image: Two-Face Transformation Mask Gagiid by Reg Davidson. photo: Joanne Yovanovich
Join our 4-part webinar series where leading scholars and educators explore strategies for centering Indigenous pedagogies in mathematics education. Sessions will focus on classroom teachers sharing examples, ideas, and questions on various Indigenous pedagogies such as Indigenous Storywork, teaching mathematics with/from place and land, and culturally responsive mathematics education and assessment practices.
Session Recordings:
Session 1 – November 7, 2023
Mathematical Moments of Becoming Indigenous Storywork Ready
Session 2 – January 23, 2024
The Power of Teaching and Learning Mathematics through Land and Place
Session 3 – February 27, 2024
Culturally Responsive Mathematics Education across Contexts
Session 4 – April 9, 2024
Oral and Experiential Stories as Indigenous Pedagogies for Mathematical Flourishing
Meet the Presenters:
Dr. Cynthia Nicol
Dr. Cynthia Nicol is a Professor in the Faculty of Education and holds the David F. Robitaille Professorship in Mathematics and Science Education. She lived and taught on Haida Gwaii in B.C.’s Pacific Northwest coast before moving to Vancouver to pursue her doctoral studies. With teachers and communities, she explores new ways of making mathematics responsive to all learners by connecting Indigenous community, culture, and mathematics; emphasizing place and community-based education; re-imagining mathematics education through social and ecological justice issues; and challenging human-centric conceptions of place and STEM education. A current project involves working with teachers, community members, and Elders to explore the nature of culturally responsive pedagogies (CRP)-approaches to teaching that build upon students’ cultural and community experiences and histories.
Dr. Jo-ann Archibald
Dr. Jo-ann Archibald Q’um Q’um Xiiem, is a member of the Stó:lō First Nation and has kinship in St’at’imc First Nation in British Columbia, Canada. Over a 45-year educational career, Q’um Q’um Xiiem has served as a school teacher, curriculum developer, researcher, author, university leader and professor. She is Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Education, University of British Columba (UBC) where she has held the leadership positions of Director of the First Nations House of Learning, Associate Dean for Indigenous Education, and Director of UBC’s Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP). Q’um Q’um Xiiem’s scholarship relates to Indigenous knowledge systems, storywork/oral tradition, transformative education at all levels, Indigenous educational history, teacher and graduate education, and Indigenous methodologies.
Janice Novakowski
Janice Novakowski, a math consultant for the Richmond School District, is a non-Indigenous educator committed to learning about Indigenous worldviews, perspectives, knowledge, and culture. Janice sat on the Ministry’s mathematics curriculum development team and so has insight into ways to embed Indigenous ways of knowing into mathematics teaching and learning. She explains, “they were very intentional to not include Indigenous culture in the content learning standards . . . because culture is localized.” Therefore, any particular Indigenous cultural content may not be applicable to all Nations, communities, or geographical areas. “Instead, those Indigenous worldviews and perspectives and knowledge are embedded in the curricular competencies.”
Dr. Leyton Schnellert
Dr. Leyton Schnellert is an Associate Professor in UBC’s Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy and Eleanor Rix Professor of Rural Teacher Education. His scholarship attends to how teachers and teaching and learners and learning can mindfully embrace student diversity and inclusive education. Dr. Schnellert is the Pedagogy and Participation research cluster lead in UBC’s Institute for Community Engaged Research (ICER) and co-chair of BC’s Rural Education Advisory. His community-based collaborative work contributes a counterargument to top-down approaches that operate from deficit models, instead drawing from communities’ funds of knowledge to build participatory, place-conscious, and culturally responsive practices. Dr. Schnellert has been a middle and secondary school classroom teacher and a learning resource teacher K-12.
Rob Cowie
Rob Cowie is an Indigenous Resource Teacher for the SD43 district. He was a classroom teacher 18 years and has been at the district level for 12 years helping educators connect curriculum with Indigenous content and ways of being.
Megan H.
Megan H. is from the Métis Nation. She works as an Indigenous Enhancement Teacher in the Vancouver School District on the territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). She is a mentor for the 2023-2024 Indigenous community-culture-math education (ICCME) mentorship group with UBC’s Indigenous Mathematics Network.
Christina Reis
Christina Reis is the Coordinator of Educational Technology at Meadowridge School (Maple Ridge, BC) and an adjunct instructor for the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy at UBC. Her classroom experiences include teaching IB MYP Mathematics, Science, and DP Biology. In her spare time, Christina enjoys exploring local trails with her dog, Jax and is an avid coach of both school and club volleyball teams.
Courtney Fox
Courtney is an Indigenous educator from the Blood Reserve in Alberta. Courtney works on Tsuut’ina Nation Chief Big Belly Middle School and recognizes the importance of understanding and addressing social issues with sensitivity to the historical context and ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous communities. Courtney teaches Grades 7 and 8 math and leadership. Courtney has a passion for helping students find their love for mathematics through practical life and real-world challenges and opportunities.
Tamara Shand
Tamara Shand was born and lives on the ancestral and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples and is privileged to be able to continue to do so. Her ancestors hail from India, England, West Africa and China all via the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago. As a former journalist Tamara is deeply interested in language and story and their connection to human nature. Tamara teaches grade 1/2 French Immersion at Strathcona Elementary, in Vancouver BC.
Billy Yovanovich
Artist William (Billy) NC Yovanovich Jr.––whose Haida name is Kuuhlanuu––is a member of the Ts’aahl Eagle Clan of Skidegate, Haida Gwaii. Billy is an accomplished young artist who has studied Haida art under world renown Haida artists Robert Davidson, the late Ben Davidson, and Master Carvers Tim Boyko and Garner Moody. Inspiration for Billy’s Haida designs come from Haida legends, stories, and supernatural beings. Billy’s work is recognized and displayed in many museums and galleries, and communities, throughout Haida Gwaii and the province.
Joanne Yovanovich
Joanne Yovanovich was born and raised in the Ts’aahl Eagle Clan of Skidegate on Haida Gwaii, Her Haida name is Taanud Jaad. Joanne began as a full Day Kindergarten teacher and Vice Principal before becoming Principal of Sk’aadgaa Naay Elementary School. Currently she holds the position of Principal of Indigenous Education in Haida Gwaii School District. Joanne is committed to supporting all students on Haida Gwaii and believes that culturally responsive education is a key to student success.
Sandra Fox
Sandra lives and works on the unceded, traditional and ancestral territories the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) nations. She works for the Vancouver School Board (SD39) as a District Curriculum Support Teacher for K-7 with a math focus.
Tawnie Hildebrandt
Tawnie lives and works on the traditional and unceded territory of the traditional and unceded territory of the Semá:th First Nation and Mathxwí First Nation. Tawnie is the Numeracy Helping Teacher for the Abbotsford School District, and prior to her current role, she worked as a classroom teacher in elementary school.
Monica Bergeron
Monica lives and works on the unceded Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc territory. She is the District Numeracy Coordinator for SD 73 and prior to this role, was a middle and high school math and science teacher for over 20 years.
Carol Bob
Carol is a member of Wilps Luus and her hereditary name is Sta’os ta’on which means helping hand. Carol works on the Lax Yip of her Gitxsan nation at Hazelton Secondary School in northern BC. Carol teaches mathematics to Grade 8 and Grade 10-12 students.
