Indigenous Education – We Walk the Path Together
Staff and students demonstrate commitment to Truth and Reconciliation by learning about the impacts of colonization, collaborating with First Nation, Métis, and Inuit community and partners, and utilizing holistic approaches to student success. By engaging staff, students, and families in deepening their learning about residential schools, Treaties, as well as the ongoing contributions of Indigenous knowledge, culture, and perspective, DCDSB prioritizes Indigenous Education across the system. By learning as action for social change, educators are guided by Ontario curriculum and three foundational documents:
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action
- Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit Calls for Justice
- United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
Goals and Strategies
- Increase well-being and achievement for First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students through direct support for students through Indigenous Grad Coach program
- Amplify Indigenous student voice through increasing engagement in Elementary and Secondary Indigenous Student Circles
- Continue community building and celebration of Indigenous student success and monitor any changes in family engagement
- Increase capacity in educators to make curriculum connections in Language, Social Studies, and Canada World Studies (English/French streams)
- Build capacity board-wide, starting with a deeper understanding of Land as teacher and ideas of relationship. (Prepare the Soil)
- Provide staff learning in Indigenous-centred trauma informed approaches to increase a culture of safety
- Promote understanding with staff, students, and families of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQ+ (MMIWG2S) Calls for Justice, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
- Provide intentional professional learning for staff guided by authentic voice and resources with explicit curriculum connections
- Build staff capacity to teach Indigenous StoryWork in Grades 4 to 9 Language/English curriculum using authentic texts
- Nurture and sustain engagement and collaboration with community partners visiting schools by developing a Knowledge Keeper protocol
- Promote and share land-based learning opportunities for all students
- Build staff capacity in learning holistic approaches to Indigenous Education