The Role of the Non-Native Teacher in Remote First Nations Communities in Northern Ontario

Abstract

This article describes seven experienced First Nations and non-Native educators' ideasabout how to prepare non-Native teachers for culturally responsive teaching in remoteFirst Nations communities in northern Ontario. Addressing the concerns for teacherimprovement and student success in the Indian Control of Indian Education (ICIE)(National Indian Brotherhood, 1972) policy paper, 11 describe how non-Native teacherscan be successful by focusing on the non-Native teacher as a person, including the cru­cial question of who the teacher is, the importance of building reciprocal relationships,and the need to understand the role of'visitor' in a community. I conclude with a dis­cussion of how all three are connected to student success.