Residential Schools

Abstract

Government commissions have demonstrated that residential schools’ ability to educate aboriginal students was compromised by widespread problems including (a) inadequate curriculum, staffing, instruction time, and parental involvement; (b) racism; (c) prohibition against the use of aboriginal language; and (d) maltreatment. This article uses psychological research and theory to explain how such problems exposed aboriginal children and adolescents to increased risk of poor academic performance, reduced capacity to continue education after leaving the residential school, limited employment prospects, and reduced income as adults.

Structural Racism and Indigenous Health: W hat Indigenous Perspectives of Residential School and Boarding School Tell Us? A Case Study of Canada and Finland

“…Our findings about the shortcomings of receiving an education in a foreign language and in an institutionalized environment that did not respect or tolerate Indigenous language, culture, and epistemologies are similar to previous research that used psychological research and theory to explain the increased risk of poor academic performance, reduced capacity to continue education after leaving residential school, limited employment prospects, and reduced income as adults (Barnes, Josefowitz, & Cole, 2006). When coping with historic traumas, there was potential for both vulnerability and resilience.…”

Indigenous Peoples’ Life Stories: Voices of ancient knowledge

“…Attempts by Canadian government to assimilate Indigenous peoples have included policies related to the forced removal of children from their homes and communities-an infamous period known as the residential schools era (Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, 1996). Subtler yet equally problematic forms of cultural assimilation continue to undermine the mechanisms and processes of culture and language considered vital to relating to the world (Barnes, Josefowitz, & Cole, 2006;Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, 1996). Consequently, over the last 150 years, there has been a radical alteration to a way of life of the Indigenous peoples of North America (Neihardt & Black Elk, 2000).…”

“…The fi nding that only 2 of 38 stories contained contaminated imagery indicates that most participants in the study utilized a redemptive narrative strategy in making sense of their experiences, despite the loss of language and culture. A plausible explanation for this fi nding is that, despite a loss of culture and language (Barnes et al, 2006;Miller & Mangelsdorf, 2005;Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, 1996), culturally preferred narrative patterns are still being transmitted. This may be due to the nature of Indigenous epistemologies where Indigenous values and customs serve as a basis to understand and maintain relationships within creation (Little Bear, 2000).…”

Development and Evaluation of a Peer Mentorship Program for Aboriginal University Students

“…Aboriginal youth may also have increased stress due to lower socio-economic status and additional responsibilities of caring for family members, concerns regarding cultural safety and appropriate role models in the post-secondary environment, and a perceived lack of control over education (Canadian Council of Ministers of Education, 2011). In order to understand and address the complex needs of Aboriginal youth in post-secondary environments, it is important to acknowledge not only these current educational challenges, but also the historical context, including a long history of assimilationist education policies, chronic abusive experiences and the removal of Aboriginal children from their homes and placement in residential schools (Barnes, Josefowitz, & Cole, 2006).…”