Girls were taught how to perform domestic tasks while boys education was geared towards manual labour in order to prepare them for the role of breadwinner'. In this way the children learned that there was girl's work' and boy's work'. This idea was contrary to the previous egalitarian partnership which was an intrinsic part of traditional Native society. Instead, Natives were taught the European hierarchical relations of men and women whereby men are superior and women are inferior. The Residential School System was formatted based on ethnocentric viewpoints.
Ethnocentrism is the belief in the superiority and normalcy of one's own cultural beliefs.
Traditional Native beliefs were reviled as quirks of savagery by early European settlers and many of these beliefs have been carried into present day. Traditional Native beliefs were not understood and hence, were in conflict with the Euro-Canadian value system. The Residential School system was thus established in the hopes of 'civilizing' Native people. Power is defined as the ability of the dominant group to enforce obedience of the values, laws and practices of their culture. The nuns and priests of the Residential School system had power over the children within the school and the parents of these children.