Activity 2.5 | Culturally Responsive Practices

Culturally Responsive Practices

Culturally responsive practices are essential in creating environments that honour and respect the unique identities and experiences of the children and families we work with. To truly embrace this, we need to go beyond surface-level representation and actively engage with the deeper connections between children, their communities, and the land they live on.

This begins by building our own understanding of the land's history, including the stories, traditions, and knowledge of the Indigenous Peoples who have cared for it for generations. Connecting children to place means fostering a sense of belonging and attachment to their surroundings. It's also about building relationships, with the community, with nature, and with one another. By helping children understand the interconnection between people and place, we encourage a sense of responsibility and care for their environment and community.

Representation is a crucial part of culturally responsive practices. Children should see their identities reflected in the materials, activities, and overall environment of the centre. This could include books, art, toys, and music that reflect the diversity of the children and families present, as well as those who are part of the wider community. Beyond physical representations, it’s about ensuring that children feel their voices, ideas, and experiences are valued and respected. Are their home languages acknowledged and celebrated? Are their family traditions and cultures integrated into the curriculum? Representation also includes creating space for children to express themselves in ways that honor their unique perspectives, ensuring their identities are not only reflected but also celebrated.

How might you lead educators to cultivate environments that are not just inclusive but actively affirming of the diverse identities and histories that children bring with them?

What does it feel like to be a part of a community that fosters a sense of belonging and connection, helping children to see themselves as valued members of their community and stewards of the land they inhabit?

Taking Action

First, explore the provided resources, and consider how you might share these with groups of Educators in your setting: 

1. Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action

2. Indigenous Early Learning and Childcare Framework

First Peoples: Principles of Learning and Language Revitalization

Language Revitalization

"When we learn Indigenous languages, it's a way of saying, 'We recognize that you're here, we respect you, we think your languages are important and so are you. And we want to work together to change things.”

- Sara McDowell

Sara McDowell addressed how non-Indigenous people can best support First Nations language revitalization in her master's thesis at the University of Toronto (2024). 

Read the following two articles: (1) "They're not Indigenous — but they're learning Indigenous languages | CBC Radio", and (2) 'Our language is still here': Revitalizing Indigenous languages in the North | CBC News to consider this more deeply. 

References

CBC News. (2021, September 24). 'Our language is still here': Revitalizing Indigenous languages in the North. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/indigenous-language-revitalization-north-1.6185911

CBC Radio. (2021, September 24). They're not Indigenous — but they're learning Indigenous languages. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/they-re-not-indigenous-but-they-re-learning-indigenous-languages-1.6185911

First Nations Education Steering Committee. (n.d.). First Peoples Principles of Learning. https://www.fnesc.ca/first-peoples-principles-of-learning/

Reflect

After engaging in the activities in this section, take time to reflect: 

• How will you implement the First  Peoples Principles of Learning into practice in your context?