Pedagogy of Moss Model in School Leadership Approaches for Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ K–12 Students

Abstract

The research problem of the study was the insufficient knowledge regarding principals’ and assistant principals’ perceptions of their roles and needs in creating safe, decolonial, and culturally responsive educational environments for Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ K–12 students in Northern Canadian communities. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of school principals/assistant principals regarding their role and needs in creating safe, decolonial, and culturally responsive educational environments for Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ K–12 students in Northern Canadian communities. Using tribal critical race theory and cis-heteronormative queer theory as the conceptual framework, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 experienced principals/assistant principals. Qualitative content analysis was used employing deductive and inductive coding. Two themes emerged related to establishing culturally responsive educational environments for Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ K–12 students in Northern Canadian communities: (a) honoring students’ humanity and (b) relational systemic growth. Honoring students’ humanity entails affirming Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ identities, while relational systemic growth involves community-driven collaboration for decolonial, culturally responsive school environments. The findings support a possible model—the pedagogy of moss: A symbiotic growth model. The study’s findings offer insights into practices and supports needed to nurture responsive school environments for Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ students, contributing to positive social change by nurturing resilience, empathy, and collective growth within Northern Canadian communities and beyond.