Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash

Welcome back to campus! We hope everyone was able to find some rest and merriment over the winter holidays. The start of the year is always a special time, with new beginnings, renewed energy and exciting conversations about the coming year. The Indigenous Initiatives Team has some exciting offerings planned for this term and we look forward to continuing to create and foster our relationships with all of you.

1. Upcoming Classroom Climate Series Offerings
    a. Using Xwi7xwa Library’s Research Guides -- January 19 2:30-4:00pm
    b. What I Learned In Class Today: Educational Experiences & Institutional Responses Screening & Discussion
        -- January 22 11am-12:30pm
2. CTLT Indigenous Initiatives Virtual Coffee Drop-ins
3.  What I Learned in Class Today Renewed Project: Acknowledging the Affect
4. Across Our Desks: News and Articles Related to Indigenous Engagement in Teaching and Learning

The renewed What I Learned In Class Today project recently published two faculty perspectives videos that continues the work began with the Students Speak video in the late 2000s. Join us in this session for a screening of a 20 minute film of faculty perspectives on Indigenous engagement across the university focusing on themes of positionality, fears and anxieties, and the responsibility of the instructor in creating a productive and supportive classroom climate. The screening will be followed by a participant discussion that will further explore these topics.

Do you have questions about how to thoughtfully integrate Indigenous content and representation into your course work? Curious about how to offer meaningful land acknowledgements in online meetings or events at UBC? Indigenous Initiatives‘ Virtual Coffee Drop-ins are a great place to explore these topics, connect with others on the same learning path, or just get to know our team.

Please register for any of the drop-ins below. Looking forward to seeing you! 

a. Tuesday, January 12 from 10-11am- REGISTER 
b. Thursday, January 28 from 11am-12pm- REGISTER 
c. Tuesday, February 9 from 10-11am- REGISTER 
d. Thursday, February 25 from 11am-12pm- REGISTER 
e. Tuesday, March 9 from 10-11am- REGISTER 
f. Thursday, March 25 from 11am-12pm- REGISTER 
g. Tuesday, April 6 from 10-11am- REGISTER 
h. Wednesday, April 21 from 11am-12pm- REGISTER 

The third instalment of our article series focuses on emotion. It discusses how instructors can tend to the emotional side of the classroom. Over a decade since the original project debuted, instructors continue to discuss both the difficulties and the importance of addressing the affective side of the classroom so they can hold conversations with care. Written by Keirra Webb.

UBC Okanagan Library is hosting authors and creators T’áncháy Redvers and Joshua Whitehead in conversation to celebrate and honour the diversity of literature created by Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer people. They will be speaking to their work as well as answering questions from attendees.

Register

Best wishes, 
CTLT Indigenous Initiatives