A portrait of Aboriginal elementary school classrooms: an exploratory study using elements of ethnographic research design
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Abstract
The objective of this exploratory, qualitative study was to obtain a greater understanding of educational issues experienced by teachers and students in the context of two rural Aboriginal elementary schools. Using elements of ethnographic methodology including participant-observer interactions and interviews, the data were collected from two geographically and contextually disparate elementary schools in Alberta serving predominantly Cree student populations. Surface analysis of the data revealed that challenges for teachers and students fell into either environmental or academic classification and included chronic absenteeism, transiency and problems pertaining to language mastery and reading readiness. The principal benefit identified for teachers was high job satisfaction and, for students, a safe environment where basic needs are met and programming is reflective of traditional Aboriginal worldviews. Deep Analysis delved into the role of culture in the development of the student and community; implications, practical applications, and further directions for research were discussed.