Indigenous Education And Empowerment

Indigenous people have often been confronted with education systems that ignore their cultural and historical perspectives. Largely unsuccessful projects of assimilation have been the predominant outcome of indigenous communities' encounters with state schools, as many indigenous students fail to conform to mainstream cultural norms. This insightful volume is an important contribution to our understanding of indigenous empowerment through education. The contributors to this volume work in the fields of education, social development and community empowerment among indigenous communities around the world. Their essays create a new foundation for implementing specialized indigenous/minority education worldwide, and engage the simultaneous projects of cultural preservation and social integration. This work will be vital for scholars in Native American studies, ethnic studies, and education.

This book describes the experiences of students, educators, and community members living in the Zuni Pueblo and working to integrate Indigenous language, culture, and history in in the Zuni Pueblo schools. Aimed at teacher education faculty seeking to work in collaborative relationships with Indigenous populations, this volume offers a first-hand account of the challenges and opportunities surrounding the preservation of Indigenous culture in pre-K-12 curriculum and instruction. Featuring a range of perspectives from within a tribal educational institution, this book demonstrates the possibilities for successful partnerships between Indigenous schools and Western systems of education.

Post-secondary education, often referred to as "the new buffalo," is a contentious but critically important issue for First Nations and the future of Canadian society. While First Nations maintain that access to and funding for higher education is an Aboriginal and Treaty right, the Canadian government insists that post-secondary education is a social program for which they have limited responsibility. In "The New Buffalo, "Blair Stonechild traces the history of Aboriginal post-secondary education policy from its earliest beginnings as a government tool for assimilation and cultural suppression to its development as means of Aboriginal self-determination and self-government. With first-hand knowledge and personal experience of the Aboriginal education system, Stonechild goes beyond merely analyzing statistics and policy doctrine to reveal the shocking disparity between Aboriginal and Canadian access to education, the continued dominance of non-Aboriginals over program development, and the ongoing struggle for recognition of First Nations run institutions.

"The principles of empowerment through a new expression of Indigenous education are facilitated by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people recognizing the hidden oppression and uneven levels of power and privilege which are the legacy of colonialism. The stories of the oppressive history of America must be heard. The historic and contemporary forms of trauma, grief and loss of Indigenous people must be acknowledged. There must be recognition that the effects of marginalization and racism are ongoing. To address these effects, a contemporary Indigenous education theory must validate the inherent strength of Indian people in their resiliency and instinct for survival. It must allow for trust in Indigenous Peoples ability to develop a new expression of education over time. There must be a deep and long-term commitment to create and enact a transformative vision of the role a contemporary expression of Indigenous education can play. Such a vision must be built upon mutual respect and shared power for all participants. In many ways, this movement toward defining a new vision for Indigenous education has already begun. What is most important in these beginning stages is listening to the voices of Indian people, validating their positions and understanding their need for empowerment as they strive to create a new and transformative vision for Indigenous education in the 21st century. Native Minds Rising presents the research and stories of a new group of Indigenous scholars and practitioners who are researching or participating in the development of Indigenous-based research while working in Indigenous communities."--

★ Starred selection for CCBC's Best Books Ideal for Teachers 2023! Resurgence is an inspiring collection of contemporary Indigenous poetry, art, and narratives that guides K–12 educators in bridging existing curricula with Indigenous voices and pedagogies. In this first book in the Footbridge Series, we invite you to walk with us as we seek to: connect peoples and places link truth and reconciliation as ongoing processes symbolize the risk and urgency of this work for both Indigenous and settler educators engage tensions highlight the importance of balance, both of ideas and within ourselves Through critical engagement with each contributor’s work, experienced educators Christine M’Lot and Katya Adamov Ferguson support readers in connecting with Indigenous narratives and perspectives, bringing Indigenous works into the classroom, and creating more equitable and sustainable teaching practices. In this resource, you will find: diverse Indigenous voices, perspectives, and art forms from a variety of nations and locations valuable concepts and methods that can be applied to the classroom and beyond practical action steps and resources for educators, parents, librarians, and administrators Use this book as a springboard for your own learning journey or as a lively prompt for dialogue within your professional learning community.

Strength Basing, Empowering and Regenerating Indigenous Knowledge Education demonstrates how to bring Indigenous Knowledges to the forefront of education practice and provides educators with the tools to enact culturally responsive curricula and pedagogies, ensuring positive educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and students. In this book, John Davis presents Indigenous Knowledges – ways of doing, creating, and learning – combined with contemporary education practice, to develop a culturally responsive pedagogy that builds on the strengths that Indigenous Australian students bring to the classroom. Setting Cultural Proficiency as the benchmark, the book offers educators a lens through which to review their education practice. It moves beyond the deficit model of Indigenous education by challenging non-Indigenous educators to reflect on personal biases and to raise their expectations of Indigenous students. Not ‘tacked on’ to an existing curriculum, or specific to a single school term or unit of learning, Riteway places Indigenous Knowledges at the centre of education. The approach is holistic and adaptable to any educational context, from the early years right through to tertiary education. Providing a roadmap toward transformational education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and students, this book will be essential reading for pre- and in-service educators alike.

Education is at the heart of the struggle of Aboriginal peoples to regain control over their lives as communities and nations. The promise of education is that it will instruct the people in ways to live long and well, respecting the wisdom of their ancestors and fulfilling their responsibilities in the circle of life. Aboriginal Education documents the significant gains in recent years in fulfilling this promise. It also analyzes the institutional inertia and government policies that continue to get in the way. The contributors to this book emphasize Aboriginal philosophies and priorities in teaching methods, program design, and institutional development. An introductory chapter on policy discourse since 1966 provides a context for considering important achievements and constraints in transforming Aboriginal education into an instrument of self-determination. A number of the chapters are drawn from reports and papers prepared for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples as background to its 1996 report. They cover a broad range of subjects: educational practice from elementary to post-secondary levels; initiatives in language conservation and communications media; the development of Aboriginal institutions; and policy discourse among Aboriginal, federal, provincial, and territorial bodies. As the authors make clear, Aboriginal education continues to be practised on an intensely political terrain. While governments fund particular Aboriginal initiatives, the homogenizing pressures of a globalizing society are relentless. Political gains in negotiating self-government thus establish the context in which the distinctiveness of Aboriginal education and cultures is sustained. This book is a valuable resource for administrators, educators and students with an interest in Aboriginal issues and educational reform.