TRC Calls to Action

TRC Calls to Action

“We call on the federal government to draft new Aboriginal education legislation with the full participation and informed consent of Aboriginal peoples. The new legislation would include a commitment to sufficient funding and would incorporate the following principles: … Developing culturally appropriate curricula.” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada [TRCC], 2015). This 10th point of the TRC Calls to Action, specifically the 3rd subsection, states that we as educators will develop culturally appropriate curricula. I firmly believe that this is achievable as well as vital to the success of ourselves as teachers and our students. I recognize that this is a long term goal, and will not be immediately achievable. That being said, I think that the first step toward a culturally inspired, sensitive curriculum is that all educators make an effort. Finding ways to tie in local culture, local teachings, and ways of knowing may be a challenge, but it is entirely possible. The big ideas in the Grade 3 social studies are all indigenously focused, in a very direct way. This is the ideal that we can strive toward. Obviously not every subject can be entirely indigenized, but even if we could strive to have ONE, of the 3-5 big ideas to be directly indigenized, that would be an excellent first step towards culturally appropriate curricula. The most vital part of this process is to begin now, to incorporate indigenous content into every subject. Social studies was an easy example, but indigenous content does not end there. Indigenous content can be tied to science, math or English language arts as well. This simply takes effort on the part of the teacher, in order to inspire understanding and want for knowledge on the part of the student.