First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Foundational Knowledge: A Case Study of Supervision in Teacher Education

• In Event: Dismantling Racist and Oppressive Systems in Teacher Education for a Multiracial Democracy

Abstract

In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s calls to action and the revised Alberta Teaching Quality Standard, this research asks the question: In what ways does the dynamic of the supervision triad support or inhibit the achievement of competency #5, which is the application of foundational knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit? This paper reports on the findings of a case study which includes interviews with 30 participants (student teachers, teacher associates, and university supervisors) during a field-based practicum. Three conclusions have been identified, including a foundational knowledge gap for all members of the triad, the problematic centering of the student teacher as expert, and finally the necessity for continuity between the field and the university.

Authors

• Dawn Burleigh, University of Lethbridge

• Greg Ogilvie, The University of Lethbridge