Catching Up With Dr. Belinda Daniels
Today we are so pleased to highlight a former doctoral student of Debbie’s, Dr. Belinda Daniels. Belinda is an assistant professor at the University of Victoria and also the founder/co-director/coordinator of the not-for-profit nehiyawak Language Experience. Many of Belinda’s Cree language initiatives center on parent and community engagement. She makes space for language learning outside of schools, working to develop an understanding of the fact that language develops in the context of family and that language learning and revitalization has to include parents. In important work surrounding language, Belinda advocates for the importance of doing this work with parents, drawing upon their unique and incredibly valuable funds of knowledge.
In her doctoral dissertation, Belinda explored the questions: What are the learning processes for new adult speakers of Cree that lead to a reclamation of both language and inherent identity? What is the role of land as curriculum with regard to enhancing Cree identity? What are the conceptual and Indigenous language pedagogical ways that lead learners inward to gain knowledge, and how do they differ from mainstream educational practices?
She wrote: “Parent engagement is a recommendation I put forward. Schooling took children away from parents; I propose we give the autonomy back to parents. Indigenous education is much bigger than schooling; let’s honor parents, grandparents, and caregivers. ‘Just because parent knowledge is not formalized by society’ (Pushor, 2015, p. 14), their knowledge is not any less significant than teachers/school knowledge. As a result, parents play a sacred role in a child’s life, from ‘birth to forever’ (Pushor, 2013, p. 8). We need to move beyond the tokenism of elders in our schools and languages taught as subjects; parents and elders can no longer sit on the side lines, they must be seen walking through the halls and be a part of the language learning agenda. ‘Let’s change the story of who’s knowledge counts on school landscapes’ (Pushor, 2015, p. 10). Let’s be ethical and respectful and serious about Indigenous languages in schools.”
Belinda is an advocate for parent engagement through the lens of Indigenous education and Indigenous language. Here is a bit about what Belinda is up to now:
What’s Currently on Dr. Daniels’ Desk
We caught up with Dr. Daniels to learn more about what she’s got on the go. Here’s what she told us:
She has teacher collaboration on spaces for teaching an Indigenous Languages. This is a discussion paper that is currently being worked on.
She is preparing for a talk with the French Embassy - Belinda has been invited to talk to the DELF/DALF Sector heads.
SSHRC collaboration - "Centering Multilingual Learners in Canadian Teacher Education": Partnership Development Grant
A tri-collaborated pocket book on 'nēhiyawēwin survival phases.' This is intended for informal mentor-apprentice programming that comes with sound files. MP3 sound files include a fluent speaker and (one with Belinda) a 2nd language learner. Readers/learners can follow along with the book and listen from anywhere! (The sound files and book will be launched on http://www.nehiyawak.org soon!)
A co-taught virtual internship for Ingrid Jasor. She is a PhD in education at University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) and in language science. The student is required to do 165 hours as a guest in a research lab. The student and supervisor found out about Belinda’s work through a co-authored 2022 publication. The PhD student’s doctoral supervisor (Caroline Payant) read the paper and suggested the student ask Belinda and her co-author, Andrea Sterzuk to host the virtual internship.
Belinda has been invited to sit with the executive board of CCUNESCO for launching the Decade of International Languages. CCUENESCO is a working Group for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. https://en.unesco.org/idil2022-2032
Belinda is mentoring a student, Denise Kennedy, in writing an article to be published in University of Regina’s journal, in education. Coming Soon! This is especially interesting to Belinda because it involves the family and parent engagement in language learning in the home.
Finally, Belinda is preparing and planning for the 18th annual nēhiyawak (Cree) Language Experience set for July 2022 in northern Saskatchewan. Six instructors, 20-30 adult learners, and approximately 10 child learners will attend the language camp. These learners are past and current learners of Cree from Cree camps and from Belinda’s online classes. This is again for families revitalizing the Cree language in the home.
Scholarly and Professional Achievements
Ratt, T. Daniels, B., Stevenson, R & Sterzuk, A. (in review). “When I chose to become a teacher, I was agreeing to perpetuating colonialism”: Experiences of colonialism in Saskatchewan educational systems. In N.Limerick, J. Schissel, M. López Gopar & V. Huerta (Eds.), Colonialism, language, and education across the Americas. Teachers College Press.
Daniels, B., & Sterzuk, A. (2022). Indigenous language revitalization and applied linguistics: Conceptualizing an ethical space of engagement between academic fields. Canadian Journal of Applied linguistics.
https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/CJAL/article/view/3184
Books, Chapters, Monographs
Daniels, B. & Custer, A. (inr review). Reclaiming Cree language in the home – kāwi-otinītāk kinēhiyawēninaw. University of Regina Press.
Other Publications
nēhiyawak Language Experience ‘How to’ Guide (2022). Public (pdf) publication
https://nehiyawak.org/nle-camp-guide-2022/
Papers, Lectures, Addresses
Indigenous Languages Development Institute Topic: Language of our Ancestors: Revitalization and Reclamation
- Finding my way Home through nēhiyawēwin (Virtual) March 10, 2022.
Umea University of Sweden with Dr. Hanna - 12th November at 13.15 CET. Dr. Hanna-Máret Outakoski – Ph.D Journey (Virtual)
First Nations University with Tatum Albert (instructor) – Finding My Way Home through nēhiyawēwin (Virtual) October, 2021
University of Saskatchewan – Mentor Program with Alison Piche – Ph.D Journey (Virtual) October, 2021
University of Victoria – MILR & Ph.ILR – Ph.D Journey – November, 2021
Foundation for Endangered Languages (FEL) Canada - nēhiyawēwin loss and revitalization (Virtual) January, 2022.
Treaty Four Education Qu’Appelle Valley: nēhiyawēwin loss and revitalization. (Virtual) September 13, 2021
In the Media
nēhiyawak Language Experience Inc
If you’re curious about nēhiyawak Language Experience Inc, here are some ways that you can get involved or initiatives you can follow along with.
Community classes on Zoom: nēhiyawēwin
Classes online with Dorothy Thunder and facilitator Belinda kakiysēw Daniels Sept. 28-Nov. 30/22. Feb. 28-May 16/22.
nēhiyawak Language Experience – online MAP program October 2020-March 2022. 10 mentees and 12 mentors participating across Turtle Island.
nēhiyawak Language Experience Summer Camp – July 2022
Dr. Daniels Work at U of Victoria
Courses Taught
IED 360: Field Experience Seminar
IED 303: Indigenous and Canadian Foundations
IED 157: Learning to Learn
EDEL 306: Introduction to Indigenous language and literacy, University of Alberta
Graduate Student Supervision
Chair: Kristen Dobler, Master’s degree defense: September 10, 2021 (IED).
Committee member: Tatum McComber (MILR) Master’s Program
Committee member: Willow Mussell (MILR) Master’s Program
Committee member: Simon Bird (PhD. ILR) Ph.D. Program
Supervisor: Andrea Custer (PhD) PhD Program
A Word From Dr. Debbie Pushor
When Belinda Daniels concluded her doctoral studies under Dr. Debbie Pushor’s supervision, Debbie wrote:
“I extend my warmest and most sincere congratulations to Dr. Belinda Daniels as she joins the Academy as an Assistant Professor in Indigenous Education at the University of Victoria. It has been a true pleasure to ‘walk alongside’ Belinda for the past 7 years. She has become my colleague, my sister, my friend. I know her work will contribute in important ways to shifting the landscape of schools for Indigenous students and families. I look with such hope to the future!”
Be sure to keep your eyes on Dr. Daniels and all of her incredible work!