Editorial: Indigenous Teacher Education and Teacher Education for Indigenous Education

Abstract

National studies and policy statements continue to recommend an increase to the numbers of Indigenous teachers, establishment of Indigenous teacher education programs, and preparation of non-Indigenous teachers to address Indigenous education in more effective ways, through instruc­tion and parental/community engagement, according to the 1972 IndianControl of Indian Education: Policy Paper (National Indian Brotherhood), the 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (Minister of Supply and Serv­ices); and the 2010 Accord on Indigenous Education (Association of Canadian Deans of Education).Over the past 40 years and more, Indigenous teacher education pro­grams have been established in universities across Canada but very little exists in the literature about these important programs and their innovations, challenges, and impact. Teacher education programs have begun to include required Indigenous education courses for all teacher candidates and new courses or approaches about Indigenous education based on Indigenous knowledge systems. We need to know more about how these courses are being received and what impact they have on teacher candidates.