Visual Essay

Jenifer Hampton: 30086608

(Hampton, 2022)
The image above captures my current understanding of indigenous education. Beneath

the surface water, you can see tiny rocks and pebbles resting on the bottom floor. They don’t rise

to the surface or move around very much. This aspect of the image symbolizes the past education

system and practices. Even though practices such as residential schools are closed, the

underlying effect of the Western view is still prominent. For instance, the education system sets

up a curriculum where all students are expected to become experts in the same factual domains

(Simpson, 2014). It doesn’t value diversity. Rather, the education system values things that are

measurable and technical. Even though the past doesn’t align with my values, I cannot ignore the

fact that it will influence my teaching.

The small fish swimming in the lake represents the students that come into my classroom.

These students come from a variety of experiences and beliefs (Little Bear, 2000, p.85). Students

who live in places such as reserves, remote areas, and urban settings all interpret their world
differently. Many are left with “jagged worldviews” about what to believe (Little Bear, 2000, p.

85). Additionally, as represented in the film, Indian Horse (Campanelli, 2017), many students

may be exposed to traumatic events. There is a high possibility that my future students may be

victims of generational trauma. I personally believe that you cannot teach a child if you don’t

consider their social, emotional, and personal well-being (Battiste, 2013). You must consider

their lived experiences, otherwise known as lived curriculum, and integrate it within the

classroom. To me, learning should not be forced or coercive (Simpson, 2014). I hope to provide

students with a space where they can connect their culture to the content in the classroom.

The runoff of water from the mountains to the concave ground embodies the indigenous

practices and information that will be presented in my classroom. As the seasons cycle, the water

is not at a constant. To introduce components of indigenous education into my classroom, I must

ensure that it is purposeful and done in a respectful manner. This may lead to slowing down in

some parts to fully immerse yourself in the conversation. This is critical “for all students to

develop a knowledge and understanding of, and respect for, the histories, cultures, languages,

contributions, perspectives, experiences and contemporary contexts of First Nations, Métis and

Inuit” (Alberta Education, 2018, p.7).

Specifically, I will adopt Poitras et al.’s (2018) framework for decolonizing my

classroom. First, I will acknowledge the effects of colonialism. I will accomplish this by

discussing the effects of residential schools as well as the pass system that was used. This will

open conversations about how the past affects the present time. My classroom will be a safe

space for discussion. This will lead to the second principal, approaching education with an anti-

racist approach (Poitras et al., 2018, p.22). Racism in the classroom will not be tolerated. Third,

my attitude towards blending indigenous knowledge and traditions into the western curriculum
will be positive and hold value. I intend on including resources that accurately represent non-

dominant people. This requires me to actively search for new materials and reflect on how it may

be interpreted.

In my field experience, my partner teacher scaffolded an activity called sit spots. This

entailed the students having a conversation about indigenous perspectives about the land.

Afterwards, the class would go outside to a hill. They were encouraged to find a spot that spoke

to them. Once they picked a spot, they would sit down and look at their surroundings. Then they

began to draw what they saw in their visual journal. Not only did they draw what they saw, but

they documented using their other senses too. They were encouraged to listen to the wind and

draw what they believed it would look like. This activity was truly inspiring. I plan to integrate a

similar activity into my classroom. During my specialization class this semester, oral storytelling

is described as a large component of building literacy. A child learns to speak before they learn

to read. Little Bear (2000) further emphasizes the importance of storytelling throughout

education. Storytelling is a vital process for one generation to pass on culture and information to

the next generation (Battiste, 2013). In my classroom practice, storytelling will play a key role.

The surrounding trees of the lake are supporters of education, including parents, staff, and

administrators. As Little Bear (2000) states, there is high value in wholeness, a forest rather than

a singular tree. This belief is very meaningful to me. As a society, we get very wrapped up in

ourselves. We tend to focus on what we need as individuals to be successful. This can lead to

selfish behavior that supports the creation and maintenance of inequalities. DiAngelo and

Sensoy’s (2014, p.15) claim that “there is no neutral ground with inequality. This really has

opened my eyes. Discussing discrimination and white privilege has always been an

uncomfortable topic for me. In the past, I would have remained silent and tried to not hurt
anyone’s feelings with conversation. However, racism and systematic oppression is a problem. It

is not a problem of me versus you, but rather, us versus the problem. To decolonize my

classroom, it is critical for educators, staff, administrators, and parents to aid in the development

of “whole school approaches to capacity building in First Nations, Métis and Inuit education”

(Alberta Education, 2018 p. 7).

The overarching theme of the above image presents my understanding of indigenous

education as continually growing as I go through the class content. Every component of the

image lives harmoniously. In my future practice, I intend on continuing to advance my

knowledge. Modeling life-long learning will encourage my students to be innovative,

collaborative, and empathetic individuals. By blending indigenous ways of knowing with

components of the curriculum, I hope all students feel welcome to learn and participate in the

cultures of the world.

Alberta Education. (2018). Teaching Quality Standard.

https://open.alberta.ca/publications/teaching-quality-standard-2020

Battiste, M. (2013). Chapter 10: Possibilities of Educational Transformations. In Decolonizing

Education: Nourishing the Learning Spirit. Purich. https://ebookcentral-proquest- c

om.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/lib/ucalgary- ebooks/reader.action?

Campanelli, S. (Director). Indian Horse [Film]. (2017). Devonshire Productions. https://media3-

criterionpic- com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/htbin/wwform/006?t=110015E

DiAngelo, R. & Sensoy, O. (2014). Leaning in: A student’s guide to engaging constructively

with social justice content. Radical Pedagogy, 11(1), 1-15.

http://ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/logi n.aspx?

direct=true&db=ehh&AN=94334248&site=ehost-live

Hampton, J. (2022). Picklejar lakes.

Little Bear, L. (2000). Jagged worldviews colliding. In M. Battiste (Ed.), Reclaiming Indigenous

voice and vision, (pp. 77-85). UBC Press. https://www-deslibris-

ca.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/ID/404356

Simpson, L. (2014). Land as pedagogy: Nishnaabeg intelligence and rebellious transformation.

Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 3(3), 1-25.

https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/des/article/view/22170
Poitras Pratt, Y., Louie, D.W., Hanson, A.J., & Ottmann, J. (2018). Indigenous education and

decolonization. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford University Press.

doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.240