Potlatch as Pedagogy

Potlatch as Pedagogy
Author: Sara Florence Davidson
Publisher: Portage & Main Press
Total Pages: 98
Release: 2018-10-19
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1553797752

In 1884, the Canadian government enacted a ban on the potlatch, the foundational ceremony of the Haida people. The tradition, which determined social structure, transmitted cultural knowledge, and redistributed wealth, was seen as a cultural impediment to the government’s aim of assimilation. The tradition did not die, however; the knowledge of the ceremony was kept alive by the Elders through other events until the ban was lifted. In 1969, a potlatch was held. The occasion: the raising of a totem pole carved by Robert Davidson, the first the community had seen in close to 80 years. From then on, the community publicly reclaimed, from the Elders who remained to share it, the knowledge that has almost been lost. Sara Florence Davidson, Robert’s daughter, would become an educator. Over the course of her own education, she came to see how the traditions of the Haida practiced by her father—holistic, built on relationships, practical, and continuous—could be integrated into contemporary educational practices. From this realization came the roots for this book.

Indigenous Storywork

Indigenous Storywork
Author: Jo-Ann Archibald
Publisher: UBC Press
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2008-06-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0774858176

Indigenous oral narratives are an important source for, and component of, Coast Salish knowledge systems. Stories are not only to be recounted and passed down; they are also intended as tools for teaching. Jo-ann Archibald worked closely with Elders and storytellers, who shared both traditional and personal life-experience stories, in order to develop ways of bringing storytelling into educational contexts. Indigenous Storywork is the result of this research and it demonstrates how stories have the power to educate and heal the heart, mind, body, and spirit. It builds on the seven principles of respect, responsibility, reciprocity, reverence, holism, interrelatedness, and synergy that form a framework for understanding the characteristics of stories, appreciating the process of storytelling, establishing a receptive learning context, and engaging in holistic meaning-making.

Learning to Carve Argillite

Learning to Carve Argillite
Author: Sara Florence Davidson
Publisher: Portage & Main Press
Total Pages: 32
Release: 2021-11-15
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1553799852

Based on Haida artist Robert Davidson's own childhood experiences, this beautiful story highlights learning through observation, as well as the role of Elders in sharing knowledge and mentorship. Learning to carve is a lifelong journey. With the help of his father and grandfather, a boy on Haida Gwaii practises to become a skillful carver. As he carefully works on a new piece, he remembers a trip to Slatechuck Mountain to gather the argillite, as well as his father’s words about the importance of looking back to help us find our way. Written by the creators of Potlatch as Pedagogy, this book brings the Sk'ad'a Principles to life through the art of Janine Gibbons.

Jigging for Halibut With Tsinii

Jigging for Halibut With Tsinii
Author: Sara Florence Davidson
Publisher: Portage & Main Press
Total Pages: 40
Release: 2021-11-15
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1553799836

Based on Haida artist Robert Davidson's own experiences with Tsinii (his grandfather), this tender story highlights intergenerational knowledge and authentic learning experiences. Off the northern tip of Haida Gwaii, a boy goes fishing with Tsinii, his grandfather. As they watch the weather, jig for halibut, and row with the tides, the boy realizes there’s more to learn from Tsinii than how to catch a fish. Written by the creators of Potlatch as Pedagogy, this book brings the Sk'ad'a Principles to life through the art of Janine Gibbons.

Class in Culture

Class in Culture
Author: Teresa L. Ebert
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 244
Release: 2015-12-03
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1317262298

"A gem of a book. Its topics are timely and provocative for cultural studies, sociology, English, literary theory, and education classes. The authors are brilliant thinkers and clear, penetrating writers." -Peter McLaren, UCLA, author of Capitalists and Conquerors: A Critical Pedagogy Against Empire Class in Culture demonstrates the power of moving beyond cultural politics to a deeper class critique of contemporary life. Making a persuasive case for class as the material logic of culture, the book is written in a double register of short critiques of life practices-from food and education to race, stem-cell research, and abortion-as well as sustained critiques of such theoretical discourses as ideology, consumption, globalization, and 9/11. Surpassing the orthodoxies of cultural studies, Class in Culture makes surprising connections among seemingly unrelated cultural events and practices and offers a groundbreaking and complex understanding of the contemporary world.

Teaching to Diversity

Teaching to Diversity
Author: Jennifer Katz
Publisher: Portage & Main Press
Total Pages: 233
Release: 2012
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1553793536

In Teaching to Diversity, Dr. Jennifer Katz synthesizes the research, and 16 years experience of teaching in inclusive classrooms and schools, to provide answers to several questions: How do I make inclusion work for ALL students? What are the foundational best practices of a truly inclusive learning community? How does one create such a community? The author pulls together, in an organized way, a three-block model of universal design for learning (UDL) and suggests a step-by-step approach for implementing it. This framework includes: Block One, Social and Emotional Learning details ways to build compassionate learning communities (K-12) in which all students feel safe and valued, and develop a positive self-concept, sense of belonging, and respect for diverse others. Block Two, Inclusive Instructional Practice includes a framework for planning units from K-12, and explains instructional and management practices for teaching, assessing, grading, and reporting in UDL Classrooms. Block Three, Systems and Structures suggests strategies for creating inclusive learning communities, and explores ways in which resource teachers, student services personnel, and school administrators can support and create socially and academically inclusive schools and classrooms. The three-block model of UDL can empower educators with the knowledge, skills, and confidence required to teach diverse learners in the same classroom--including those who have previously been excluded. Ultimately, it is about creating classrooms and schools that heal by teaching to the heart, mind, and spirit of every student.

