A metaphor that deeply represents my journey through education and my philosophy as a future educator is my medicine pouch containing sage. This medicine pouch was gifted to me by Elder Earl Wallace Henderson during a First Nations course I took at UNBC over the summer of 2023. One memorable lesson I learned during this course was that learning Indigenous cultures, in this case, Plains Cree culture, is vital in education across the province of BC and Canada.   

Smudging using sage and other traditional medicine has many traditional purposes that I believe are metaphorical for a classroom space that I hope to uphold. Smudging purifies the mind, body, spirit, and heart of negative energies, thoughts, and beliefs. A cleansed mind is important for learning because it frees an individual of biases that restrict knowledge. Within the individual, smudging a person can provide clarity, creativity, kindness, and open-mindedness.

An open mind and heart in teaching can create a space of cultural safety where everyone in the classroom feels safe and comfortable to take down their barriers. The classroom is a community where every individual holds valuable perspectives and ideas, each of which is an important piece of the puzzle. From my experience as a student in BC’s education system, there were times in educational spaces when I felt unsafe and scared to learn. I believe strongly that one cannot learn if they feel unsafe as this is a massive barrier preventing them from seeking education. However, I pledge to do everything I can as an educator to ensure that all students feel the utmost safety and comfort in their educational journeys. This requires encouraging cultural connectedness and bringing Indigenous voices into the classroom. The medicine pouch is a metaphor for encouraging love, community, and cultural safety within spaces where learning is present.