Talking Teaching “Indigenous Wisdom: Story, Land and Ceremony in Early Childhood Education”
Nov 21, 2025
Join Jan Hare, an Anishinaabe scholar and Dean at UBC, as she enlightens listeners on Indigenous approaches to early childhood education. She shares the importance of viewing children as sacred gifts and the role of storytelling, like the Three Sisters, in nurturing identity and community ties. Jan emphasizes the concept of land education, connecting children to their environment and heritage, while promoting holistic learning. Her insights encourage educators to integrate Indigenous principles into their practice, reshaping teaching for a brighter future.
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Children As Sacred Gifts
- Indigenous early childhood care treats children as sacred gifts whose flourishing sustains community strength.
- Nurturing early curiosity builds a lifelong love of learning and life, rooted in culture and relationships.
Aboriginal Head Start Example
- Jan Hare describes Canada's Aboriginal Head Start as a national early intervention that centers holistic development, family and culture.
- She highlights it as a 'hidden gem' that prepares children for school while strengthening community ties.
Three Sisters As Relational Teaching
- The Haudenosaunee Three Sisters story teaches interdependence: corn supports beans, beans nourish, squash protects soil.
- This plant kinship models cooperation, food practices, and women's central role in community wellbeing.