermusedto
refertodescendantsofthefirstpeopletoinhabittheAmericasorotherpartsofthe
worldsubsequentlycolonizedbyothernations.
Likewise,thisdocumentshouldbeinterpretedinclusivelyinreferringtothe
diversityandcomplexityofIndigenouscontexts,identitiesandaspirations.SelfidentificationasanIndigenouspersondoesnotimplyadherencetoanyparticular
belieforpracticeorconformitytospecificculturalnorms.
Theprimaryresponsibilityforrealizationofthisvisionrestswithaknowledgeable
facultythatseekstoknowandunderstandtheongoingintergenerationalimpactof
Canada'soppressiveandcolonialpoliciesuponIndigenouspeople.This
commitmentunderliesallotherprinciplesandgoalsoutlinedinthisdocument.
Asalivingdocument,thisvisionisintendedtofosterthoughtfuldialogueand
practice.Itisopentoongoingdiscussion,interpretationandrevision.
TheGlobalContext
OnNovember12,2010,theGovernmentofCanadaformallyendorsedtheUnited
NationsDeclarationontheRightsofIndigenousPeoples,whichhadbeenadopted
bytheUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyinSeptember,2007.Whilenotlegally
binding,theDeclarationrepresentsanimportantguidingstatementonthe
aspirationsofIndigenouspeople,bothindividuallyandcollectively.Muchof
Declarationhasadirectorindirectbearingoneducation.Someoftherelevant
principlescanbesummarizedasfollows:
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Indigenouspeoplehavearighttotheirownknowledge,culture,language
andidentity,andtheirrevitalization;
Indigenouspeoplehavearighttomaintaintheintegrityoftheirownfamilies,
institutionsandcommunities,andtorespectfulrecognitionand
accommodationofthisintegrityinthecontents,processesandstructuresof
education;
Indigenouspeoplehavearighttoeducationthatrespectsandpromotes
Indigenouspeople’sownculturesandidentities,andthatdevelopsafairand
well-informedunderstandingofIndigenousissuesonthepartofthebroader
society;
Indigenouspeoplehavearighttoaffordableeducationinskillsand
capacitiesthatenhancethewellbeingofindividuals,familiesand
communities.
TheNationalContext
OnJune1,2010,membersoftheAssociationofCanadianDeansofEducation
(ACDE)signedanational“AccordonIndigenousEducation”.Centraltothis
documentisthevisionthat“Indigenousidentities,cultures,languages,values,ways
ofknowing,andknowledgesystemswillflourishinallCanadianlearningsettings.”
TheAccordarguesthat“thetimeisrightforconcertedandcooperativeeffortthat
createstransformationaleducationbyrejectingthe'statusquo,'movingbeyond
'closingthegap'discourse,andcontributingtothewell-beingofIndigenouspeoples
andtheircommunities."
TheSFUFacultyofEducationparticipatedinthedevelopmentoftheAccordandin
theoriginalsigning.TheAccordstipulatesthatsignatories“areexpectedtoaspireto
itsvision,principles,andgoalsintheireducationprogramsandresearchinitiatives.
SignatorieswillusethisAccordtoguideprogramreviewandtransformation,
workingcollaborativelytoprioritizetheeducationalpurposesandvaluesof
Indigenouscommunitiesandpeople."
TheAccordidentifiesmanyareasinwhichprogresscanbemade;thefollowingisa
summaryofthemainprioritiesitsetsoutforFacultiesofEducationacrossCanada.
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Buildingrespectfulandwelcominglearningenvironmentsthatinstillasenseof
belongingforalllearners,Indigenousandnon-Indigenous,andthataremore
accepting,respectful,welcoming,andsupportiveofIndigenouslearners.
Developingrespectfulandinclusivecurricula,withtheparticipationof
Indigenouswisdom-keepersandknowledgeholders,thatengagelearnersin
experiencingtheIndigenousworldandIndigenousknowledgeinawholistic
way.
Developingculturallyresponsivepedagogiesandsociallyjustassessment
practicesthroughimprovementsinthequalityofteachers’Indigenous
knowledge,understandingandteachingskills,integratedandmodeled
withinprofessional,undergraduateandgraduateprograms.
AcknowledgingthestudyofIndigenousknowledgeasascholarlyactivity;
appropriatelyvaluingIndigenousscholarship,teaching,serviceand
advocacy,includingthroughthetenureandpromotionprocess;recruiting,
mentoring,supportingandretainingIndigenousscholars;andconducting
academicprogramevaluationinwaysthatadequatelyaccountforthe
complexitiesofIndigenouseducation.
BuildingrelationshipsandpartnershipswithIndigenouslearners,families,and
communities,andbetweeneducationalinstitutionsandlocal,regional,and
nationalIndigenousgroups;involvingsuchgroupsindialogueanddecisionmakingoneducationalissues;andengaginginpublicadvocacyand
consciousness-raisingasawaytochallengeandovercomeinstitutionaland
systemicbarrierstoindigeneityineducation.
AffirmingtheimportanceandvitalityofIndigenouslanguages;recognizingthe
crisisinIndigenouslanguagesandsupportingAboriginalcommunitiesinthe
promotion,reclamation,restoration,revitalization,andteachingof
Indigenouslanguages.
