Aboriginal Education Curriculum: Design and Development in Canada

This essay outlines the design and development of an Aboriginal Education curriculum, addressing the confusion surrounding the term and proposing a framework that considers the diverse socio-economic, cultural, and regional backgrounds of students. The curriculum aims for academic consistency while allowing flexibility for teachers. A literature review explores existing research on Aboriginal education, highlighting the importance of cultural integrity, challenges faced by Aboriginal students, and the need for culturally responsive teaching. The essay discusses the implications of the curriculum, focusing on the integration of Aboriginal methods and wisdom, language revitalization, and the recognition of traditional education models. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of quality education and incorporates the Aboriginal culture in the curriculum to improve education in Canada.

Running head: CURRICULUM 1
Curriculum
Student
Institution

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Introduction
I agree that the term aboriginal education has confused many people in Canada over a
long time. This has led to the emergence of multiple definitions of the term. Some of these
definitions convey entirely different outcomes and goals. One may think that aboriginal
education is something different depending on who is learning, who is teaching and what is
being taught (White & Peters, 2013). About this, in this paper, I will give my stance for the
development and making of the Aboriginal Education as part of a new curriculum. The
Aboriginal education curriculum will be an educational framework that will outline skill and
content milestones that will be attained for each subject grades. Although formalized, I agree that
this curriculum has been designed to have dynamic flexibilities that take care of the diversity of
socio-economical, cultural and regional backgrounds of a school body that is non-uniform
(Kanowitz, 2016). The curriculum will endeavor to ensure academic consistency. I will provide a
functional structure, through which the teachers or educators will operate with self-initiative and
creativity when applying various instruction and assessment tools. A broad vision and
philosophical direction have underpinned the curriculum. I have carefully planned it as not to
undermine the holistic development of the student learners.
Literature Review
According to Gallop and Bastien in their article “Supporting Students in Higher
Education," that was published in the year 2016, achieving success for most of the Aboriginal
students in cooperates more than realizing the mainstream objectives of higher career
advancement and socioeconomic statuses (Gallop & Bastien, 2016). Academic success as

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defined by mainstream institutions is performance outputs and external measures that are related
to intellectual achievement. For example, graduations, GPA and courses completed are some of
the actions universities use to identify successful students. By mainstream standards, a successful
aboriginal education student will be like any other student, by completing their coursework and
graduating from their program in the designated time. The success of the Aboriginal student will
include the ability to maintain cultural integrity and responsibility of reciprocity. Maintaining
artistic integrity is vital for a student or a learner to go through the Aboriginal education
successfully. This involves possessing a sense of own self and keeping hold of the individual
original knowing. For many Aboriginal students, post-primary education is viewed as a
fundamental tool for helping aboriginal societies to get their self-determination and self-rule
goals.
There are enough evidence and literature to suggest that non-Aboriginal teachers have no
enough skills or knowledge of how to teach Aboriginal learners (Santoro, Reid, Crawford, &
Simpson, 2011). Despite the commitment and positive intentions from many tutors, inadequate
understanding and lack of the appropriate pedagogies and complexity of the Aboriginal culture
has remained a challenge. In reference to the results of a data that studied the career ways of
several presents and past Aboriginal teachers, Santoro and his co-authors highlighted the
teachers’ knowledge on vital areas; Aboriginal methods of knowing, students living outside the
school and creating links with Aboriginal learners and societies. They suggested that the
Aboriginal tutors could stage critical responsibilities as tutor educators and teachers to non-
Aboriginal mentors. They indicated that creating and formalizing opportunities for non-

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Aboriginal teachers to learn from their counterparts is the fundamental role of the school
systems.
The central objective of Indigenous Education is to make sure that Aboriginal learners
keep their traditional identity while obtaining their proper education (Munroe, Borden, Orr,
Toney, & Meader, 2013). Concerned with the importance to decolonize the Aboriginal education
Munroe and her Co-authors explored philosophies of the indigenous ways of knowing as well as
those of the 21st century. In their bid to suggest a way forward for the education, they enquire
harmonies between the traditional and the modern techniques of instruction. They indicate that
there is a need for contracting a curriculum for culture and language revitalization as well as
drawing from community contexts to create a curriculum.
Aboriginal students in Canada are faced by many challenges (Whitley, 2014). School
persistence, postsecondary enrollment, and graduation rates are far behind for the Aboriginal
learners as equated to their counterparts who are the non-Aboriginal students. Lower income
levels and lower employment rates are some of the long-term effects of these challenges. The
mismatch between components of formal, the prevailing current, off-continence school
surrounding, interests and values of the Aboriginal students are some of the explanations for the
gap. Racism and prejudice between Aboriginal students and their counterparts is another
explanation for these challenges. Background experience, first language, academic abilities,
family support, and academic motivation are some of the influential factors that can determine
the ability of a student to excel. Identifying this can result in the growth of a more explicit
curriculum with results that are more successful.

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Implications of the Aboriginal Education Curriculum
In my view, the Aboriginal education will focus on teaching Aboriginal methods,
wisdom, paradigmatic, and gratification within official and informal educational network.
Developing acknowledgment and application of the Aboriginal education ways will be a reaction
to the attrition and mislaying of Aboriginal wisdom via the process of modernity (Booth, 2014).
The Aboriginal community will be able to repossess and reappraise their language and in so
exploiting, better the overall educational megahit of the Aboriginal learners. The Aboriginal
culture will also survive as a result.
Additionally, in this curriculum I will bring a shift towards recognition and understanding
of the traditional models of education as a viable and legitimate form of knowledge (Sianturi,
Chiang, & Hurit, 2018). The world has many education systems in use. However, each
community celebrates the assortment of literacy, and seeing world reinforcement for tutoring
traditional models of wisdom as a smash, and so will do the Aboriginal community.
Conclusion
I acknowledge that the Aboriginal curriculum is related to John Dewey's curriculum
theory. The vision of a democratic society commendably guides Dewey's education and
democracy. The world is currently under an attack by a wide range of issues. My solution this
problem is to set up a strong foundation for growth and development. The center for solving all
these issues is excellent and quality education. I will in-cooperate the Aboriginal culture in the
curriculum to help improve education in Canada.

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References
Booth, S. (2014). Teaching Aboriginal curriculum content in Australian high schools. Master of
Education (Research), 1-198.
Gallop, C. J., & Bastien, N. (2016). Supporting Success: Aboriginal Students in Higher
Education. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 206-224.
Kanowitz, G. (2016). What is curriculum? Quora, Online. Retrieved from
https://www.quora.com/What-is-curriculum
Munroe, E. A., Borden, L. L., Orr, A. M., Toney, D., & Meader, J. (2013). Decolonizing
Aboriginal Education in the 21st Century. McGill Journal of Education, 317-337.
Santoro, N., Reid, J.-A., Crawford, L., & Simpson, L. (2011). Teaching Indigenous Children:
Listening To And Learning From Indigenous Teachers. Australian Journal of Teacher
Education, 65-76.
Sianturi, M., Chiang, C.-L., & Hurit, A. A. (2018). Impact of a Place-Based Education
Curriculum on Indigenous Teacher and Students. International Journal of Instruction,
311-328.
White, J. P., & Peters, J. (2013). A Short History of Aboriginal Education in Canada. Part One:
Understanding the Current Situation, 13-31.
Whitley. (2014). Supporting Educational Success for Aboriginal Students: Identifying Key
Influences. McGill Journal of Education, Online. Retrieved from
http://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/8949/6943

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