"All of our Responsibility": Instructor Experiences in the Teaching of Required Indigenous Education Coursework

Abstract

This study explores the personal and professional experiences of a small group of in­structors teaching a newly required concentrated course on Indigenous education ina teacher education program at a university in Western Canada. Interviews with threenon-lndigenous and four Indigenous teacher educators focused on the experiences,challenges, and successes of planning and teaching this required course. The findingsreveal the ways in which these teacher educators contemplate the legitimacy of theirown lived experience and identities in their teaching of Indigenous content, perspec­tives, and pedagogies. Furthermore, they reveal effective teaching strategies with pre­service teachers tlmt include connecting with the Aboriginal community and learningfrom place, As teacher education reform is guided by a commitment to Indigenous ed­ucation, there is much to learn from the ways teacher educators are taking up, chal­lenging, and transforming institutional practices that advance Indigenous educationin mainstream institutions.