Cree Pedagogy: Dance Your Style

Book excerpt: Cree Pedagogy: Dance Your Style examines the intrinsic value of First Nations perspectives, languages, and knowledges. Organized into three parts, this title focuses on the First Nations pedagogy on its own terms, a pedagogy rooted in land, language, culture, community, and Elder knowledge. This text opens with foundational principles such as exploring the history, theory, analysis, and implementation of First Nations pedagogy, and the introduction to core concepts of language at the heart methodology and practice, teaching as a gift, and the passing of knowledge. Part two focuses on askiy kiskinohmakewina: Earth Teachings; reflecting on how the land teaches us, what we learn from connecting to the land, and the philosophy of land-based education. Part three features wāsēyāw, which means the elements of nature shine a light on the path forward. It reflects on the knowledge of Elders and knowledge keepers, presents insights from Elders on Culture Camps, and maskikiw māhtāhitowin, medicine thinking. With contributions from leading Indigenous Studies scholars, Elders, and community leaders in Canada, Cree Pedagogy: Dance Your Style is a powerful and essential text for college and university students in Indigenous Studies and Education courses that promotes thoughtful interactions with the text through practical exercises and thought-provoking discussion questions.