When I was finally able to step back in order to see the source of the issue: myself.
The back story.
I signed up for ETEC 521, Indigeneity, Technology and Education, on a recommendation from a respected fellow MET-asaur. Originally, I was not considering taking the course... Why?
Indigenous students did not tend to take my academic high school mathematics or physics courses, so why should I take a course designed to help teach students I did not teach? That was my first mistake in judgement.
Immediately in 521, we began to read. Not a lot of reading, but papers that were masterfully chosen to help students understand the history of and effects of colonization on Indigenous peoples. We also learned about the differences between Western and Indigenous worldviews. I had much to learn; I did not even know what a residential school was until my late twenties! When I designed my inquiry project around why Indigenous students were not making it into senior math and science, Dr. Marker promptly and eloquently turned my question around.
Indigenous students did not tend to take my academic high school mathematics or physics courses, so why should I take a course designed to help teach students I did not teach? That was my first mistake in judgement.
Immediately in 521, we began to read. Not a lot of reading, but papers that were masterfully chosen to help students understand the history of and effects of colonization on Indigenous peoples. We also learned about the differences between Western and Indigenous worldviews. I had much to learn; I did not even know what a residential school was until my late twenties! When I designed my inquiry project around why Indigenous students were not making it into senior math and science, Dr. Marker promptly and eloquently turned my question around.
He said to not focus on the students, but to instead, focus on myself.
About a third of the way through the course, I was still in a state of unrest. Now being more familiarized with Indigenous worldviews, I could not envision how an Indigenous student's needs could possibly be met in my classes when I did not have the ability to contextualize the learning and make it more hands-on than I was already doing. Furthermore, if my Westernized courses were what was being served, would that mean that Indigenous students would have to abandon their cultural beliefs, in order to be successful in my courses?
Then, Dr. Marker described the third space.
From his words, my understanding of the third space can be quoted from my blog post:
"The Third Space is where two worldviews can overlap, share, learn and exist in a non-binary, “third world”– for myself, I think of The Third Space as the overlapping bits of a Venn Diagram."
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This.
I finally understood. When worldviews combine in a third space, NEITHER worldview is dominant. Should the combined worldviews respect one another within a learning space, the learning space becomes culturally responsive. Abandoning one's culture is consequently an unnecessary requirement for learning to transpire when the third space is cultivated. It is here where I no longer have a definitive learning map to follow and where my "Next Steps" page will continue these thoughts.
I finally understood. When worldviews combine in a third space, NEITHER worldview is dominant. Should the combined worldviews respect one another within a learning space, the learning space becomes culturally responsive. Abandoning one's culture is consequently an unnecessary requirement for learning to transpire when the third space is cultivated. It is here where I no longer have a definitive learning map to follow and where my "Next Steps" page will continue these thoughts.
My annotated reference.
As part of the requirements of my ePortfolio, I was asked to complete an annotated reference on a paper or chapter that had a profound impact on my professional development.
Dr. Marker suggested that I look into current research in the field of ethnomathematics. (Until this point, I did not even know that this was a thing!!!) I chose a paper written by Stavros Stavrou and Dianne Miller from the University of Saskatchewan. I was initially inspired by Dr. Stavrou's TedTalk, which prompted me to contact him via e-mail. He generously sent me his soon-to-be-published paper that he co-authored. He also expanded my circle of non-oppressive learning experts, to include American educator, Dr. Kevin Kumashiro. I am so grateful that Dr. Stavrou took the time to help me in my research; one day, I will pay it forward.