First Nation School Leadership and Changing Roles in Canada

• In Event: 49.025 - Educational Leadership Challenges and Initiatives for Social Justice Across the Commonwealth

Abstract

Through the Constitution Act (1867) and the Indian Act (1876) the Canadian federal government has responsibility for the provision of schooling on-reserve for First Nations' students. Many of these issues facing schools for First Nations' students, such as inadequate funding and a lack of leadership, are long-standing. However, in the last decade these schools are facing the additional challenges of insufficient numbers of Aboriginal educational leaders, inadequate professional development for teachers, and changing curriculum development. In addition to these challenges, the remoteness of many of the schools and the separateness from the schools for all other Canadian children in provincial schools add to the complexity of operating schools for First Nations' students on-reserve. This paper looks at current issues for First Nations schools in Canada: the lack of government support, professional development for staff and leadership development for administrators, enhanced curriculum and language development, as well as isolation and remoteness.

Author

• Sheila Betty Carr-Stewart, University of Alberta