In 1999, under federal government legislation, Mi'kmaw communities in Nova Scotia won the right to manage the education of their children for the first time in a century. With support from Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey, an education authority that provides central services, local Mi'kmaw schools deliver language immersion courses, culturally-appropriate…

When the First Nations Student Success Program (FNSSP) was first introduced in September 2009, the author's initial thought was: "No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has finally arrived in Canada." It seemed prophetic that the 2010 spring issue of "Education Canada" contained both a piece by Joel Westheimer warning against the pitfalls…

There are numerous examples of misinformation which are often taken for granted by individuals involved in the education of Indian children. Lists the author's perception of eight of the most prevalent general myths. (Author/RK)

Reviews Canadian legal development in areas of religious instruction, sex education, censorship, home schooling, minority language rights, special education, and Indian land claims. Examines accompanying implications for Native Canadian curricula. Notes increasing parental input and trend against unilateral control of education by provincial…

In Canada, about 100 Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) programs provide Aboriginal preschool children with a start in preparing for elementary school and an understanding of their Native culture. The involvement of parents, communities, and elders is key to the success of AHS. The AHS mission statement and seven guiding principles are presented. (SV)

At R. B. Russell Vocational High School (Winnipeg, Manitoba), which serves economically disadvantaged, primarily First Nations students, a student-developed Web site uses virtual reality and digital video technologies to teach auto mechanics in ways that are relevant to students' diverse learning styles and needs. The project has increased student…

Young adults offer advice to Canadian educators (in English and French) to help them improve the education system for students today. Seven diverse young men and women reflect on their school experiences and discuss encouraging students to develop leadership skills, improving teacher/student relationships, listening to students, and exposing youth…

Recent University of Calgary Indian graduates are returning to their reserves, many as teachers, with a sense of being at home and able to serve. This may be due to Native peoples' need for professional services, students' family background and biculturalism, and pressure by Indian groups for special university programs. (SB)

Argues for local control of education by Native Canadians. Position based on benefits of parent responsibility, rather than on criticism of Canadian Indian policy or treaties. Examines Indian education history, noting positive examples of Native communities taking educational responsibility. Concludes local control makes good educational policy.…

The article generally describes the existing specialized native Indian teacher education programs in Canada. It notes their rationales, effectiveness and problems, and discusses four trends for the future. (SB)

Canada Natives have experienced many educational changes. Their traditional education and culture were negated by Euro-Western schooling, leaving Aboriginal people in a deficit position without a strong voice for many years. Only recently have Aboriginal people strengthened their voice in calling for their cultural values and beliefs to be the…

An award-winning teacher shares her strategies for improving attendance, homework completion, and English proficiency in a fifth-grade class in Nunavut. She tailored the curriculum to her students' academic and cultural needs. Her students thrived on the security, success, and sense of caring that her regime of structure, discipline, and…

Although the Canadian government has attempted to provide equal education to Aboriginal children, assimilation prevails in residential secondary schools through immersion in a foreign language; curriculum reflective of Euro-White, middle class values; and culturally inappropriate styles of teaching. Describes the educational experiences of…

In Nunavut, where most residents are Inuit, Inuit elders are helping develop a new mathematics curriculum based on Inuit philosophy. Students will be involved in cultural, experiential activities during on-the-land trips. Such trips involve other community members, and the resulting interactions and informal teaching by individuals other than…

Effective strategies for assisting Canadian Native communities to develop school boards included encouraging an unhurried adaptive learning process, providing guidance to achieve consensus, and allowing for an incubation period. Impediments to development included community members' avoidance of leadership roles, cross-cultural misunderstandings,…