Shifting the Canadian System Towards Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Editorial Note

The essay that follows is a contribution from a pre-law student who completed ANS 2900: Indigenous Knowledge and Food Sustainability at the University College of the North (UCN), situated on Treaty 5 territory. Written during a semester that brought Indigenous land-based pedagogy into sustained conversation with questions of law, sovereignty, and self-determination, the paper arrives at this special issue not as a conventional academic submission but as an act of intellectual reclamation. Its author –  a young Metis person from Thompson, Manitoba, whose grandmother was a survivor of the Sixties Scoop -brings to the question of education reform a perspective that is at once deeply personal and structurally informed.

Drawing on scholarship in culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), the paper argues that Canada’s education system cannot adequately serve Indigenous students – or, ultimately, any students – without a fundamental reckoning with whose knowledge systems are centred, whose histories are taught, and whose identities are reflected back in the curriculum. The author traces the concept of CRP from its theoretical foundations through to its practical implications for classrooms in northern and remote communities, emphasizing that genuine responsiveness demands far more than surface-level curricular diversity. It requires, as the author puts it, a lifelong commitment on the part of educators to “unlearning, learning, and evolving.”

What distinguishes this paper from many treatments of the same topic is the author’s directness in situating the argument in lived experience. The scholarly literature is marshalled purposefully, but it is always in service of a larger personal and political claim: that education has the potential to become a site of resistance, belonging, and hope – but only when it stops requiring Indigenous students to leave themselves at the door. This framing resonates with the special issue’s animating questions, which ask what it means to teach and learn from the land, from community, and from the knowledge systems that colonial institutions have long sought to displace.

The editors have maintained the author’s voice throughout the piece, making only minor revisions to enhance clarity and align with the journal’s conventions. This paper is published here with the author’s knowledge and consent, independent of any graded course requirements. We appreciate the courage it takes to share personal stories in academic writing, and we are honoured to include this reflection in a collection that prioritizes student voices. It serves as a reclamation of the classroom, echoing a Metis student’s call for culturally responsive education.

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Introduction

Despite Canada’s reputation for having a strong education system, many students, particularly those from historically oppressed communities, still struggle and face serious challenges. Outdated curriculum, overcrowded classrooms, unequal funding, and teacher shortages make it difficult for students to succeed. In addition, students across Canada are struggling with mental health issues, bullying, racism, violence, a digital divide, and an overall lack of community support. Indigenous students, in particular, continue to face chronic underfunding, curricula that ignore their cultures and histories, mental health struggles, and graduation rates that fall below the national average. These challenges extend beyond academics; they also limit the self-determination and sovereignty of Indigenous communities.

Addressing these systemic challenges requires more than surface-level changes. It demands a shift toward culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), an approach that values diverse knowledge systems, empowers communities, and reimagines education. As a young Metis university student, I have personally experienced the disconnect between my lived reality and the content taught in Canadian schools. Culturally responsive pedagogy is meaningful to me because it validates Indigenous knowledge, recognizes students’ unique identities, and positions education as a tool for empowerment and resilience.

In this essay, I explore the meaning of culturally responsive pedagogy from my perspective, examine its crucial role in advancing Indigenous self-determination and sovereignty, and reflect on its transformative potential for Indigenous youth and their communities. Through this lens, education can become a site of resistance, belonging, and hope.

Addressing Issues in the Current Canadian Education System

Canadian schools are facing a growing number of challenges that impact both students and educators, revealing deep flaws in the system. Recent surveys reveal that over 90% of Canadian K-12 students are affected by what many educators describe as an “education crisis” (CTF/FCE, 2025).

Across the country, issues such as overcrowded classrooms, staff shortages, and outdated teaching methods are limiting students’ ability to learn and succeed.

These problems can be seen clearly in many rural and underfunded communities, including those with large Indigenous populations, where students often lack consistent access to qualified teachers, modern technology, and culturally relevant learning resources.

Paul W. Bennett notes that Canada’s education model has become “a fortress-like, top-heavy, and unresponsive social organization” that alienates students and parents (Li, 2021, p. 2). The lack of input from students and parents contributes to a growing sense of disconnection and frustration.

Without meaningful opportunities for collaboration and change, the education system will continue to fall short in meeting the diverse needs of its students.

Addressing this crisis will require more than increased funding and staffing. We must fundamentally rethink how education at all levels is structured and delivered. This is especially critical for northern communities, where isolation, cultural diversity, and historical inequities are too often overlooked in the search for meaningful, forward-looking solutions.

Mental health issues among youth are also on the rise, yet school-based supports remain limited, making it difficult for students to focus, feel safe, or seek help when needed. Indigenous learners face additional burdens, as the curriculum often overlooks or misrepresents their histories, languages, and knowledge systems.

According to research from Deonandan et al. (2019), Indigenous students commonly report “a fear of racism and racial exclusion,” along with concerns that “their traditions will not be acknowledged or respected” in their classrooms (p. 2). These challenges are not just academic; they impact students’ confidence, cultural identity, and long-term well-being.

