Parent Involvement In First Nations Education

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First Nations adults responsible for educating youth included parents, grandparents, members of the extended family and community elders. Community and parent involvement has been the key teaching methods before the introduction of European classroom education. Teaching methods were accomplished using several techniques, including observation and practice, family and group socialization, oral teachings and participation in community ceremonies and institutions. (McCue, 2011). Parents, grandparents and community involvement was the only method of educating of the Ingenious children. Education of Indigenous people was a life-long Journey. In some form or another, parental involvement has been an historic reality for First Nations education in …show more content…
A study, published in the Canadian Review of Sociology, suggests that parents affected by the legacy of residential schools has left some Indigenous people more wary and fearful of Canada's current education system. This mistrust in the educational system leads parents to be less engaged with teachers and could hurt their children's education. (Puxley, 2016). Parents affected by the residential legacy are fearful of teachers, after going through the trauma of family separations, mistreatments, deaths, emotional and sexual abuse, restrictions on cultural practices and languages use have contributed to this. Every surviving child in the residential schools have been touch in various ways. An estimated 6,000 indigenous children died during that period. In addition, the succeeding generations are also affected the trauma their parents went through. After hearing about the mistreatment of their parents, indigenous children have inherited the fear and mistrust in the educational system of Canada. Without involvement of parents in the educational, they will not be aware of additional resources available for their children success. This puts the children at a disadvantage as they may be denied access to after school activities, additional learning materials and programs. This disadvantage to their children could deny them of a better future, quality of life, and also will affect …show more content…
There are barriers to effective communication, school structure is fragmented whereas the First Nations structure more in holistic in nature; body language and the use of language is a cultural barrier as well. Schools lack in engagement strategies for parent feedback and involvement. (FNEC,2009). Possible strategies to improve communications, could include newsletters, emails, phone calls to update parents on school activities and invite parent involvement in the school activities. However, most interaction with parents are done on negative circumstances or when there is a problem. Negative circumstances communications disengage contribution by parents. Regular communications between schools on positive initiatives like additional resources would help close the communication barriers and promote more open exchanges. Understanding by the schools of First Nations issues and values by staff, administration, teachers, within the curriculum would also be beneficial. Administrators should be educated in First Nations issues and values to avoid any misunderstanding and offending the First Nations