How Native content affects pupils All teachers were asked how their students respond to instruction on Native issues. Four-fifths of teachers reported positive responses from students. Assuming that teacher reports of pupil interest in Native content are reliable, it nonetheless appears that Native topics continue to be popular long after the children have polarized themselves socially. A connection may be drawn to teachers' criticism of the dated nature of the materials they have available for instructional use. The positive message contained in these materials is, at best, about the historical indigenous peoples of Canada, not the contemporary Blackfoot children who live next door.
Teachers report that ethnic cliques and racial stereotypes are already evident among third-graders.
Most teachers we interviewed agree that the schools should play a key role in breaking this cycle. Most of them support incorporating a substantial amount of Native content in their classes for this purpose and many would welcome more attention to Native peoples, and greater instructional resources to teach Native subjects. Significantly, many teachers were dissatisfied with the approaches and materials currently in use, and our study justifies their concerns. The message that Aboriginal peoples are still part of Canada is generally lacking. Contemporary issues such as treaty rights, land claims, and self-government get scant attention.