"I'm too White to teach Native History": Unpacking educator resistance to teaching Aboriginal pedagogy

The Indigenous people of Canada are worthy of special focus as the original people of this continent. However, current research shows that there continues to be a persistent lack of integration of Indigenous content, perspectives and ways of knowing in schools. This paper presents original research findings on how teachers infuse Aboriginal history and culture into their curriculum, with a focus on why teachers may hesitate or entirely neglect to do so. For this study, I interviewed two high school and two elementary school teachers in institutions neighboring a Native reserve (N=4). Initial research focused on the ways in which teachers use culturally relevant pedagogy in order to engage Aboriginal students. However, primary data analysis showed that teachers were in fact not implementing a culturally relevant pedagogy in their classrooms. I sought to uncover the root of this pattern and revisited and reworked my interview questions based on this discovery. I group these findings into four key categories: 1) the teachers’ lack of knowledge, 2) the “White Voice” and its implications on a multicultural audience, 3) a lack of support from colleagues or administration, and 4) a fragile relationship with the community. After contextualizing and unpacking each of these, I conclude by providing accessible strategies that teachers can implement in order to support more inclusive practice with regard to Aboriginal culture and history