Learning (Even More) from Indigenous Perspectives

Responding to the ExchangeEveryDay message on Encouraging Attentive Helpfulness: Learning from Indigenous Perspectives, Early Learning Teacher Ursula Costin writes, “This article echoes the wonderings of Environmental Kinship (EK), where focus is on relationship. EK is rooted in awareness of human connections with all living things as part of the natural world. Maria Montessori said: ‘Here is an essential principle of education: to teach details is to bring confusion; to establish the relationship between things is to bring knowledge.’ Once adults can believe and model respect for our connection with the natural world we will effectively inspire children to do so. They will instinctively seek solace and knowledge from noticing and responding to the helpers all around.”

In the free resource Indigenous Early Care and Education Understandings and Perspectives, the World Forum Foundation Indigenous People’s Action Group agrees:

“Indigenous ways of knowing and teaching are born of the land and territories. They are relational, emphasizing the connectedness and interdependency of all living and non-living beings, people, animals, water, sky and all things on earth and within the universe. We are part of the ‘oneness’ and understand it does not belong to us. Indigenous people recognize the importance of maintaining the critical balance between all things.”

Indigenous Peoples of North America, along with England, Iran, Malaysia, and Zimbabwe will share their culture and early childhood programs and practices in the World Forum Foundation 2022 Virtual World Tour, October 31-November 4. Registrants will have access to the content and recordings for a whole month, plus highlights from the 10 countries featured in the 2021 World Tour.

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.

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