Respect, Relationships and “Just Spending Time with Them”: Critical Elements for Engaging Aboriginal Students in Primary School Education

While disparities in educational outcomes for Aboriginal children have narrowed in early childhood education and for Year 12 completions, these positive trends are not replicated in the intervening years where attendance, reading, writing, and numeracy targets have been missed. Erratic attendance in the primary years has the greatest impact on achievement; literacy and numeracy scores decline as absences increase. Family functioning and health, caregiver expectations, past encounters with the education system and socio-economic disadvantage are all implicated in poorer rates of attendance. In response to community concerns, an Aboriginal/mainstream partnership was forged in 2011 and began work in 2016 to address patterns of attendance and achievement among Aboriginal primary students in a regional city in Western Australia. This paper describes the innovative, community-led “More Than Talk” program and presents findings from teaching and support staff interviews two years after implementation. Qualitative methods were employed to analyse the data, develop themes, and ensure rigour. Findings highlighted the cascading impact of erratic attendance and the role of strong relationships, respect, and investment of time with children as critical elements in student engagement and wellbeing. Community-led, collaborative educational programs have the potential to positively impact Aboriginal students’ engagement and contribute to culturally responsive environments. If sustained, such efforts can enable learning to flourish.

Re-contextualizing the architectural learning experiences: the alternative perspective (Part V)

Canadian Aboriginal students struggle to situate their cultural knowledge within a Eurocentric academy, in part because indigenous ways of knowing are informed by a philosophy that is characterized by ‘interconnected’ relationships rather than an isolated system of thought. In accordance with this worldview, this report is shaped by a series of 'interdisciplinary' discussions with the intent to establish an ethical middle ground (or space) for architectural learning that does not exclude an Aboriginal worldview. Supported with a different set of hermeneutic principles the report addresses the need to preserve indigenous knowledge systems thereby encouraging architectural Education in Canada to facilitate and help re-contextualize aboriginal traditions. As a result, this thesis attempts to create an enduring intellectual space for future aboriginal students where they are encouraged to “live the story of their created object” while forging renewed identity pieces in a shared cross-cultural context.

Re-contextualizing the architectural learning experiences: the alternative perspective (Part V)

Canadian Aboriginal students struggle to situate their cultural knowledge within a Eurocentric academy, in part because indigenous ways of knowing are informed by a philosophy that is characterized by ‘interconnected’ relationships rather than an isolated system of thought. In accordance with this worldview, this report is shaped by a series of 'interdisciplinary' discussions with the intent to establish an ethical middle ground (or space) for architectural learning that does not exclude an Aboriginal worldview. Supported with a different set of hermeneutic principles the report addresses the need to preserve indigenous knowledge systems thereby encouraging architectural Education in Canada to facilitate and help re-contextualize aboriginal traditions. As a result, this thesis attempts to create an enduring intellectual space for future aboriginal students where they are encouraged to “live the story of their created object” while forging renewed identity pieces in a shared cross-cultural context.

Inclusion in the Classroom : Examining Feelings of Inclusion of Newcomer and Aboriginal Students in Ontario's Public School System

Although schools have the potential to be inclusive spaces for children and youth from all backgrounds, the current study has found that in Ontario, newcomer and Aboriginal students’ perceptions of inclusion differ from those of their non-newcomer and non-Aboriginal counterparts. Through the analysis of a survey conducted in 2009 students enrolled in public, private or Catholic schools from grade 6 through 12, this essay compares the feelings of inclusion of newcomer and Aboriginal students in Ontario to those not falling within these two categories. Further, it determines whether or not the feelings of inclusion exhibited by the respondents in Ontario were similar to or different from those of their counterparts in the rest of the provinces. Interestingly, though newcomers in Ontario were actually found to feel more included in their schools than their non-newcomer counterparts, this was not the case in the rest of Canada, but, while Aboriginal students felt less included than their non-Aboriginal counterparts in all provinces, in Ontario the gap between the two groups was wider. This essay examines these findings and makes suggestions for improving inclusivity in Ontario’s school system. Key words: social inclusion; social exclusion; schools; newcomer children and youth; Aboriginal children and youth; colonialism.