Buildingcapacitybyimprovingaccess,support,andretentionofIndigenous
learnersatalllevelsofeducation;increasingsubstantiallythenumbersof
IndigenousgraduatesandIndigenouspeopleinleadershippositions;and
developing,extendingandsupportingIndigenousleadershipandscholarship
ineducation.
Makingindigeneityaccessibletonon-Indigenouslearners;providing
opportunitieswithinallteachereducationprogramsforcandidatesto
developawarenessandhaveauthenticexperiencesinavarietyofIndigenous
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learningsettings;andencouragingallstudents,teachercandidates,and
graduatestudentstoexploreandquestiontheirownunderstandingsofthe
historiesandlegaciesofIndigenous/non-IndigenousrelationsinCanada.
PartneringwithIndigenouscommunitiesatalllevelsinethicallybasedand
respectfulresearchprocesses,asameanstofosterthecreationandsharingof
researchknowledge,inwaysthatrespecttheintegrityandvaluesof
Indigenousepistemologies,culturesandlanguages;andcultivating
environmentsthatencouragetheuseofIndigenousepistemologiesand
methodologies,andrespectforIndigenousprotocolsandethics,in
conductingresearch.
TheFacultyContext
OurFacultyhasbeenengagedformanyyearswithprojectsinIndigenouseducation
thatcontributetosomeaspectsofthisvision.Sincethe1970swehaveoffered
Indigenousteachereducationprograms,sometimesincommunitiesandsometimes
intheLowerMainland.Aswell,wehaveparticipatedinIndigenouslanguage
teachereducation,graduateeducationforIndigenousstudentsandavarietyof
otherinitiatives.Currently,anumberofEducationfacultymembersindividuallyand
insmallgroupsareengaginginprogramminginIndigenouscommunitiesorfor
Indigenousstudents;areconductingresearchinandwithIndigenouscommunities;
andintendtocontributetotransformingthehistoricalinequitiesfacedineducation
byIndigenouspeople.
InlightoftheprinciplesandvisionarticulatedintheDeclarationandtheAccord,
ourFacultyiscommittedtoexpandinganddeepeningtheseeffortsthroughthe
dedicationoftime,carefulattention,andappropriateresources.Thisworkwillbe
facilitatedbyaCentreforIndigenousEducationlocatedintheFaculty,administered
byapaidCoordinator,withstudents,staff,facultyandcommunitymembers
involvedinitsdirectionandoperation.However,itshouldbenotedthattheintent
oftheCentrewillbetocatalyzechangeintheFacultyasawhole.
Thefollowingdiagramusestheconceptofthe“fourdirections,”whichanumberof
Indigenousculturesuseasaholisticthinkingtool,tochartthemostimportantareas
ofactivityfortheCentreforIndigenousEducation.
Fostering the integrity of indigenous
epistemologies, cultures and languages;
working for revitalization and restoration
Fostering indigenous
relationships and
partnerships at the
local, regional and
national levels:
working towards
new understandings
and shared decisionmaking
A central, visible location
for gathering, sharing, & inquiry
Fostering indigeneity
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in education:
Dedicated time, attention, staff,
working
to transbudget & infrastructure
form
pedagogy
and
•
curriculum
at
all
levels
Valued by and connected to
all parts of the Faculty
Fostering indigenous participation
and engagement: working to improve
access, support, retention, and the
development of scholarship and leadership
ThisFaculty-wideprocessisinturnfoundedontheprinciplessummarizedearlier,
fromtheUNDeclarationandtheDeans’accord,aswellasonspecificrelationships
andagreementswithIndigenouspeoplesandgroupsasthesituationcallsfor.This
foundationoftheworkoftheCentreforIndigenousEducationissummarizedinthe
followingdiagram:
international Indigenous
communities/organizations
Canadian Indigenous
communities/organizations
local Indigenous
community
land & ecology
SFU
local education
protocols/agreements
Deans’ Accord on Indigenous
education
UN Declaration on rights of
Indigenous peoples
ThesetwoimagesmaybebroughttogetherinabroaderpictureofhowtheCentre
forIndigenousEducationwillseektoensuretheintegrityandvalueofitswork,in
thefaceofideologicalandinstitutionalconstraints.
Embeddedness:
Intrinsic to
decision-making
Faculty governance
Coordinator
Students
Elders
(young/old)
Community
educators
Faculty
Organic process:
Working for
indigeneity
Staff
Foundation:
Principles and
relationships
Whilenodiagramcanadequatelycapturethemanylevelsofrelationship,content
andprocessentailedinthiskindofendeavour,thismayatleastindicatethenature
ofthework,whichspanscontextsfromthelocaltotheglobalandinvolvementfrom
theindividualtotheinstitutional.Itisavisionthatwillrecallongoing,consistent
commitmentfromtheFacultyinordertorealizeitsgoals.
(Workisunderwaytointegratethisvisionwithanimagespecifictoindigenous
culturesoftheSalishSea-FraserValleyregion,suchasawovencedarbasket.)