Principles of Indigenous Education for Mainstream Teaching

This paper examines workable principles of indigenous education that can be applied to mainstream classrooms: finding each student’s gift, professionalism, using real objects and tools, practicums, apprenticeships, elders and older students as teachers, and observation. These principles are illustrated with personal teaching experiences and historical examples. While examining these principles, it became apparent that they operate best within the context of community and that there may be different types of communities.