An Exploration of Teacher Candidate Willingness and Readiness to Incorporate Aboriginal Content into their Teaching Practice

Teacher education is a crucial site for the (re)education of the Settler Canadian public concerning Aboriginal perspectives on histories and current events. This thesis explores the infusion of Aboriginal content into one professional learning community (called Central Option) of approximately 70 teacher candidates at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education over the period of its Aboriginal infusion initiative (2009-2014). The research emerged from a framework of Participatory Action Research, Research as Ceremony, and Appreciative Inquiry. Our work was guided by the question “what strategies increase teacher candidate willingness and readiness to incorporate Aboriginal histories, current perspectives, and pedagogies into their teaching practice.” Three instructors who led the Aboriginal infusion within the Central Option participated in one-on-one interviews which gave context to the decisions behind their efforts. Their experiences are interpreted based on the relationships which emerged when their transcripts were considered together in accordance with Wilson’s (2008) framework of relationality. The thesis positions those various relationships as the vehicle through which the work to further Aboriginal education within the teacher education program was carried out. Quantitative and qualitative data was also collected from the 2012-2013 cohort of Central Option teacher candidates through surveys at the beginning, middle and end of their program, and through one-on-one interviews with five candidates conducted twice that year. The findings are that the majority of candidates entering into Central Option had little knowledge of Aboriginal content, and if they recognized the importance of including this material in their future curriculum, lacked the confidence to enact it. Strategies such as inviting Indigenous guest speakers into the program was a powerful tool for teacher candidate learning, as was in-depth instruction on current and historical events, and a continuous examination of privilege as means to prepare teacher candidates for incorporating Aboriginal content into their future practice. Comments reveal that a political understanding of Aboriginal perspectives often bolster teacher candidates to give Aboriginal content prominence in their future teaching. Candidates also indicated that more guidance and clear instruction on exactly what this material might look like in a classroom would be helpful to build their confidence and willingness.Ph.D