Laura-Lee Kearns
Dr. Laura-Lee (Bellehumeur) Kearns received her PhD and Bachelor of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. She completed her undergraduate studies at Trent University, and her Master of Arts in Philosophy at the University of Western Ontario. Prior to becoming a professor at STFX in 2009, she taught internationally and in Canada for 14 years. She is passionate about creating more equitable, wondrous and democratic spaces in schools. Dr. (Bellehumeur) Kearns is also a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario.
Refereed contributions: Journal Articles & Book Chapters (selected)
(Bellehumeur) Kearns, L. (2022). Métis women: Fire starters and keepers.. In Y. Boyer and L. Chartrand (Eds.), Métis Rising (pp. 89-116). Regina, Saskatchewan: University of Regina Press.
Mitton-Kükner, J., Tompkins, J., & Kearns, L. (2021). Exploring the impact of an anti-homophobia and anti-transphobia program on a teacher education program: LGBTQ pre-service teachers identify benefits and challenges. Alberta Journal of Education, 67(1), 32-52. https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/ajer/article/view/56915
Kearns, L. (2020). Learning with and from Indigenous people: Navigating transformative pedagogy and privilege in teacher education. Alberta Journal of Education, 66(4), 387- 405. https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/ajer/article/view/56696
Robinson, I., Lunney Borden, L., & Kearns, L. (2020). Indigenous women educational leaders decolonizing schools. In C.A. Mullen (Ed.), Handbook of Social Justice Interventions in Education (pp. 1-23). Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Handbooks of Education.
Tompkins, J., Kearns, L., & J. Mitton-Kükner. (2019). Queer Educators in Schools: The Experiences of Four Beginning Teachers. Canadian Journal of Education, 42(2), 384-414. https://journals.sfu.ca/cje/index.php/cje-rce/article/view/3448
Kearns, L., Tompkins, J., & Lunney-Borden, L. McGill. (2018). Transforming Graduate Studies Through Decolonization; Sharing the learning journey of a specialized cohort. McGill Journal of Education, 53(2). https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/mje/2018-v53-n2-mje04477/1058396ar/
Tompkins, J., Kearns, L., Mitton-Kükner, J. (2017 (on-line 2018)). Teacher candidates as LGBTQ and social justice advocates through curricular action. McGill Journal of Education / Revue des sciences de l'éducation de McGill. 52(3), 677-697. https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/9356
Kearns, L., Mitton-Kükner, J., Tompkins, J. (2017). Transphobia and cis-gender privilege: Pre-service teachers recognizing and challenging gender rigidity in schools. Canadian Journal of Education. http://www.cje-rce.ca/index.php/cje-rce/article/view/2367.
Anuik, J., & Kearns, L. (2017). Métis and Ontario Education Policy: educators Supporting Holistic Lifelong Learning. In J. Reyner, J. Martin, L. Lockard, & W.S. Gilbert (Eds.), Honouring our Teachers. Flagstaff, Arizona: Northern Arizona University.
Kearns, L. (2016). The construction of illiterate and literate youth: The effects of high-stakes standardized literacy testing. Race, Ethnicity and Education. 19(1), 121-140. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13613324.2013.843520
Kearns, L. (Spring 2015). Subjects of wonder: Towards an aesthetics, ethics and pedagogy of wonder. The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 49 (1), 98-119. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/571689/summary
Kearns , L., and Anuik, J. (2015). Métis Curricular Challenges and Possibilities: A Discussion Initiated by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy in Ontario. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies. http://jcacs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jcacs/article/viewFile/37691/36030
Anuik, J. and (Bellehumeur) Kearns, L. (2014). Métis Student Self-identification in Ontario’s K-12 Schools: Education Policy and Parents, Families, and Communities. The Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy.
Kearns, L. (2013). (Re)claiming Métis women identities: Three stories and the storyteller. In C. Adams, G. Dahl, & I. Peach (Eds.), Métis in Canada. Alberta, Canada: University of Alberta Press.
Kearns, L. (2013). The Ontario First Nation, Métis and Inuit education policy framework: A case study on its impact on the lives of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous administrators, teachers and youth. In Education. 19(2), 86-106. http://ineducation.ca/ineducation/article/view/145
Kearns, L., & Peters, N. (2013). (Re)inscribing Mi’kmaq presence through public petition, performance and art. In S. Ashley (Ed.), Diverse spaces: Examining identity, heritage and community within Canadian public culture. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars
CREATIVE OUTPUTS
Group art exhibit
Kearns, L. (September 15 - October 15, 2022). Traces of our Ancestors (photograph). Nurturing Netukulimk. St. Francis Xavier University Art Gallery. Antigonish, NS.
Curatorial Project
(Bellehumeur) Kearns, L. (June 21 - August 23, 2022). Connecting with our Ancestors: A photo-voice project on returning to Drummond Island. Penetanguishene Centennial Museum and Archives. Penetanguishene, ON.
