Meet The Team: An Interview With Hannah Schaub

We meet with Hannah Schaub, one of the writers behind Empower To Teach’s teaching resources, to find out more about her involvement and vision for this project.

Why were you interested in this project?

I am interested in this project because I think that this will provide non-Indigenous teachers with the confidence to discuss and teach Indigenous knowledges in their classrooms. 

Why is this important?

This is important because myths continue to be perpetrated about Indigenous culture which can be damaging to developing and impressionable minds. This framework is important as it presents many resources that can aid teachers who aim to teach the truth.

What do you have to offer this project?

As a recent education graduate, I have knowledge of how Indigenous knowledges and culture is taught to pre-service teachers and how they perceive its worth in the classroom. By understanding this, I believe that I have been in a unique position to shape the curricular framework we have written to ensure it is enticing for new teachers. 

What would you say to teachers who find this a difficult/confronting/challenging subject?

What I would say to teachers who find this topic challenging is that learning about these topics does not need to be solely focussed on upsetting historical aspects of Indigenous history, rather it can be included in the classroom as a celebration of culture and diversity.

Do you have any tips to assist teacher? 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and educate yourself on topics that interest you and your students. Hopefully the framework proves that there are many ways to engage with Indigenous knowledges in a respectful manner. 

What is your hope for this project?

I hope that this framework inspires teachers, be they novice or veteran, to reframe their thinking of Indigenous culture, history and truth telling. I also hope that it inspires the young people of today to become open-minded and culturally respectful of people in their society. 

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Many thanks for Hannah for taking the time to answer our questions, and for her passion for this project!