Indigenous Education Today

There has been much in the media about “Aboriginal Issues”, and we’ve discussed Indigenous education in our class this term. I am also currently taking an Indigenous Studies course at Queen’s as an opportunity to learn about Indigenous culture and history in a more academic context than I have in the past.

I think the PDT group who spoke to our class about Indigenous education hit the nail on the head with acknowledgements we as teachers need to make regarding these students in our classrooms. I live beside the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, and many of my friends and long-term boyfriend are from this reserve. I fully agree there is a history of mistrust in this community about the school system, as there are still residents living there today who were forced to attend Residential schools; my boyfriend’s grandfather included.

 I also agree that there are some serious cultural differences that need to be addressed about Indigenous education in the classroom; whether one works in a reservation school or not. Multiculturalism is an important aspect of Canada; therefore students should have access to knowledge about other cultures, as well as feeling free and able to celebrate their own. Just as with other multicultural celebrations, teachers could incorporate Indigenous culture and festivals into their classroom to teach their students about the history of Indigenous people.

Today students and teachers across Canada are doing just that, by standing up for Aboriginal rights. Free the Children has teamed up with the “We Stand Together” campaign, which is going on right now until March 8^th, 2013. This is the campaign’s third year in existence, and I believe it is a step in the right direction. Teachers involved in this campaign are encouraged to integrate more information about Indigenous communities and history into their classroom, and promote a positive sharing of knowledge. “ ‘There is a clear gap between what many non-Aboriginal Canadians understand about the issues and circumstances faced by Aboriginal people . . . We Stand Together is a grassroots initiative that starts right inside the classroom to teach young Canadians the significance of Aboriginal history, helping to close this gap, foster understanding and raise awareness of Aboriginal culture and history in Canada for generations to come’ ”.

 

I think this campaign makes a good point that teacher candidates need to be concerned with: “It’s not about one tradition being better than another, it’s about respecting each other’s traditions”.

 I haven’t yet had an opportunity to work in an Indigenous school, but I hope to get my placement at Quinte Mohawk Elementary school on my neighbouring reserve this year. I have only had placement experience in the Catholic board, and I would like to see for myself how the community and style of teaching differs or remains similar. I have been employed and volunteered in public inner city schools in Kingston, so I am interested in comparing myexperience from that environment as well.

Works Cited

http://www.freethechildren.com/2013/02/standing-together-for-aboriginal-education/#sthash.WhIisCLj.dpuf