Among his recommendations, Waubageshig argues that First Nations student teachers should be required to take courses that examine the role of tribal cultures in education.
June 7, 2016 – First Nations elementary-secondary education requires several fundamental reforms to improve education outcomes for students on- and off-reserve, according to a new C.D. Howe Institute Verbatim. In “First Nations Elementary-Secondary Education: A National Dilemma,” author Waubageshig makes recommendations for teachers, principals and the curriculum.
“Eager but ill-prepared teachers have been descending onto Indian reserves since the mid-1950s. But almost seventy years later, teachers continue to experience profound challenges teaching these kids,” commented Waubageshig. “The problem, I believe, lies in the colleges and faculties of education across Canada responsible for the professional preparation and training of all teachers, including those who will teach First Nations students, either on- or off-reserve.”
Among his recommendations, Waubageshig argues that First Nations student teachers should be required to take courses that examine the role of tribal cultures in education.
“In addition to a course or courses that enable student teachers to understand how tribal cultures affect their anticipated classroom work, another important course concerns the residential school experience.”
Waubageshig also urges provincial governments to introduce a new elementary-secondary curriculum for First Nation schools that includes subjects adapted for First Nations schools and accommodates educational content that is more applied than academic. As well, governments should embark on a five-year project to develop a First Nations Civics curriculum that would inform a child about his or her community, its history, its institutions, its traditions and culture.
The author concludes: “New federal education policies and budgets will fail to improve education outcomes if authorities continue to ignore the curriculum in First Nations schools and overlook how teachers and principals who work with First Nations students are trained.”
Click here for the full report.
For more information contact: Waubageshig, former Director of Education, Cree School Board, James Bay, Quebec and co-founder, Indigenous Studies, Trent University, Peterborough: 416-865-1904; E-mail: kmurphy@cdhowe.org.
The C.D. Howe Institute is an independent not-for-profit research institute whose mission is to raise living standards by fostering economically sound public policies. Widely considered to be Canada's most influential think tank, the Institute is a trusted source of essential policy intelligence, distinguished by research that is nonpartisan, evidence-based and subject to definitive expert review.