Teaching Indigenous Populations

Abstract

Cultural and ethnic differences play a major role, both positive and negative, in modern societies (Harrison & Huntington, 2000), not least in the education of ethnic minorities, particularly in the education of indigenous students (Glazer, 2000). In modern societies, the education of indigenous students is made difficult, simply and importantly, by culturally specific and often different conceptions of the legitimacy of both schools and teachers (see, e.g., Champagne & Abu-Saad, 2006; Jordan, 1995; Kleinfeld, 1995). This chapter argues that to create more effective education for indigenous students three things are required. First, authority-based schools that are sensitive to the culture of students, parents, and community elders are necessary. Second, indigenous people need to understand, and accept, the legitimate function that schools serve in modern societies. Finally, it is necessary to have truly empathetic teachers who are also experts in the subjects they teach. These conditions are necessary for all successful teaching and learning, but they are especially crucial when nonindigenous teachers are teaching indigenous students; potentially, if these conditions are met, they provide indigenous students with the opportunity of participating in both their traditional community and the modern society where they live.