Indigenous learning
Karen Beazley
Green candidate in your districtCollaborations for learning begin with our treaty obligations on shared Mi’kmaw territory. Our educational policies and practices must recognize and honour Indigenous ecological knowledge and agreements for sharing as expressed in Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.
I and the Green Party express our gratitude to the Mi’kmaq for sharing their understanding of msit no’kmaq, the interconnectedness of all things. We will strive to emphasize this concept through inclusive learning, integrated curriculum, and safe, respectful, healthy, and sustainable indoor and outdoor learning environments.
Green MLAs will collaborate with other MLAs and Nova Scotians to:
- Support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action for education in consultation with survivors, Indigenous peoples, and educators by:
- Developing age-appropriate curriculum for grade primary to grade 12 students on residential “schools,” Treaties, and Indigenous people’s historical and contemporary contributions to Canada,
- Providing the necessary funding to postsecondary institutions to educate teachers on how to integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into classrooms,
- Providing the necessary funding to First Nations schools to utilize Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods in classrooms,
- Providing an education on comparative religious studies, including a segment on Indigenous spiritual beliefs and practices developed in collaboration with Elders.
- Aim to rebuild our educational system by participating in community-based consultative processes for decision-making that include Mi’kmaq, African Nova Scotian communities, Acadian, 2SLGBTQQIA+, disabled, and newcomer communities, early childhood educators, teachers, school staff, and representative unions, parents, students, and community members.
- Introduce targeted training and programmes related to respect for diversity, anti-oppression, and anti-racism.
- Develop a whole school approach that introduces environmental studies and climate action as an integrated and cross-curricular subject at all grade levels, from primary to 12, in partnership with Mi’kmaw communities and in consultation with school-based and community groups.