While reading Jo Chrona’s blog post “If Not Here, Then Where?”, I found myself looking at Indigenous Education in British Columbia’s curriculum in a new way. I began to realize that Indigenous knowledge and culture cannot simply be grouped under the broad idea of multiculturalism in Canada. The many cultures that come to Canada and help shape our communities are beautiful and absolutely deserve to be celebrated. At the same time, those cultures have homelands where their traditions continue to live and grow. Indigenous cultures, Métis, Inuit, and First Nations, are different in that they are rooted in this land. They are not just another part of Canada’s multicultural heritage. That understanding made me reflect more deeply on how important it is to ensure Indigenous histories, perspectives, and ways of knowing are intentionally and meaningfully present in my classroom, no matter who is sitting in front of me.

I read Jo Chrona’s post after watching Shelley Moore’s YouTube video, “People Are NOT Supports! Understanding the Difference Between Supports, Strategies, and Resources.” At first, the connection between the two didn’t feel obvious. One was about Indigenous Education, and the other about inclusive practices and supports. But as I reflected on both ideas, I started to see a common thread: being intentional about how we meet needs.

Shelley Moore talks about how easily we confuse supports, strategies, and resources. When we blur those distinctions, we can unintentionally miss what students actually need. That idea really stuck with me. It made me think about how grouping Indigenous knowledge under multiculturalism might create a similar problem. When we don’t clearly recognize the distinct and foundational place of Indigenous peoples in Canada, we risk missing the deeper responsibility we have as educators. We might think we are being inclusive, but we could actually be overlooking something essential.

After making this connection I reflected on how this connected to the University of Victoria’s Teacher Education Program competencies. I found connections wiht these resources to competency 6, practicing respect for all learners from all cultures, specifically Indigenous learners, and competency 12, developing an understanding of how learners learn to create effective learning environments. Competency 6 feels particularly meaningful in light of these reflections. It reminds me that respecting all cultures doesn’t mean blending them together in ways that erase important differences. Indigenous learners and Indigenous knowledge deserve thoughtful, intentional space in our classrooms.

I feel like I have grown a lot this past year in understanding how students learn and how to support them in different ways. At the same time, I know I am still learning when it comes to meaningfully incorporating Indigenous pedagogies and perspectives. This reflection reminded me that this learning is ongoing. It is not about checking a box in the curriculum, but about continuing to listen, learn, and be intentional in the choices I make as a future educator.