Sara is a Haida/Settler educator and scholar who has a PhD in Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia. Her research has focused upon the use of autobiographical and narrative writing to engage in the writing process and to explore identities, as well as the mandating of Indigenous content in the curriculum. She has also explored ways to merge the strengths of Indigenous and non-Indigenous pedagogical practices. She is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. She is also the project lead on the Indigenous Storybooks project where she is exploring how traditional Indigenous stories can be used to strengthen text-based and Indigenous literacy practices.
She worked as an educator with adolescents in the K-12 system for close to a decade in both British Columbia and Yukon Territory. Much of her classroom experience was working with Indigenous students in rural and/or remote communities and with students who were making the transition from rural communities to urban centres to complete their education. She also has experience at the post-secondary level working with Fundamental Adult Learners.
Currently, Sara works with teacher candidates and practicing teachers to bring Indigenous content, perspectives, and pedagogies into their classrooms – particularly in the area of English Language Arts.
Sara is the co-author of Potlatch as Pedagogy: Learning through Ceremony, which she wrote with her father, Robert Davidson and Magical Beings of Haida Gwaii, which she wrote with her stepmother, Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson.
Banner Photograph by Ulli Steltzer/Headshot by Farah Nosh