b'AWARENESSFRONTCLASSOF THEBy Matthew BradfordIndspires Mike Hager expands on the ins and out ofpromoting Indigenous education to a broader audienceI ndigenous knowledge has a fundamental role in Canadas education system, both for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Even so, imparting that knowledge amid intersecting curricula, competing subject matter, and lingering biases is no easy task. Mike Hager understands these challenges firsthand. An Indigenous educator himself, he is the Community Outreach Coordinator at Indspire. In this issue of Indspiration, Hager shares his insights for creating a more inclusive classroom. How has your experience as an Indigenous educator informed your work at Indspire?My experience working with Indigenous students in Ontario, Quebec and New Zealand has made me more aware of certain circumstances that First Nations, Mtis and Inuit (FNMI) students bring to the classroom. I try to approach things from the lens of creating a stronger sense of advocacy and realistic expectations for what students may need because they might not have that voice yet to speak about their needs."Even teachers fall short all the time because we\'re human. We don\'t always collaborate in the best way, and we don\'t always follow the rules If I knew how to bridge the gap, I\'d be a Nobel Prize winner. I just believe we need to keep trying. Tomorrow\'s a new day, and we get to attempt to be better"Mike Hager Indspire28indspiration2021'