Abstracts
Abstract
This study traces the learning journey of primarily non-Indigenous educators who challenged the legacy of colonization in schools, and worked to decolonize their practice, through their participation in a specialized graduate cohort. Drawing upon sharing circle conversations, we highlight themes that emerged from our research. Educators reported their sense of agency to transform and change their practice increased with the support of a critical and caring learning community. In nourishing their learning spirits, educators were able to begin to decolonize education, an ongoing challenge that requires valuing Indigenous people, languages, and land, and building inter-cultural understanding. This study is an example of how graduate programming can begin to address the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Keywords:
- decolonization,
- calls to action,
- truth and reconciliation,
- graduate studies,
- Indigenous curriculum,
- social justice,
- décolonisation,
- appels à l’action,
- vérité et réconciliation,
- cycles supérieurs,
- programmes autochtones,
- justice sociale
Résumé
Ce projet de recherche explore le parcours d’apprentissage vécu par un groupe d’enseignants majoritairement non-autochtones. Cheminant au sein d’une cohorte spécialisée à la maîtrise, ceux-ci ont remis en question l’héritage colonial du milieu scolaire et ont travaillé à décoloniser leur pratique. Nous mettons ici en lumière les thèmes qui ont émergé au cours de notre recherche, en se basant sur des discussions tenues dans des cercles de partage. Les participants ont souligné que le sentiment de pouvoir transformer et changer leur pratique a augmenté avec le soutien d’une communauté critique et bienveillante. Attentifs à leur volonté d’apprendre, les enseignants ont été en mesure d’amorcer la décolonisation de l’éducation, un défi constant qui nécessite la valorisation du peuple autochtone, de ses langues et terres et le développement d’une compréhension interculturelle. Ce projet de recherche est un exemple de la manière dont les programmes de deuxième cycle peuvent commencer à répondre aux appels à l’action présentés par la Commission de vérité et réconciliation.
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Appendices
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