Documentation:CTLT programs/Indigenous Initiatives/Professional Development

Professional Development Opportunities

Indigenous Initiatives establishes and maintains mechanisms through which faculty, teaching assistants, and staff can better understand student concerns, and develop more effective and professional techniques for conducting discussions of difficult issues, specifically around Indigenous content.

Professional development opportunities are available to all faculty, staff, and teaching assistants at the University. The development of academic and professional programming in the area of classroom climate is relatively new and unexplored. Indigenous Initiatives has responded by creating an innovative series of professional development workshops, curriculum, and academic resources that focus the classes and discussions on Indigenous and non-Indigenous histories and relationships, especially how these conversations play out in the classroom.

Learn more about previous sessions we’ve hosted and the impact they can have on your professional development at the Classroom Climate Series page.

Curriculum Development

Indigenous Initiatives liaises with, supports, and serves as a resource to UBC faculties, departments, schools, and institutes in developing Indigenous focused curriculum, pedagogical approaches to improving classroom climate, and program development in this area. 
Take a look at some of our educational resources which we are working to integrate into an array of curricula and programming: http://ctlt.ubc.ca/programs/aboriginal-initiatives/resources

Faculty TA Program Consultations

Indigenous Initiatives works closely with Teaching Assistant (TA) coordinators to design and implement discipline-specific programming that establishes and maintains venues, for dedicated, in-depth discussions of classroom conversations around Indigenous content.

Through one on one meetings, group consultations, and departmental presentations, we connect those doing work in the field of Indigenous research and studies, and highlight connections to enhance discussions and strategies to make the classroom a more productive environment.

We are currently seeking opportunities to work with Departmental TA Coordinators from across campus to develop TA training streams for creating a respectful and productive classroom environment, particularly in teaching and discussing Indigenous issues and issues related to cultural and social diversity. Please contact Amy Perreault, Strategist, Indigenous Initiatives and/or [janey.lew@ubc.ca Janey Lew], Educational Consultant, Indigenous Initiatives with questions or interest in collaborating on a TA training program.

• Read our 2014 TA Training Coordinator Spotlight on Leigh Barrick and Jessica Hallenbeck: http://ctlt.ubc.ca/2014/09/01/ta-training-coordinator-spotlight-leigh-barrick-and-jessica-hallenbeck

Advisories on Indigenous Classroom Climate Issues

The Faculty Advisory Group on Indigenous Classroom Climate Issues meets once a term to identify and discuss key issues involved in working with Indigenous material in the classroom. This working group is comprised of Indigenous faculty and instructors who work with Indigenous material. Everyone involved are particularly knowledgeable of the issues and challenges both students and instructors face.

The Musqueam Advisory Group on the Classroom Climate Series meets bi-annualy to discuss and develop Musqueam-led sessions to start off each semester - one every September and every January.