When Trent University welcomed the first students into its Indigenous Bachelor of Education program in 2016, Canada was at a pivotal point in its reconciliation journey. 

Just one year earlier, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) had released its 94 Calls to Action, drawing attention to the role education plays in reconciliation and the need for greater Indigenous representation and knowledge to be meaningfully integrated into classrooms. 

For Aamjiwnaang First Nation member Amber Brooks ’16 (Gzowski College), one of the program's first four graduates and now a full-time history teacher with the York Region District School Board (YRDSB), the connection between education and reconciliation was deeply personal. 

“Education is something that is very important to my family. My mother was a teacher with the YRDSB for decades, and I grew up seeing and experiencing the value education had on the community,” said Brooks. “I fully believe in the words of the late Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair: ‘Education got us into this mess and education will get us out of it.’”  

Now ten years since its launch, the Indigenous Bachelor of Education program is an important part of advancing reconciliation in Canada through increased representation and visibility of Indigenous people and Indigenous Knowledge in classrooms. As certified teachers and role models, 31 graduates are helping Indigenous youth see themselves reflected in education, while approximately 80 current Indigenous B.Ed. students prepare to follow in their footsteps. 

“The power of Indigenous students seeing themselves in their teachers cannot be overstated," says Dr. Nicole Bell (Anishinaabe, bear clan), senior Indigenous advisor and coordinator of the Indigenous B.Ed. program. "The honour of one is the honour of all, with the ripple effects of each graduate extending far and wide, impacting the resurgence of Indigenous people and the reconciliation that is so needed in this country between its First Peoples and settler societies.”  

Building on Trent’s longstanding leadership in Indigenous education, the Indigenous B.Ed. program was brought to life through collaboration among the School of Education, Indigenous Studies department, and the First Peoples House of Learning. In addition to creating pathways for more Indigenous educators, preparing teachers with a deeper understanding of Indigenous cultures, languages, and knowledge to integrate into curriculum and teachings was also a primary goal. 

“Establishing the Indigenous Bachelor of Education program and degree was a necessary step towards reconciliation,” said former Dean of Education and Trent Provost, Dr. Jacqueline Muldoon. “It had been long identified that there were major shortages of Indigenous educators and Indigenous practices in the classroom. We hoped that the new educators from this degree program would be more mindful in both their own learning and in their teaching.” 

As the program celebrates its tenth anniversary and welcomes its largest incoming cohort to date, its mission remains clear: to empower Indigenous educators whose work transforms classrooms and meaningfully contributes to the ongoing work of reconciliation across Canada. 

“There is still much work to be done in Indigenous education,” said Professor Bell. “So, we continue on this journey with passion, purpose, and determination.” 

Learn more about Trent's Indigenous Bachelor of Education.

---

Read the Globe and Mail's feature on Indigenous education and teachers with comment from Professor Nicole Bell.