Indigenous Pedagogy: Observing Practice Activity
Total Time: Approx. 60 minutes
Participants consider their understanding of the terms pedagogy and Indigenous pedagogy before viewing a 30-minute video on preservice students discussing Indigenous pedagogy. Participants use a placemat activity to brainstorm ways to incorporate Indigenous pedagogy into their classrooms.
The strategies in this activity can be adapted for Observing Practice activities in other topic areas. Word documents may be revised as needed.
Activity 1: What Is Indigenous Pedagogy?
Form groups of four or five participants to discuss these questions:
- What is your definition or understanding of pedagogy?
- How would you define Indigenous pedagogy?
Activity 2: View the Video Beyond Pedagogy of Fort
Overview of video: Dr. Dwayne Donald, Department of Secondary Education, University of Alberta, and four students from a spring session course on Indigenous curriculum and pedagogy meet in September. They discuss teaching and learning from Indigenous perspectives. (28:46)
Activity 3: Placemat Activity
Handout: Placemat Activity: Indigenous Pedagogy 
Ask participants to consider these statements from the video: “what you learn can’t be separated from the process” and “[you have to go] through it to learn it.” Suggest that participants describe at least one example from their own professional practice that relates to these statements.
Overview of placemat activity: This strategy provides an opportunity for individuals in a group to record their responses and ideas. Form groups of four and provide each group with a placemat and markers. Ask each group to record responses in the allotted space in the outside section, one person per section. Finally, each group decides collectively on the four most important responses and records them in the centre of the placemat.
Ask participants to brainstorm ways of incorporating Indigenous pedagogy into the classroom and record their ideas in the sections of the circle. After participants record their ideas, ask them to decide on the best ideas and record them in the centre. In a large group, share the ideas and attempt to identify the best ones if possible.
