Indigenous Life In Canada: Past, Present, Future: Employment & Education [Simon Rose & Kathleen Corrigan]

 Designed for elementary students from grades 4 to 7 the books offer an introduction to Indigenous life in Canada in the past, present and future. The content consultant for Employment and Education is Dennis McPherson, band member of Couchiching First Nation and Associate Professor of Indigenous Learning, Lakehead University.

Over six chapters employment and education is discussed as follows:

Chapter 1: Getting An Education accounts for the value of education, school infrastructure, availability, location, traditional and formal schooling, customs and traditions such as smudging, the history and stories passed on through oral tradition, and sacred space.

Chapter 2 considers Residential Schools beginning in the 1870s and outlines government beliefs about how Indigenous peoples should live with the aim of establishing schools for young children to forget their languages, cultures, and traditions. Teaching Western ideas and punishing children speaking their own languages, residential school were mostly abysmal.  

Chapter 3, describes education today and Indigenous children’s freedom to learn in their own communities through Indigenous curriculum, school boards, and education agreements.

Chapter 4 is about employment because it is linked to education. Mental health challenges, lack of services, geographic location and discrimination and racism influence employment.

Chapter 5 discusses Government Programs outlining Indigenous Services Canada’s responsibility for education and school infrastructure.

Chapter 6 looks to the future and further changes that are needed for education and employment and skilled workers in support of the Canadian economy. The book contains simply written text illustrated with maps, charts, images and photos. Each book has brief sidebars of additional information about a topic as well as suggested framing questions to assist students in critical thinking.

Includes an index, information about the author, additional resources and a glossary.