Sean Lessard

Contact

Associate Professor, Faculty of Education - Secondary Education Dept

Email: slessard@ualberta.ca

Overview

About

Dr. Sean Lessard is Woodland Cree and is from Montreal Lake Cree Nation in Northern Saskatchewan Treaty 6 territory. Sean is a former youth worker, teacher and high school guidance counsellor. He is known for his award winning work alongside indigenous youth and communities in the development of innovative educational programming and in particular Indigenous youth empowerment. Dr. Sean Lessard currently is an Associate Professor Secondary Education at the University of Alberta, in Indigenous Education and Teacher Education. He continues to write and research on the experiences of Indigenous youth and families in and outside of school places.

Academic Credentials:
B.Ed., University of Alberta, 2000, Social Studies/Native Studies
M.Ed., University of Alberta, 2010, Educational Psychology (Special Education)
Ph.D., University of Alberta, 2013, Elementary Education

Other Credentials:
Rehabilitation Services/Youth Worker Diploma, Lakeland College, 1994
ITEP (Indian Teacher Education Program, University of Saskatchewan, 1998

Honours:
Dr. Sean Lessard Indigenous Youth Leadership Scholarship, Montreal Lake Cree Nation 2015-Present
Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Student Award, University of Alberta, 2010-2012
Kaplan Graduate Student Award, University of Alberta, 2011-2012
Pat Clifford Award Early Career Research in Education, Canadian Education Association, 2015
CRTED Outstanding Teacher Education Doctoral Dissertation Award, University of Alberta, 2015
Narrative SIG American Educational Research Association Outstanding Publication, AERA, 2016
Distinguished Alumni, Lakeland College, 2018
Narrative SIG American Educational Research Association Early Research Award, AERA, 2019

Research

Dr. Lessard's research includes: Narrative Inquiry, Relational Ethics, Indigenous Education, Indigenous Youth, Indigenous Youth Wellness, Inter-generational Indigenous Youth Leadership, Community Based Education & Re-Design, Transitional Programming in School, High School Transition, Outreach School and AlterNative Approaches to Education, Land Based Approach to Wellness within Indigenous communities, Indigenous Youth Physical Literacy and Sport, Teacher Education.

Growing Young Movers Research Hub: www.growingyoungmovers.com and @gymovers

Growing Young Movers in the news: https://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/program-gives-scott-collegiate-students-employment-mentorship-opportunity

Moving Well Maskekosihk (Indigenous Youth Community Based Research Space)

Teaching

Red Worn Runners Pedagogy and Place(s): https://www.edcan.ca/articles/the-red-worn-runners/

Dr. Sean Lessard reflects on how earlier work alongside youth in communities(Red Worn Runners) continues to shape his understandings of curriculum as a process that is fluid, transactional and filled with possibilities. It is through the narrative experiences alongside the Red Worn Runners that Lessard continues to draw on both philosophically and pragmatically in his research that explores identity and curriculum making both in and outside of school places with Indigenous youth. These places include communities across Canada where youth and families continue to guide this work and take it up in their own ways.

Courses

EDSE 373 - Introduction to Curriculum and Teaching in Secondary School Social Studies (Major)

This course examines Alberta's Social Studies curriculum and integrates theory, research and practice in becoming a Social Studies educator in secondary schools. Students will learn through interactive examination of social studies issues and concepts, and will demonstrate interpersonal teaching competencies in classroom settings. Prerequisites: 9 units in the Major subject area, EDPY 302, EDFX 200, EDU 210, and EDU 211. Corequisite: Courses in the Introductory Professional Term (IPT) for the Secondary Education Route. Successful completion of the on-campus portion of the IPT is required prior to being granted permission to continue into EDFX 350.

Fall Term 2025

EDSE 374 - Introduction to Curriculum and Teaching in Secondary School Social Studies (Minor)

This course examines Alberta's Social Studies curriculum and integrates theory, research and practice in becoming a Social Studies educator in secondary schools. Students will learn through interactive examination of social studies issues and concepts, and will demonstrate interpersonal teaching competencies in classroom settings. Prerequisite: 9 units in the Minor subject area. Pre/corequisites: EDFX 200, EDU 210, and EDU 211. Note: EDSE 374 is not open to students whose Major is Social Studies.

Fall Term 2025

EDSE 473 - Advanced Studies in Curriculum and Teaching in Secondary School Social Studies

This course further develops social studies teaching approaches by applying theories across practical situations. Through in-class activities, students will engage with Alberta's Social Studies curriculum, emphasizing unit design, inclusive teaching strategies, and assessment to expand their interpersonal teaching competencies and to form their identity as social studies educators. Prerequisites: Introductory Professional Term, including EDSE 373 and 24 units in the Major subject area. Successful completion of the on-campus portion of the Advanced Professional Term is required prior to being granted permission to continue into EDFX 450.

Winter Term 2026

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