Decolonizing Education

This training is for professionals who work in the Canadian education system: public, private, and post-secondary. This includes teachers, support staff, administrators, and district leaders.

Canadian education systems are inherently colonial systems. In a time of Truth and Reconciliation, Decolonization, and Indigenization, many academic institutions are aiming to decolonize their organizations and move towards lasting & meaningful reconciliation. Establishing Indigenous Cultural Safety within the institution will set a strong foundation for future advancement of decolonization and reconciliation in education. In this session, we will examine the context for colonialism in higher education, how to address it, and how to embed Indigenous Cultural Safety in pedagogy, practice, and policy.

Key Learning Outcomes

• Examine how Canadian education systems have been shaped by colonial policies, structures, and practices

• Understand the relationship between Truth and Reconciliation, Decolonization, Indigenization, and Indigenous Cultural Safety in education

• Explore how colonialism continues to impact Indigenous learners, families, staff, and communities within public, private, and post-secondary institutions

• Identify barriers to Indigenous Cultural Safety in pedagogy, classroom practice, institutional policy, and leadership decision-making

• Reflect on their individual and organizational responsibilities in advancing meaningful reconciliation within education

• Learn practical strategies for embedding Indigenous Cultural Safety into teaching, student support, administration, governance, and institutional culture

• Consider how educators and education leaders can move beyond performative reconciliation toward sustained, accountable, and relationship-based change