Educational Frontiers

The last book that I was able to find in the Saskatoon library was First Nations in the Twenty-First Century: Contemporary Educational Frontiers. This book was wonderful. It would make a very informative and useful text book for university classes. It examines aspects of First Nations life and culture, as well as ways in which to ensure success for First Nations students. Each chapter of this book ends with a future outlook for each issue that it is discussing. This grounds all the information in the present as opposed to relegating its importance to the past.

My favorite chapter in this book looks at the importance of elders in First Nations culture, as well as including some of the elders wisdom in the chapter. The quote I most enjoyed was from Vine Deloria Jr. "It just seems to a lot of Indians that this continent was a lot better off when we were running it" (Friesen & Friesen, 2005). The quotes that were included in the book were incredibly relevant and witty. The other quote I really enjoyed came from Abraham Okip. "I am proud to be an Eskimo, but I think we can improve on the igloo as a permanent dwelling" (Friesen & Friesen, 2005).

Another part of the book that I found to be very relevant were ten tips that were offered for teachers on how to teach First Nations students successfully. These include being aware that First Nations do not like looking teachers in the eye, as that is sign of disrespect and how Aboriginal students prefer to work cooperatively and assist younger students (Friesen & Friesen, 2005).

These are just a few parts of the book that make this book very relevant for social workers and teachers. I would highly recommend that this book be used in the future as a teaching tool, or supplementary material in order to enhance knowledge. It is important to be aware of how culture affects how education is received and how to make it successful. It also made me think about how positive movement has been made in the past years towards greater control of First Nations communities and agencies that effect them.

References
Friesen, J. W., and Friesen, V. L. (2005). First Nations in the twenty-first century: Contemporary educational frontiers. Calgary, AB: Detselig Enterprises LTD.