Oct 19 Entance Slip... Braiding Sweetgrass

In a classroom, scientific/mathematical terminology is jargon to a lot of the students, more specifically, jibberish. Unless I can provide meaning and reason to my students, these terminologies will not apply to them as they are hollow words that a teacher mentioned in class. Depending on the class context, there would also be less emphasis on scientific/mathematical terminology. For example, workplace math would contain few uses of mathematical terminology as students in that class would not find much use of those terms. However, in classes like Pre-Calculus 12, mathematical terminology would be more critical as these terms will show up in post-secondary, and professors will not likely explain what each terminology means. I still remember the time in Calculus 1 when my professor showed a lot of new notation that I had never seen before, but many students understood it immediately. I spent much time learning things outside my Calculus 1 class, which was time-consuming.

Dr. Kimmerer's introduction of indigenous terms in their classroom is brilliant but more limited to things in the natural world. I have minimal resources to try and indigenize my classroom, but one is Tluuwaay' Waadluxan Mathematical Adventures by Dr.Cynthia Nicol, published by School District #50 Haida Gwaii. This book gives ideas that allow me to include a place-based approach to implementing curricular content and competency. Otherwise, I need help finding exciting resources that will enable me to indigenize my classroom and curriculum.

Edit: Oct 18...

After reading a bit of Tluuwaay' Waadluxan Mathematical Adventures and having a brief discussion with Susan regarding indigenizing my classroom and curriculum, I have realized that I cannot adapt resources like Tluuwaay' Waadluxan Mathematical Adventures directly into the classroom. Many of the ideas present are connected deeply to the Haida nation, so many students in the lower mainland will need help to connect deeply with these topics. Instead, the best way to indigenize the classroom would be to research the land and the places around the school I am teaching and find local indigenous things so students have a better connection to them. Otherwise, if I force it into the classroom for the sake of doing it, I will help build disdain with the students regarding indigenous issues. I have had students tell me they do not like it when teachers do it to be relevant. Thus, there is a need to slowly integrate these topics into the classroom naturally so students have a better connection to them.