Seeking to Improve Student Success by Building Connections Between Indigenous Parents and Schools

Abstract

Educational mandates, supported by research showing a strong connection between parent involvement and students’ educational success, highlight the key role that parents play in children’s education. To understand the likelihood that mandated objectives can be fulfilled it is important to know more about family-school interactions in specific community contexts. This concern is especially pertinent to Indigenous children, many of whom live in family/community contexts in which legacies of residential schooling and other negative school experiences have contributed to a disconnection between home and school. This chapter presents a case study which draws on a Canadian community-school education initiative and research project situated in a central urban Alberta school division in which schools are working to strengthen engagement with Indigenous children and family members. Drawing on the perspectives of parents and educators of Indigenous children, we explore the kinds of schooling engagement Indigenous parents see as most desirable and constructive to support their children, as well as the ways schools can support Indigenous students’ educational experiences and outcomes. Participants in the study emphasized the significance of ensuring that Indigenous parents are being heard, respected, and valued at their children’s school. Participants also spoke about the desire among many Indigenous parents to support the inclusion of content about Indigenous peoples in the classroom as well as the desire to stand with educators and be part of the school community supporting Indigenous students. This chapter highlights the benefit of inviting parents to work with educators as partners to support their children’s education.