Indigenous Intervention in Education:
The River as Teacher
The River as Teacher is a Haudenosaunee grounded framework for Indigenous Knowledge Intervention in Education focused on moving educational systems beyond symbolic inclusion toward structural change, implementation, and relational responsibility. Grounded in Kayanere'kowa (Great Law of Peace), the framework examines how systems of governance, education, authority, and responsibility were disrupted through colonial imposition and how they can be challenged and restored through Indigenous led implementation.
Overview and Facilitation Options
Rather than positioning Indigenous knowledge as content added into existing systems, The River as Teacher positions Indigenous knowledge as governance, structure, and educational practice. The framework uses The River as a structural model for examining how systems are constructed, maintained, disrupted, and reinforced regardless of intention.
The framework is organized through three phases:
Skennen
Participants identify desired outcomes, shared responsibilities, and the conditions necessary for meaningful change.
Kasha'stenhsera
Participants examine how systems produce outcomes by structurally analyzing governance, authority, disruption, imposed systems, and educational control through The River framework.
Ka'nikonhri:yo
Participants move into implementation by identifying what must materially shift in order for different outcomes to exist and how responsibility and accountability are carried forward in practice.
The River as Teacher is adaptable to the treaties, governance systems, and responsibilities of the territories where it is implemented. While grounded in Haudenosaunee law and relational responsibility, the framework is designed to support participants in connecting educational systems and implementation work to the Nations, treaties, and governance structures of their own territories and communities.
Framework Presentation
This presentation introduces the structure, foundations, and implementation model behind The River as Teacher framework. Participants are guided through the principles, governance foundations, and structural analysis process behind Indigenous Knowledge Intervention in Education. The presentation focuses on:
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Indigenous governance and educational systems
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Kayanere'kowa
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structural analysis and systems mapping
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educational intervention and implementation
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relational accountability and governance
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moving beyond symbolic inclusion toward structural change
This presentation was most recently delivered at the 21st Annual Aboriginal Education Research Forum “Shawane Dagosiwin” & Giganawenimaanaanig (MMIWG2S implementation committee) & the Indigenous Women’s Research Institute in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Full Implementation Workshop
The full implementation workshop moves participants through the complete framework process using The River as a structural model for examining systems, governance, educational authority, and implementation pathways within their own educational or organizational context.
Implementation workshops begin by grounding participants in the treaties, governance systems, responsibilities, and Indigenous laws connected to the territory where the work is taking place before moving into structural analysis and implementation planning.
Participants examine:
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how systems are built and maintained
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how colonial systems impose authority and control
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how educational systems continue to produce outcomes
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what must materially shift for different outcomes to exist
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how responsibility and accountability are carried forward
The framework is applicable across professional learning, teacher education, Indigenous education programming, leadership development, educational governance, language revitalization, land based education, and institutional change initiatives. This framework has been most recently delivered at York University.
Book your session today
Bookings must be made a minimum of 30 days in advance. Additional costs related to travel and accommodation are not included in workshop or presentation fees and will be invoiced separately following delivery.
If a Full Implementation Workshop is booked following the Framework Presentation, the presentation fee will be deducted from the workshop total.
Presentation: $300
Workshop: $1000
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