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The Wounded Bear: A Modern Day Medicine Story

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Introduction
Aboriginal students are faced with many challenges during their academic journey. The research leads us to understand that Aboriginals have low rates of academic success and high rates of student dropouts. I decided to view this issue through the lenses of the article, “The Wounded Bear: A Modern Day Medicine Story” (Eagleheart, 2002). In this essay the “wounded bear” is our Aboriginal students and their families who are faced with challenges in the school system that cause destructive behaviors like dropping out and becoming unmotivated. The woman in the story who reaches out to understand the cause behind the behaviors and offer support, I hope will be the teacher’s in our school system. This essay will explore the challenges of intergenerational trauma, cultural bias, low expectations and self-concept, while …show more content…

As argued by Whitley (2014), “many families may continue to fear an agenda of assimilation for their children and view educational institutions as perpetuating colonization, making the development of collaborative relationships with teachers and administrators even more challenging” (p.156). Over the course of my education to be an early childhood educator I’ve learned that a key factor of success in the classroom both academically and socially is family involvement. Therefore, if the families are apprehensive about the school system it is less likely that will get involved. Whitley, Rawana and Brownlee (2014) point out “Given the intergenerational effects of the residential school system in Canada, many families may view collaboration with school staff and a focus on success in mainstream, off-reserve schools with suspicion or as a low priority” (p.37). Residential schools although now closed are continuing to provide challenges for Aboriginal

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