Indigenous primary school teachers’ reflections of cultural pedagogy - developing positive social skills and increased student self-awareness in the modern day classroom

Abstract

ABSTRACT School classrooms worldwide consist of a diversity of cultures. Teachers in these classrooms play key roles in the preparation of students not only in terms of their academic and career readiness, but also in their understanding of how to socially navigate communities. In remote areas where communities rely on their culture and social norms to guide behaviours to sustain a flourishing culture and community, non-academic life skills become part of the focus of teaching. This paper shares a portion of research investigating cultural self-perceptions of both Canadian Indigenous primary school students and their teachers. These Indigenous educators in remote communities reveal culture’s important role in teaching that impacts children’s social development. The data provides a perspective rarely investigated that shares the practices of these Indigenous teachers. Their cultural and societal expectations lead to encouraging other teachers in various global contexts to reflect on their own teaching practices, cultural identities, and non-academic life skill pedagogies.