Reimagining the Classroom for a Decolonised Future

Why is a decolonial approach needed in early education?

As a multimedia storytelling project, we organise ourselves around a decolonial approach because it centres not only Indigenous knowledge but also other marginalised groups affected by colonial expansion. In doing this, it offers an approach to education that has historically been left out or treated as an afterthought. The work of Brazilian philosopher Paulo Freire expresses some of these foundational values. It was geared towards education and the implications of colonialism and oppressive power structures; he outlined tools such as unity, compassion, organisation, and cultural synthesis to empower those most affected by imbalanced educational institutions. This allows us to spotlight some of the most marginalised groups in our educational goals while also benefitting the greater collective by championing core values that focus on climate, eco-justice and sustainability; racial and ethnic equity and equality; and non-capitalist motivated narratives.

How can it benefit children in understanding and appreciating diverse cultures, perspectives, and histories?

One research model published in the AlterNative: an International Journal of Indigenous Peoples in 2020 explored “the benefits, barriers, and resources for engaging Indigenous knowledges in science education and research” and found commonalities of “individual experiences [woven] into a larger collective, inter-generational story of survival, adaptation, resilience, and regeneration.” Fostering a greater cohesion with these experiences on a societal scale is the antithesis to many modern, global problems that are caused by the history of colonialism: such as climate degradation, exploitation of workers’ rights, and...