Building Indigenous Mathematical Skills

◄  Previous (Water Walkers)                                       Next (Chilcotin Oral Storytelling) ►

 

Name: Kaitlynn Muir (Lytton First Nation)
Grades: K-4
Subject Areas: Math
Artefact /Place/ Skill: Building Indigenous Mathematical Skills

Map located in the hall of Kumsheen SchchEma-meet School in Lytton, BC. [taken by Kaitlynn Muir, March 7, 2020]

Making Space

How might teachers prepare their students to work with this content? What background knowledge might be required?

In preparation for building learning opportunities using Indigenous knowledge, Teachers should:

  • Go into this experience with an open heart
  • Be ready to learn along with their students
  • Introduce holistic ways of teaching and learning
  • Understand that everyone is affected by Canada’s history
  • Reach out to local indigenous communities for support and resources
  • Be open to learning, expanding beyond the standard curriculum, and building confidence in individual skill development
  • Realize that everyone learns at their own pace
  • Get creative and think outside of the box
  • Build relationships with your students and learn about their interests
  • Look for ways to create cross-curricular activities
  • Remember, learning can be fun

Practice Humility

How might non-Indigenous teachers sensitively work with this subject? What might they need to consider in their own positionality?

For educators who may be non-indigenous, it is crucial to remember when incorporating Indigenous knowledge sensitively into teaching:

  • The Indigenous First Peoples of this country and province all have individual and unique histories, cultural traditions, languages, and stories of their people
  • One should not generalize or simplify Indigenous knowledge and take care when teaching to consider, reflect, and respect that particular territory’s traditions
  • One should understand and appreciate that different views exist for passing knowledge, and this includes the use of the oral tradition
  • Being respectful when using Indigenous knowledge, resources, cultural references, themes, or images and avoiding using them inappropriately
  • To have an understanding that the effects of Canadian history are still felt in the newest generation
  • That Indigenous knowledge is holistic teaching that differs from Western methods

Acknowledge Sources

What can teachers do to find good supporting resources? How should they be cited, especially when it comes to Indigenous knowledges?

When Educators are looking for reliable educational resources, it is essential to:

 

BC Curriculum Connections

How does it relate to BC Curriculum?

Click on the subject area below to expand the section.

Mathematics

Math K

Big Idea(s):

  • Repeating elements in patterns can be identified.

Curricular Competencies:

  • Develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving
  • Develop and use multiple strategies to engage in problem-solving
  • Engage in problem-solving experiences that are connected to place, story, cultural practices, and perspectives relevant to local First Peoples communities, the local community, and other cultures

Concepts & Content:

  • ways to make 5
  • repeating patterns with two or three elements
  • likelihood of familiar life events

Math Grade 1

Big Idea(s):

  • Objects and shapes have attributes that can be described, measured, and compared.

Curricular Competencies:

  • Develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving
  • Visualize to explore mathematical concepts
  • Incorporate First Peoples worldviews and perspectives to make connections to mathematical concepts

Concepts & Content:

  • ways to make 10
  • repeating patterns with multiple elements and attributes
  • direct measurement with non-standard units (non-uniform and uniform)
  • likelihood of familiar life events, using comparative language

Math Grade 2

Big Idea(s):

  • Concrete items can be represented, compared, and interpreted pictorially in graphs.

Curricular Competencies:

  • Develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving
  • Represent mathematical ideas in concrete, pictorial, and symbolic forms
  • Engage in problem-solving experiences that are connected to place, story, cultural practices, and perspectives relevant to local First Peoples communities, the local community, and other cultures ).

Concepts & Content:

  • repeating and increasing patterns
  • change in quantity, using pictorial and symbolic representation
  • symbolic representation of equality and inequality
  • likelihood of familiar life events, using comparative language

Math Grade 3

Big Idea(s):

  • The likelihood of possible outcomes can be examined, compared, and interpreted.

Curricular Competencies:

  • Develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving
  • Connect mathematical concepts to each other and to other areas and personal interests
  • Engage in problem-solving experiences that are connected to place, story, cultural practices, and perspectives relevant to local First Peoples communities, the local community, and other cultures

Concepts & Content:

  • increasing and decreasing patterns
  • pattern rules using words and numbers, based on concrete experiences
  • one-to-one correspondence with bar graphs, pictographs, charts, and tables
  • likelihood of simulated events, using comparative language

Math Grade 4

Big Idea(s):

  • Regular changes in patterns can be identified and represented using tools and tables.

Curricular Competencies:

  • Connect mathematical concepts to each other and to other areas and personal interests
  • Develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving
  • Incorporate First Peoples worldviews and perspectives to make connections to mathematical concepts
  • Engage in problem-solving experiences that are connected to place, story, cultural practices, and perspectives relevant to local First Peoples communities, the local community, and other cultures

Concepts & Content:

  • increasing and decreasing patterns, using tables and charts
  • ordering and comparing fractions
  • one-step equations with an unknown number, using all operations
  • one-to-one correspondence and many-to-one correspondence, using bar graphs and pictographs

First Peoples’ Principles of Learning

Which First Peoples’ Principles of Learning apply?

  • Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
  • Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge.
  • Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
  • Learning involves patience and time.

Inviting Community

What is one way that teachers could work with community members for this project?

  • Teachers are recommended to reach out to Indigenous support workers and the departments within the school district for appropriate Indigenous resources.
  • Educators are also encouraged to reach out to local Band offices to connect with community members and Elders who are willing to support the development and teaching of the curriculum.
  • Teachers can also reach out to the parents and PAC within their school for support.
  • Teachers can also reach out to post-secondary Institutions for courses and information on developing an Indigenous inclusive mathematical-based curriculum.

Indigenous Perspectives

How does your lesson relate to decolonization or reconciliation of education?

It is important to remember:

  • that the journey to reconciliation is a marathon, not a sprint
  • with good intentions and the right resources, you can help make change
  • reach out to local Indigenous knowledge resources
  • don’t be afraid to encourage connectedness and holistic methods

Additional Resources & Comments

BC Curriculum – https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/mathematics

FNESC – http://www.fnesc.ca/

FNESC [Math First Peoples Teacher Resource Guide] – http://www.fnesc.ca/math-first-peoples/

First People Principals of Learning – http://www.fnesc.ca/first-peoples-principles-of-learning/

Kumsheen ShchEma-meet School – https://www.sd74.bc.ca/school/ks/Pages/default.aspx#/=

Lytton First Nation Band – https://lfn.band/

Math Resources Elementary – https://aboriginalresourcesforteachers.weebly.com/math-resource-elementary.html

Native Northwest Art by Indigenous Artists – https://www.nativenorthwestselect.ca/kids/games

UBC Indigenous Math Resources – https://indigenous.mathnetwork.educ.ubc.ca/resources/



Back to top

Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning
Faculty of Education
Vancouver Campus
1304–2125 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4
Email decolonize.together@ubc.ca