Enhancing Conditions for Aboriginal Learners in Higher Education - The Experiences of Nishnawbe Aski Teacher Candidates in a Teacher Education Program

Oct 15, 2026

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This article examines a community-based Indigenous teacher education program in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, created through a partnership between the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council and Brock University. The program aims to prepare Nishnawbe Aski teachers for Two Worlds Orientation by integrating Indigenous understandings with Western educational principles. The article outlines the program’s structure and characteristics, analyzes strengths reported by teacher candidates and educators, and considers impediments to success.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Program Rationale and Context

Cultural responsiveness and Two Worlds Orientation

Educational inequities and outcomes

Program Design and Implementation

Partnership and community consultation

Cohorts and graduation context

Teacher Candidate Experiences

Satisfaction and instructor feedback

Frustration, stress, and communication barriers

Enhancing Conditions for Aboriginal Learners in Higher Education: The Experiences of Nishnawbe Aski Teacher Candidates in a Teacher Education Program Julian Kitchen Brock University John Hodson Maamaawisiiwin Education Research Institute Abstract This article studies a community-based Indigenous teacher education program in Northwestern Ontario in Canada. This program, the result of a partnership between the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council and Brock University, was designed to prepare Nishnawbe Aski teachers able to teacher through a Two Worlds Orientation: unique Indigenous understandings combined with Western educational principles. The program characteristics and structure are outlined. The strengths of the program, as identified by teacher candidates and teacher educators, are explored. Impediments to success are also considered. Keywords: Aboriginal teacher education, teacher education, Aboriginal education Julian Kitchen, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Brock University. His research interests include Aboriginal education, LGBTQ issues in education and the self-study of teacher education practices. Email: [jkitchen@brocku.ca](jkitchen@brocku.ca) John Hodson, Ph.D., is the Director of the Maamaawisiiwin Education Research Institute. His research interests include Aboriginal education, teacher education, and international Indigenous research and development. Email: [onkwehonwe7@gmail.com](onkwehonwe7@gmail.com) Brock Education Volume 23, No. 1, Fall 2013, pp. 97-115 J. Kitchen and J. Hodson Aboriginal Learners in Higher Education “I am so far from my family. We are a really close family and three weeks is a long time away.” “Every time I left, I did planning for three weeks… I would be planning until 3 o’clock in the morning and then be up for work early.” “Our internet in not so good, due to bandwidth… I can’t even log on before I run out of time.” “It’s like nobody knows what is going on. Nobody knows when our next course is going to be.” (Comments by Teacher Candidates) One of the greatest challenges for First Nation, Inuit, and Métis people is adapting education to suit their needs and interests. As Hampton (1995) writes, Aboriginal education has long been a site for cultural genocide and assimilation into the mainstream of Canadian society. In order for schools to better serve Aboriginal teacher candidates, they need to establish a learning environment that is culturally responsive while preparing them to “confidently deal with all aspects of modern society”(Hampton, 1995, p. 7) . Yet, there is much evidence that schools have been unsuccessful on both counts. There has been ongoing decline in the percentage of North American Indian children with an Aboriginal mother tongue from 9% in 1996 to 7% in 2001 (Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 2001) suggests that schools are doing little to protect language. Tthere has been a steady increase in the number of Aboriginal children in Ontario classrooms, with an estimated 50,312 Aboriginal teacher candidates enrolled in Ontario’s elementary and secondary schools (Ontario Ministry of Education [OME], 2007) . Low graduation rates, however, are a major concern. Almost half of all Aboriginal people over the age of 15 have less than a high school diploma (OME, 2007) . Only 9% of the adult Aboriginal population between ages 25 and 64 have completed a bachelor’s degree, while 36% are college or trades graduates (Statistics Canada, 2006) . Twelve percent of Aboriginal Canadians between the ages of 15 and 29 drop out before Grade 9, while 37.5% of 15 to 24 year olds are neither in formal schooling nor employed in the workforce (Robertson, 2003) . Rather than continue on the same path, the education system “must decolonize Canada’s education and understanding the treaty right to education as a manifestation of Aboriginal choice”(Youngblood Henderson, 1995, p. 257) . In response to this need, a five-year elementary Bac

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the Indigenous teacher education program studied in the article?

The program is designed to prepare Nishnawbe Aski teachers using a Two Worlds Orientation, combining unique Indigenous understandings with Western educational principles.

How does the article describe the program’s guiding principles and learning environment?

It emphasizes self-determination and culturally responsive schooling, aiming to create a learning environment that supports teacher candidates while preparing them to navigate modern society.

What challenges or impediments does the article identify for the program’s success?

Despite efforts in program design, many teacher candidates report frustration and significant stress, including risks of failing to graduate within the allotted five years, driven by logistical and communication issues.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Ben