ABSTRACT

The Call for Proposals for this special issue of Multiple Voices invited contributors to share their experiences and perspectives in applying the universal design for learning (UDL) framework in service of educational equity, despite pervasive barriers. The guiding question that jumped out at me read, “What kinds of student thinking are possible when practitioners leverage UDL to design equitable learning opportunities?” An important question to be sure. I also wondered what kinds of student thinking might emerge in response to inequitable learning opportunities, and how learners might interpret experiences that evoked ambivalent reactions. The Mi'kmaq (one of the largest First Nations groups of what is now known as the eastern maritime provinces of Canada) have a special term for powerful stories. Ahdooga'chn stories are stories that serve a specific instructive purpose. They are powerful. They can hurt. If listened to with open heart and mind, they can teach. This article is a short excerpt from a longer recorded conversation with Lelia Twobears, a Cree woman, postsecondary student, and innate teacher.