Understanding mental health and wellbeing among aboriginal postsecondary students

First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth in Canada report higher rates of mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, addiction and suicide) issues than the non-Aboriginal population of youth, which impacts their ability to achieve their educational goals. Understanding mental health from an Aboriginal worldview and through culturally safe strategies designed to translate mental health information to Aboriginal people is lacking. The objectives of the present study were to develop, implement and evaluate a knowledge translation (KT) strategy to enhance wellbeing knowledge and self-efficacy in coping with mental health issues among Aboriginal postsecondary students using a community-based approach. The Tool Development Phase involved focus groups and interviews with Aboriginal post-secondary students (n=9) and community members (n=3) to develop a KT activity. The KT Phase involved a pre/post design where participants (n=4) were asked about their mental health knowledge and self-efficacy in improving their wellbeing prior to and after the KT activity. All students participated in an individual interview one month later about their knowledge and the helpfulness of activity. Key informants (n=4) were interviewed during a Follow-Up and Debriefing phase regarding the community-based approach. Mental health was defined wholistically, as related to community and as being impacted by identity, stigma, cultural connection, intergenerational trauma, and a clash between Aboriginal and positivist Western worldviews. KT preferences included incorporating traditional ceremonies; covering particular topics such as resources, traditional teachings and coping strategies; and incorporating active participation. The KT activity increased knowledge and self-efficacy related to mental health and some knowledge was retained and used at one-month follow-up. As well, participants appreciated the sense of community that the activity created and provided feedback regarding what could be changed (e.g., more active participation). Key informants thought the project addressed some community needs and that it was built on relationships. This study will contribute to increasing the wellbeing of Aboriginal students by expanding upon their mental health knowledge, and sense of self-efficacy in coping with their own mental health issues, with the aim of addressing mental health barriers to the completion of post-secondary education among Aboriginal students.

Inclusion in the Classroom : Examining Feelings of Inclusion of Newcomer and Aboriginal Students in Ontario's Public School System

Although schools have the potential to be inclusive spaces for children and youth from all backgrounds, the current study has found that in Ontario, newcomer and Aboriginal students’ perceptions of inclusion differ from those of their non-newcomer and non-Aboriginal counterparts. Through the analysis of a survey conducted in 2009 students enrolled in public, private or Catholic schools from grade 6 through 12, this essay compares the feelings of inclusion of newcomer and Aboriginal students in Ontario to those not falling within these two categories. Further, it determines whether or not the feelings of inclusion exhibited by the respondents in Ontario were similar to or different from those of their counterparts in the rest of the provinces. Interestingly, though newcomers in Ontario were actually found to feel more included in their schools than their non-newcomer counterparts, this was not the case in the rest of Canada, but, while Aboriginal students felt less included than their non-Aboriginal counterparts in all provinces, in Ontario the gap between the two groups was wider. This essay examines these findings and makes suggestions for improving inclusivity in Ontario’s school system. Key words: social inclusion; social exclusion; schools; newcomer children and youth; Aboriginal children and youth; colonialism.

Understanding mental health and wellbeing among aboriginal postsecondary students

First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth in Canada report higher rates of mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, addiction and suicide) issues than the non-Aboriginal population of youth, which impacts their ability to achieve their educational goals. Understanding mental health from an Aboriginal worldview and through culturally safe strategies designed to translate mental health information to Aboriginal people is lacking. The objectives of the present study were to develop, implement and evaluate a knowledge translation (KT) strategy to enhance wellbeing knowledge and self-efficacy in coping with mental health issues among Aboriginal postsecondary students using a community-based approach. The Tool Development Phase involved focus groups and interviews with Aboriginal post-secondary students (n=9) and community members (n=3) to develop a KT activity. The KT Phase involved a pre/post design where participants (n=4) were asked about their mental health knowledge and self-efficacy in improving their wellbeing prior to and after the KT activity. All students participated in an individual interview one month later about their knowledge and the helpfulness of activity. Key informants (n=4) were interviewed during a Follow-Up and Debriefing phase regarding the community-based approach. Mental health was defined wholistically, as related to community and as being impacted by identity, stigma, cultural connection, intergenerational trauma, and a clash between Aboriginal and positivist Western worldviews. KT preferences included incorporating traditional ceremonies; covering particular topics such as resources, traditional teachings and coping strategies; and incorporating active participation. The KT activity increased knowledge and self-efficacy related to mental health and some knowledge was retained and used at one-month follow-up. As well, participants appreciated the sense of community that the activity created and provided feedback regarding what could be changed (e.g., more active participation). Key informants thought the project addressed some community needs and that it was built on relationships. This study will contribute to increasing the wellbeing of Aboriginal students by expanding upon their mental health knowledge, and sense of self-efficacy in coping with their own mental health issues, with the aim of addressing mental health barriers to the completion of post-secondary education among Aboriginal students.