Please note: I am not an Indigenous Teacher. As an educator, I wish to be respectful and mindful of the First Peoples' knowledge, tradition, culture and territory as I share information with students. It is important that we present authentic Indigenous voices in our practice to create an accurate representation of their perspectives and worldviews.
I highly encourage that teachers seek out Authentic Indigenous knowledge and voices to share this knowledge. Many districts in BC have Helping Teachers who are able to assist with planning of lessons, or even to lead lessons for your class- please seek out those teachers. Please remember the reasons behind why you are wanting to share the knowledge, and remember that some knowledge is sacred and only share with permission and/or in certain situations.
Resources to check out!
In Our Own Words – Bringing Authentic First Peoples Content to the K-3 Classroom (2020) This document was developed to offer K-3 Teachers information and guidance on how to incorporate authentic First peoples materials into their instruction and assessment. Check out Unit 3: Stories of the Seasons (Kindergarten- Grade 1) to read about how the relationship to the seasons and seasonal cycles are foundational to many First Peoples.
Authentic First Peoples Resources for Use in K-9 Classrooms This fantastic resource has been curated by an Evaluation team of First Nations Educators to represent authentic voices and stories in the classroom. I will be checking out The Bannock Book, by Linda Ducharme, with support from Métis community members. AsI read this book, I will be able to connect it to family and healthy living.