Without major changes, Canada’s education system will continue to fail those who need the most support. Moving forward, educators must adopt culturally responsive pedagogy, an approach that listens to students’ voices, values diverse ways of knowing, and helps build an inclusive and supportive foundation for learning.

Understanding Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) is an educational approach that goes beyond simply acknowledging cultural differences. It intentionally recognizes and values the diverse cultural backgrounds, experiences, and identities that students bring into the classroom. CRP aims to create inclusive, equitable learning environments where all students feel respected, engaged, and represented in both content and instruction.

However, implementing culturally responsive pedagogy effectively requires more than simply changing curriculum. Educators must first be prepared on both personal and professional levels, beginning with a strong understanding of their own cultural identities, values, and biases.

Caingcoy (2023) highlights that “teachers must engage in ongoing self-reflection to examine how their own identities and experiences shape their teaching practices” and emphasizes the need to continue this process of growth and adaptation (p. 3204). Educators must also continue to learn, grow, and adapt throughout their practice of culturally responsive pedagogy.

CRP is not a one-time training program but rather a lifelong commitment to unlearning, learning, and evolving. Educators must be willing to challenge dominant colonial mindsets and incorporate multiple ways of knowing and learning that honour students’ lived experiences. This approach not only supports academic success but also fosters a sense of community, belonging, and empowerment in our educational system.

In practice, culturally responsive pedagogy includes adapting lesson plans to reflect diverse histories, perspectives, and voices. It encourages students to draw on their lived experiences during discussions, projects, and assessments, making learning more meaningful and relevant.

As Kristin Burnham explains, “Instruction has to be different … it needs to build on individual and cultural experiences and their prior knowledge” to be truly effective (2024). This means teachers should select literature that reflects students’ identities, design history lessons that connect past events to current social issues and include examples that reflect the realities of northern and Indigenous communities.

CRP sees students’ cultural identities as assets, not barriers. By integrating cultural knowledge, languages, and values into curriculum and instruction, educators can foster a more inclusive learning environment. This approach helps increase academic achievement while also helping students see themselves as capable, valued contributors to their classrooms and communities.

Building strong relationships is also a key component of CRP. Educators must promote trust and respect by actively listening to students and creating space for their voices to be heard. Samuels (2018) explains that culturally responsive teachers “position themselves as both facilitators and learners” (p. 25). Actively engaging with students’ ideas and perspectives creates meaningful learning experiences not only for students but also for educators.

Culturally responsive pedagogy plays a critical role in supporting students from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds by affirming their identities, lived experiences, and cultural knowledge within the learning environment. As Brown-Jeffy and Cooper (2011) explain, “Teachers should realize that students who are racial or ethnic minorities see, view, and perceive themselves and others differently than those who are of the majority group” (p. 73).

Rather than forcing students to adapt to dominant cultural norms, CRP builds on their cultural strengths, making education more relevant and empowering. For Indigenous students, this approach is especially transformative. When educators incorporate Indigenous languages, land-based practices, and community knowledge into the curriculum, students not only feel seen and valued but also experience greater engagement and academic success.

By focusing on Indigenous worldviews in the classroom, CRP helps dismantle colonial narratives and offers a pathway toward healing, pride, and self-determination. It is not only an inclusive teaching strategy but also a means of restoring justice and revitalizing education for Indigenous learners.

Personal Perspective

To me, CRP is more than an educational approach-it is a pathway to healing, reconciliation, and empowerment. Growing up in Thompson, Manitoba, I have always been surrounded by the land, the changing seasons, and the stories of the North. Yet, as an Indigenous person whose grandmother was part of the Sixties Scoop and raised in a white family, I have also experienced a painful disconnect from my cultural roots. My family’s story carries the lasting impact of colonial policies that attempted to erase our identity, language, and traditions. For me, CRP is about reclaiming what was lost. It means creating learning spaces where my experiences, and those of others like me, are not only included but valued.

It involves honouring diverse ways of knowing, building relationships grounded in respect and trust, connecting learning to real communities, and confronting the systemic inequalities embedded within education. As Gloria Ladson-Billings (1995) states, culturally responsive pedagogy helps students “maintain cultural integrity while succeeding academically.”

For me, that means being able to learn and grow without abandoning who I am or feeling ashamed for not yet fully knowing my roots. CRP offers a way to bridge that gap, allowing students like me to reconnect with our identities while pursuing academic success.

Conclusion

For me, culturally responsive pedagogy is not just something I have learned about through my studies in Indigenous knowledge and land-based pedagogy-it is something I have felt the need for in my own life and educational journey. Growing up disconnected from parts of my culture, learning about CRP gave me language for what I had been missing: a way of teaching that values identity, community, and lived experience. It is about more than inclusion. It is about creating space for individual voices, knowledge, and ways of learning to lead.

If we want education in Canada to truly support all students, especially Indigenous youth, we need to rethink the way we teach and the stories we tell. Culturally responsive pedagogy offers a way forward grounded in respect, relationship, and the belief that every student deserves to see themselves reflected in their learning.