All nine universities represented by ABDCE acknowledge and accept the 94 Calls to Action in the May 2015 National Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) report Honouring the Truth; Reconciling for the Future (pdf), particularly Calls to Action numbers 62 and 63, which emphasize roles and responsibilities for teacher education and educators.
Three key goals for ABCDE
- Increase recognition and deepen knowledge of Indigenous histories, cultures and languages throughout the K-12 curriculum in BC for the benefit of all learners
- Support the success of Indigenous learners throughout our educational systems
- To continue to work with educational partners to ensure that the proportion of Indigenous teachers reflects the proportion of Indigenous young people in the province
The value underpinning this work is the notion of nothing about us without us, and we recognize our responsibility to ensure that discussions and decisions about Indigenous education fully involve representatives of Indigenous communities.
If you’d like more information about our work in Indigenous Education and Teacher education, please contact us.
Indigenous Teacher Education Working Group
ABCDE formed the Indigenous Teacher Education Working Group following the 2006 Task Force on Aboriginal Teacher Education report.
Advisory activities
The working group advises ABCDE on:
- Action Plan items
- Next steps for increasing the number of Indigenous teachers in BC
- Enhancing teachers’ understandings of, and commitments to, Indigenous histories, learning styles, and value
Members
The working group is made up of representatives from:
- First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC)
- Indigenous Adult Higher Education Association (IAHLA)
- Individual Faculties of Education
- The BC Ministry of Advanced Education
- ABCDE Executive Director, ex-officio
- Work with local Elders, community members, and educational partners is a priority for both the working group and the association
Recent ABCDE initiatives
- Research to explore Faculty policies and practices regarding the significant priority of recruitment and retention of Indigenous students for the education profession funded by ABCDE and conducted by Dr. Jean-Paul Restoule, the Chair of the Indigenous Education Department in the University of Victoria Faculty of Education.
- In 2016 we funded a Symposium on Indigenous Education focused on the Recruitment and Retention of Indigenous students for teacher education. The Symposium hosted over 60 participants from Faculties, the BC Government and other education partner organizations, as well as guests from other provinces.
Other partnerships
ABCDE also has a number of other active partnerships where teacher preparation, professional development, and curriculum innovation concerned with Indigenous education are important elements, such as with the BC Public Schools Employers’ Association, the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training.
Resources
Aboriginal Teacher Education in British Columbia: A Plan for 2006-2011, Joanne Archibald & Lorna Williams
Old Ways Are the New Way Forward: How Indigenous pedagogy can benefit everyone (pdf), Jean-Paul Restoule & Chaw-win-is
Association of Canadian Deans of Education Accord on Indigenous Teacher Education