This paper examined the apparent effects of
residential schools on the child-rearing patterns of Natives
who attended these schools. Evidence came from the
literature and from three interviews with persons who
attended residential schools -- one male elder and two
females, who answered four open-ended questions. The
findings suggest that this type of educational experience
caused psychological and cultural losses in self-esteem,
child-rearing patterns, and Native Indian language. New and
different behaviours had.to be learned by the children in
middle childhood to cope and exist in a parentless
environment where no feelings of love or care were
demonstrated by the caretakers and the speaking of Cree and
other Native languages was forbidden. Values and skills
taught by Native parents/elders, and essential for survival
in Native society, lost their importance in residential
schools; the Native language was not taught to subsequent
generations; and the separation of siblings by sex and age
created strangers in families. These experiences will
presumably be transmitted in some form to the next
generation, thereby affecting the way Natives view
themselves. To restore confidence in themselves and respect
for essential patterns of child-rearing the process of
healing is vital and recommended. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/42515 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | Ing, N. Rosalyn |
| Publisher | University of British Columbia |
| Source Sets | University of British Columbia |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis/Dissertation |
| Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
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