August

Decolonize/Indigenize Your Classroom

 

“Decolonize” suggests taking things out; “indigenize” asks us to think about what to include. Curriculum planning begins with how you organize and decorate your classroom and continues to curriculum planning. For all ages, the classroom needs to be a safe and inclusive environment. Familiar toys, games, books, and activities can perpetuate negative stereotypes about Native Americans that are especially damaging to the self-esteem of Indigenous students. For older students, working with primary sources will develop critical thinking skills and help them to decode problematic secondary texts. We include a selection of primary sources and some examples of how they can be used productively.

Primary sources websites

Curriculum planning: