posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 06:05 PM
reply to post by DaddyBare
I agree. I enjoyed hearing your personal story, because it echoes the text book definitions of poorly managed schooling for Amerindian peoples in
every country in the western hemisphere.
Canadian Boarding schools were the worst when it came to punishment for speakers of languages other than French or English. You discussed how you were
given corporal punishment - wraps on the knuckles - which is exactly what happened, and worse, to many native youth throughout the system.
It is unfortunate that the one dimensional notions of education in the 19th century did not do more to incorporate and respect native languages.
**** I don't throw the "MA" thing around to toot my own horn. You don't need a college education to respect people's heritage when it comes to
culture and language. I use it to combat the misinformed who post on here as though they know everything there is to know about X subject. I can run
with their opinions on other topics, but when it comes to bilingual education, I know what's what. I hope I didn't come off as elitist. Some people
know how to fix a car, weave a basket or solve complex physics equations. Those things are not my area and I would respect their knowledge on it. But
I know what I know and someone has to put in some facts to confront the stereotypes and opinions.
In closing, I suggest the following read:
geibtechforlearning.org/lvu/resources/WindwolfPlea.pdf
It's a PDF. It's a real letter by a Native American father to his son's teacher, explaining why his son may be perceived as doing poorly when
compared to his White American fellow students. It succinctly explains how and why language and culture affect perception and ability.
It also exemplifies the OP when he says that he understood his teacher's question - which is common in non-native speakers of a language - but was
unable to answer in the language.