Decolonizing Research

Decolonizing Research
Author: Jo-ann Archibald Q’um Q’um Xiiem
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2019-05-15
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1786994623

From Oceania to North America, indigenous peoples have created storytelling traditions of incredible depth and diversity. The term 'indigenous storywork' has come to encompass the sheer breadth of ways in which indigenous storytelling serves as a historical record, as a form of teaching and learning, and as an expression of indigenous culture and identity. But such traditions have too often been relegated to the realm of myth and legend, recorded as fragmented distortions, or erased altogether. Decolonizing Research brings together indigenous researchers and activists from Canada, Australia and New Zealand to assert the unique value of indigenous storywork as a focus of research, and to develop methodologies that rectify the colonial attitudes inherent in much past and current scholarship. By bringing together their own indigenous perspectives, and by treating indigenous storywork on its own terms, the contributors illuminate valuable new avenues for research, and show how such reworked scholarship can contribute to the movement for indigenous rights and self-determination.

Dancing With Our Ancestors

Dancing With Our Ancestors
Author: Sara Florence Davidson
Publisher: Portage & Main Press
Total Pages: 40
Release: 2022-10-06
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1774920255

In this tender picture book, Sara Florence Davidson transports readers to the excitement of a potlatch in Hydaburg, Alaska—her last memory of dancing with her late brother. It feels like my brother and I have always known how to sing the songs and dance the dances of our Haida ancestors. Unlike our father, we were born after the laws that banned our cultural practices were changed. The potlatch ban did not exist during our time, so we grew up dancing and singing side by side. The invitations have been sent. The food has been prepared. The decorations have been hung. And now the day of the potlatch has finally arrived! Guests from all over come to witness this bittersweet but joyful celebration of Haida culture and community. Written by the creators of Potlatch as Pedagogy, this book brings the Sk'ad'a Principles to life through the art of Janine Gibbons.

Is Everyone Really Equal?

Is Everyone Really Equal?
Author: Ozlem Sensoy
Publisher: Teachers College Press
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2017
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0807776173

This is the new edition of the award-winning guide to social justice education. Based on the authors’ extensive experience in a range of settings in the United States and Canada, the book addresses the most common stumbling blocks to understanding social justice. This comprehensive resource includes new features such as a chapter on intersectionality and classism; discussion of contemporary activism (Black Lives Matter, Occupy, and Idle No More); material on White Settler societies and colonialism; pedagogical supports related to “common social patterns” and “vocabulary to practice using”; and extensive updates throughout. Accessible to students from high school through graduate school, Is Everyone Really Equal? is a detailed and engaging textbook and professional development resource presenting the key concepts in social justice education. The text includes many user-friendly features, examples, and vignettes to not just define but illustrate the concepts. “Sensoy and DiAngelo masterfully unpack complex concepts in a highly readable and engaging fashion for readers ranging from preservice through experienced classroom teachers. The authors treat readers as intelligent thinkers who are capable of deep reflection and ethical action. I love their comprehensive development of a critical social justice framework, and their blend of conversation, clarity, and research. I heartily recommend this book!” —Christine Sleeter, professor emerita, California State University Monterey Bay

Resurgence

Resurgence
Author: KC Adams
Publisher: Portage & Main Press
Total Pages: 170
Release: 2022-05-27
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1774920018

★ Starred selection for CCBC's Best Books Ideal for Teachers 2023! Resurgence is an inspiring collection of contemporary Indigenous poetry, art, and narratives that guides K–12 educators in bridging existing curricula with Indigenous voices and pedagogies. In this first book in the Footbridge Series, we invite you to walk with us as we seek to: connect peoples and places link truth and reconciliation as ongoing processes symbolize the risk and urgency of this work for both Indigenous and settler educators engage tensions highlight the importance of balance, both of ideas and within ourselves Through critical engagement with each contributor’s work, experienced educators Christine M’Lot and Katya Adamov Ferguson support readers in connecting with Indigenous narratives and perspectives, bringing Indigenous works into the classroom, and creating more equitable and sustainable teaching practices. In this resource, you will find: diverse Indigenous voices, perspectives, and art forms from a variety of nations and locations valuable concepts and methods that can be applied to the classroom and beyond practical action steps and resources for educators, parents, librarians, and administrators Use this book as a springboard for your own learning journey or as a lively prompt for dialogue within your professional learning community.