Abstract
This article presents the findings of a qualitative study that examines how Indigenous epistemology affects secondary Indigenous students’ retention rates within public schools. The purpose of this study was to focus on Indigenous epistemology that is present in Indigenous culture and language courses to determine whether Indigenous students who engage in this curriculum have higher success rates than those of Indigenous students who do not participate in this particular curriculum. As a Blackfoot scholar, I used a Blackfoot theoretical framework grounded in an Indigenous research methodology. Eight Blood Tribe members were interviewed: four participants (three graduates and one non-graduate) who attended a high school with Indigenous epistemology courses (offered Blackfoot language classes and Aboriginal Studies) and four participants (three graduates and one non-graduate) who attended a high school that did not offer Indigenous epistemology courses (did not offer Blackfoot language classes and Aboriginal Studies). The findings show that not only does the epistemology in the school play a role in Indigenous students’ success in public education, but the epistemology also accompanies and influences the participants throughout their adult lives by shaping their identities and affecting how they function as adults.
Highlights
“As Natives3, [our culture and language] is all we have left in today’s modern world; and if we cannot teach this to our children, we would be a lost Tribe” (Research participant Tony, Prete, 2011, pg. 116)
Indigenous People has been a federal responsibility as stated in the British North American Act (1867) and the original Indian Act (1876)
The literature I reviewed for this study identified many factors that either contributed to or decreased Indigenous early departure rates; very few studies have directly addressed the extent to which Indigenous epistemology or its lack in the curriculum affect dropout rates
Summary
“As Natives3, [our culture and language] is all we have left in today’s modern world; and if we cannot teach this to our children, we would be a lost Tribe” (Research participant Tony, Prete, 2011, pg. 116). Numerous sources have indicated that for the past several decades, the Indigenous People of Canada have the highest early school departure rates than any other ethnicity in Canada (Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, 1996; Indigenous Services Canada, 2003; Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 2009; Mendelson, 2006; Assembly of First Nations, 2009; Alberta School Boards Association, 2011). Peoples is a systemic issue which has led to the low achievement of Indigenous Peoples in public schools. I choose to use the terminology “early departure rate” rather than “dropout rates” as factors exist which are beyond the control of Indigenous Peoples that have led to their low graduation rates. A major revision in the Indian Act (1985) resulted in a government agreement to hold provincial and territorial schools accountable for the education of Indigenous students; and they are accountable for their respective Indigenous early school departure rates
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