The relevance of authentic aboriginal curricula for aboriginal students
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Date
2000
Authors
Shaw, Sheila Joanne Jody
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2000
Abstract
The opportunity for First Nations students to learn about their traditional history and culture
within Canadian schools is limited. In spite of the relevance and need to have this type of
inquiry, it seems that the Canadian educational system is reluctant to incorporate authentic
curricula into the students' academic repertoire. However, there are those who are
committed to the belief that all Canadian students would benefit from having the
opportunity to learn about First Nations from both a precontact and postcontact context.
Despite this educational thrust, authentic curricula, curricula which is developed in
consultation with Elders and other knowledgeable community members, remains missing
from Canadian institutions of education. The reader will be presented with a brief overview
of the historical legacy of Aboriginal education which, in itself, substantiates the need to
provide today's students with a more sensitive and responsible view of Aboriginal history
and culture. The research questions for this study were: does authentic Aboriginal curricula
have a positive impact on the self-esteem of Aboriginal students and does the Aboriginal
community support teaching authentic Aboriginal curricula in public schools. For this
research a class of grade 8 students were taught their social studies using authentic
Aboriginal curriculum. Pretests and posttests, student interviews and student and
community surveys were all used in this research. In addition, my teaching journal and
personal reflections have been incorporated into the inquiry of whether or not Aboriginal
students benefit from being taught authentic curricula. This study had four major findings:
that the self-esteem of Aboriginal students was positively affected through the use of
authentic Aboriginal curricula, that the students successfully met the British Columbia
Ministry of Education's learning outcomes through the use of authentic curricula, that this
Aboriginal community does support the use of authentic curricula within this school and
that the Aboriginal students felt that courses using authentic curricula should be supported
within public education.
Description
vii, 92 leaves ; 29 cm. --
Keywords
Indigenous peoples -- Canada -- Study and teaching -- Curricula , Indigenous peoples -- British Columbia -- Education