IFCW presentation
October, 2011
by
Dr. Marion MacIver
Why select this research topic?
 What research and experience tells us
 Quantitative research, data and focus
 Discrepancy between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
data
 How does this relate to my own professional
perspective?
 Does providing learners with relationships, activity, and
normalcy lead to success?
The Study
 Purpose
 To examine how lived experiences as perceived by
Aboriginal middle level students contributed to their
continued school engagement
 Participants
 Aboriginal adolescents (10) who have previously
discontinued from attending school, but are presently
engaged in learning in a classroom environment
The Study
Setting
• A Canadian
residential
treatment
center
The Study
 Procedure and analysis
 Conversational interviews focused on:




Barriers to continuing in school
Influential sources
Ideal educator traits
Cultural heritage as an influence
Emerging themes
 Peer pressure
Emerging themes
 Cultural influence and racism
Emerging themes
 School day (routines, workload, curricula)
Emerging themes
 Activities
Emerging themes
 Goal setting
Emerging themes
 Relationships
 Teachers making school an enjoyable experience
 Teachers who build rapport with students
The Results
 Teacher and principal ethnicity was not identified as a
significantly influential source
Study Implications
 The study results imply the need for:
 Schools to develop culturally affirming learning
environments profiling Aboriginal cultural values,
curricula, and activities
Study Implications
 Students’ workload structured to accommodate
individualized learning capabilities and aptitudes
Study Implications
 Teachers to build ongoing relationships with students
Study Implications
 Teachers to be humorous, fun loving, and listen to
students
 Principals to build rapport with students
Study Implications
 The study supports:
 Being taught in a culturally affirming environment
motivates school engagement
Study Implications
 The importance of students actively participating in
school activities
Study Implications
 Aboriginal students perceive their teachers as the most
important influence toward their educational success
Study Implications
 Teachers need to ...
 Provide support
 Ensure homework is complete
 Not give hard work
 Make learning motivating
 Assign work matching
student success levels
Study Implications
 Is shared ethnicity important?
 Being taught by Aboriginal teachers and/or Aboriginal
principals perceived as only moderately influential
Recommendations for action
 Aboriginal content to be integrated throughout all
school curricula and extra-curricular activities
 All educators to increase their knowledge base
regarding Aboriginal students’ needs
 Academic learning must be individualized
 Goal setting and career planning needs to be provided
at the middle and high school levels
What was learned …
 Teachers hold considerable power in influencing
Aboriginal students’ sense of belonging in school
 It is critical that educators understand the unique
perspectives and learning needs of their Aboriginal
learners
 Greater numbers of Aboriginal students completing
high school will become a reality when learning is
presented through the Aboriginal lens and with
teachers meeting all students’ needs equally.
Building bridges through
relationships ....