Teacher POV on Residential Schools

Residential Schools were 'taught' by missionaries and nuns. The main focus of the First Nations children's' education at the Residential Schools was religion. The main purpose of residential schools was to assimilate the First Nations into European culture, so religion was a big part of that. Also as a part of their education, girls were taught to do laundry, sew, cook, and clean; while the boys were taught carpentry, tinsmithing, and farming. These were everyday lessons and were taught by the nuns and missionaries (people who did these things).
A lot of the teachers who accepted the jobs at residential schools were not fully aware of what the children were going through. Some of them thought they were there to nurture the kids. Much like Florence Kaefer, some were shocked to learn (40 years later) that all kinds of abuse was bestowed upon the kids by other staff members.
Decades later, many of the old residential school teachers reconciled with the old residential school students. Many were not as aware as people thought. Sometimes there was abuse, but a lot of times there wasn't. We now see that what they were doing was very wrong and cruel, but then, to them they  were teaching the First Nations children the European way of life, not stripping them of who they were.
A lot of former teachers of residential schools have shown empathy for the students that they used to care for. They are upset by the reputation left behind and they are willing to share their side of the story so that they can restore their relationship with the past.



"In the late 1980s, many former students came forward with stories detailing physical and sexual abuse, cultural repression and enforced loss of language. Some eventually filed lawsuits against the federal government and the churches.
In 1993, Archbishop Michael Peers, then the Anglican church’s primate, apologized for the church’s involvement in the schools and for the harm it had done to aboriginal people.
Since then, the Anglican church has sought to address the residential schools legacy in various ways, including support for indigenous ministries, the establishment of a healing fund in 1991, and signing both the initial Residential Schools Settlement Agreement in 2003 and the revised agreement in 2007".
Residential schools staff urged to share stories. (2011). Uploaded by Anglican Journal. Available online at: http://www.anglicanjournal.com/articles/residential-schools-staff-urged-to-share-stories-9694

Canada's residential school story to be taught in classrooms this fall.(2015). Uploaded by CBC. Available online at:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/canada-s-residential-school-story-to-be-taught-in-classrooms-this-fall-1.3216399

Info references
Living conditions at the residential schools. (2009). Uploaded by First Nations and Indigenous Studdies. Available online at: http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/government-policy/the-residential-school-system.html


Back to the Red Road. (2015). Uploaded by Caitlin Press Inc.. Available online at: http://caitlin-press.com/our-books/back-to-the-red-road/


http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/books/memoir-tells-two-stories-of-residential-schools-261346601.html


Residential schools staff urged to share stories. (2011). Uploaded by Anglican Journal. Available online at: http://www.anglicanjournal.com/articles/residential-schools-staff-urged-to-share-stories-9694

Teachers in Residential Schools

Residential schools were "boarding" schools meant to keep Indigenous people (F.N.M.I) so that they could assimilate them into European cultures.

Dear Diary;

Today is the day that I start my job at the local residential school, and I have to admit that I am quite nervous. I have heard lots of not so nice things about these places like their teaching is horrible, no empathy for these children at all, I just hope today won’t be one of those days that I have heard all about.

Dear Diary;

It is terrible! These poor children have it so rough. Some of these boys had to wake up at the crack of dawn and do the morning chores like milking the cows and feeding the animals before anyone else woke up. Then about a half hour later everyone else woke up.  After they did their morning Mass, they had their breakfast and trust me it didn’t look good at all.

Dear Diary;

All they do is chores! And when I finally get them for their studies, a lot of it was the religious stuff and then finally the stuff that mattered. Once we finally had gotten to the math, reading, and writing these poor children were so tuckered out that they were too tired to focus or just didn’t really care. We only have two hours per day to learn the things every child should know and we aren’t even getting that!

Dear Diary;

The children have finally gotten out of their lesson and it’s time to do more work. The little girls learn how to sew, do the laundry, cook and clean. Most of the stuff they learn to cook is served to all the other children for breakfast in the morning. The boys are taught how to tend to the land, like raise a farm, grow a garden and chop down the wood, they also learn other things like shoe repair which for the amount of time they are on their feet, it will definitely be useful.

The children have finally finished all the things they have to do and are all getting ready for bed. They brush their teeth, cleaned up their face and hands threw on some pyjamas and went off to bed.

Dear Diary;

I don’t know how these children do it but however they get through it is something I wish I had in me. They all know they don’t have it easy but they don’t let it get them down. If I were one of them I’d just look at each day as if it were a new opportunity to make the next one better and better.

Sources: My brain,

              Nishnawbe Aski Nation Package 

On the other side of the Fence: Residential schools

  Residential schools were one of history’s most cruel events to have taken place. In Canada, Residential schools had taken hundreds of innocent First Nations children away from their families and traditional lives. They were forced to forget their native languages, culture, and identity against their wills. Many schools were said to be run by nuns and missionaries, who were abusive emotionally, physically and sexually towards the children. Though to think there was never once one nun or missionary that had ever treated the children with love and care, would be to say there was never a rose within a thorn bush.

  Dear Diary,

Today is my first day working for the government as a teacher in a local Residential school. I have no idea what to expect, I’ve heard rumours that many mean old missionaries work there. And that they beat the children. How could anyone do that? I know for certain that I would never do that, I could never harm I child. I accepted this job to teach, to do what I loved. I was lucky enough to get my grade 6 reading and writing so I would love to pass that on. I would treat the First Nation children like I would treat any other.

Dear Diary,

 I don’t even have words to describe how horrific it is here. All the children started their days by being waken up without warning. Some of the young boys were up earlier to feed and milk the cows. They had to make their beds, brush their teeth, and clean the bathrooms all in a span of 10 minutes. Some children also had stay behind and scrub the bathroom floors after all the other children were done. Morning mass was next, the children had to kneel, all I could think about was their poor little knees.  Then they went to the dining room to eat a less the healthy breakfast. Sticky porridge, a small piece of bread with butter and one glass of milk. How could a growing child grow with a morning meal so weak as that?

 After breakfast, all the children had to do more cleaning and chores. I understood that chores had to be done but wasn’t learning more important? I made the mistake of asking the older nun showing me around, she barked that “These children need to learn responsibility.” That made no sense, but she was very scary so I just nodded. Finally, it was class time at last! But all the first hour was was more praying. Then I only had two hours to teach them as much as I could, about writing, reading, and math. It was impossible, these poor children were already either to exhausted or bored to focus. I tried by best but I knew all they wanted to do was to go home and see their families.

Dear Diary,

 After the very un successful class, the children were now sent to do work and MORE chores! The little girls learned to sew, laundry, cook and clean. I was hoping they were going to be able to sew a felt doll or something but no only cloths and towels. The boys learned the parts on the farm, and how to grow a garden. Then they were handed axes and were to chop wood. They could cut off an arm! Especially the younger boys who didn’t have their upper body strength yet.

Dear Diary,

  After study time and supper, during recreation time I saw a little boy who had just been beaten for speaking in his native language. I gave him a hug and tried to tell him everything was going to be alright. The boy smiled up at me and at that moment I knew these Residential schools had to be shut down. Children should not be treated this way.

Dear Diary,

Today is my last day.  

Sources: My brain and the Nishnawbe aski Nation, healing The Generations Residential School hand out.