Jacquelyn Morran- Chapter 1

I found the first chapter of this textbook to be both interesting and thought-provoking for several reasons. First, the textbook states “parents who hope that their children will have a better standard of living than they did will more often than not point to education as being the major determining factor in this outcome.” (page 2) I was able to relate to this statement because I come from a low-income family and growing up, it was expected that my siblings and I would work hard in school and go on to post-secondary education, which would lead to stable careers.

I also appreciated the case study on the Attawapiskat First Nation.  Although I know that living conditions are not always very good on reserves, I was not fully aware of the ways Attawapiskat (and other places I am sure) have had to fight for resources we take completely for granted. Page 2 talks about “a motion calling for equal funding for First Nations education” and I find it appalling that such a motion is even necessary in our country, though it does not surprise me.

I also had a close friend from a northern reserve who lived with my family for awhile when she came to my community to go to high school, so that discussion was familiar to me. Page 11 states that “leaving one’s community and family can be a difficult decision for anyone, particularly a young person,” and that was certainly the case for my friend. She was constantly homesick and found it hard to be so far away from her loved ones.

This chapter made me grateful for my educational opportunities, but I also feel quite guilty that I’ve always had safe environments in which to learn as well as ample resources. It isn't fair, and made me wonder what I can do in my own career as a teacher to change the flaws in the system or to help the students caught in them.

Discussion question: Were you aware of the educational challenges faced by First Nations communities before reading this chapter, and how does this topic relate to the sociology of education?