21st Century Learning: Incorporating Decolonized Pedagogy into my Teaching Practices

I am really fortunate that for this weeks task, I had the opportunity to read academic articles related to indigenous perspectives and the importance of using decolonizing methods in the classroom. Over the several weeks, writing this blog has given me the opportunity reflect on my current teaching practices as well as explore how I can adapt my teaching practices to meet the needs of learners. The two articles I read reiterated the significance that decolonizing pedagogy gives in education to both indigenous and non-indigenous students.  One major take away I took from both readings was the impact our education system has on indigenous learners. When students do not see their culture represented in the education system, it hinders their self-esteem and overall well-being. As our current education system has been greatly influenced by other eduction systems solely in the United States and Europe, the majority of learners who will thrive from current teaching pedagogies ar...

  FSL Curriculum: As students learn to communicate in a new language, it is important they are given opportunities to communicate in practical and meaningful context. As mentioned below, the goals of the Ontario French curriculum coincide with the goals of land-based learning: to allow students to make real-world connections, emphasis on critical and creative thinking, goal setting and reflecting as well as developing commination skills.  "The FSL curriculum strives, ultimately, to foster an interest in language learning that continues not only during a student’s time in school but later in life. The FSL curriculum is therefore founded on seven fundamental concepts, or “enduring ideas”, which focus, from Grade 1 to Grade 12, on the development of skills that are also necessary as a basis for lifelong language learning."                -Ministry of Education, 2014 Incorporating land-based learning into French courses gives students t...