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| Aboriginal Education Best Practises |
Chief John Snow (Wesley Band of the Stoney
Nakoda Sioux First nation) wrote in the 1977 that we should have a different
type of education in Canada, one based on integration. “Of course I believe in integrated
education. Let the neighbouring communities bring their children onto our
reserve and we’ll do our best to integrate them” (book These mountains are our sacred places). While many would not see
this comment as being serious Chief Snow was expressing the exact same view
point that many non-Aboriginal peoples held concerning Aboriginal peoples. Many Indigenous peoples in Canada
believe that a separate Indigenized education system with access to similar
resources as public system is not only necessary, but a Human Right (Article 26 of the Universal
Declaration of HR). Others like Elder
Winston Wuttunee are more pragmatic and hold that all students and humans should
have access to the teaching of Indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples have a
duty to build understanding within all students. They have this duty because of
their special connection to the land, earth and creation. We have as Winston
says “a
special role to play.”
Few actually understand many of ideas and
the historical developments surrounding Aboriginal education. The idea of
Aboriginal education as a separate field of study while it has gained currency
as an area of expertise has not been wholly embraced. I was once told that the
former Dean of Education at McGill did not believe in this field of study
(anonymous personal communication). It is an area of education that is
difficult to discuss do to potential accusations of racism and the high
emotional issues that surround it. Many quietly question Aboriginal education
as being a watering down of the standards that will enable students to obtain
knowledge and skills useful for employment.
Though perhaps it is true that non-Native
children should be taught in an Indigenous manner and Chief Snow has it right.
Very few cultures in the world such as the Indigenous peoples in Canada
have been able to demonstrate the high capacity for survival. The First Nations
world-view has demonstrated stamina that even though it has been attacked,
harassed and victimized it has still persisted to this day and in many cases is
undergoing a revival and renaissance. Some have even called this interaction a
form of genocide (Justice Murray Sinclair, Feb 17, 2012).
The debates about Aboriginal education run
quite the gamut from institutions like the University of Manitoba promoting
student support programs,
to the Frontier Centre advocating a different Indian Control of Indian Education
controlled not by chiefs and reserves, but by parents or even using a voucher system, to the First Nations University of Canada. Few though
ask what we are trying to do; what are the intended outcomes, our long term
goal. Some like the Dean of Extended Education at the U of Manitoba indicate
that students outcomes must be tied to educational success and educational success
is graduation from university; and this is the principal measure of success. Others
like Aboriginal educator Audrey
Richard write that success should be much more holistic taking into account
not only academic success, but the way the student works and lives after they have
completed some educational training. Other educational programs like the Le,Nonet
program at U Victoria also discuss how students see success and it is generally it would be considered far more holistic.
It is certainly a very difficult area to
make sense because of the many entrenched interests that often preclude the
finding of solutions that meet the educational and holistic objectives of
students, families, and communities.
