Origins of Residential Schools
Students learn about the establishment, operation, and stated goals of the residential school system, and the profound suffering it caused to Indigenous children, families, and communities.
Key Questions
- Explain the historical context and motivations behind the creation of residential schools.
- Analyze the stated goals versus the actual outcomes of the residential school system.
- Critique the role of government and religious institutions in establishing these schools.
Ontario Curriculum Expectations
About This Topic
The residential school system was a network of boarding schools for Indigenous children, funded by the Canadian government and run by Christian churches. This topic covers the system's establishment in the late 19th century and its operation until the late 20th century. Students learn about the stated goal of 'aggressive assimilation', to 'kill the Indian in the child', and the devastating reality of cultural loss, physical and sexual abuse, and the high mortality rates due to disease and neglect.
This is a sensitive and vital part of the Ontario curriculum, requiring a focus on the experiences of survivors and the systemic nature of the schools. Students examine how the Indian Act made attendance mandatory and how the system sought to sever the link between children and their families, languages, and traditions. This topic benefits from a witness-centered approach, where students engage with survivor testimony and primary documents like the Davin Report. Students grasp the gravity of this history faster through structured reflection and by investigating the long-term intent of the policy.
Active Learning Ideas
Inquiry Circle: The Davin Report
Students work in small groups to analyze excerpts from the 1879 Davin Report, which recommended the creation of residential schools. They identify the specific language used to justify the system and compare it to the actual experiences of children as told by survivors.
Gallery Walk: Survivor Testimony
Set up stations with short, age-appropriate quotes or video clips from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's survivor archives. Students move silently through the room, recording their reflections on the impact of the schools on identity and family.
Think-Pair-Share: The Indian Act and Education
Students read the sections of the Indian Act that made residential school attendance compulsory. They discuss with a partner how these laws removed parental rights and what that reveals about the government's view of Indigenous families.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionResidential schools were just 'bad schools' with poor teachers.
What to Teach Instead
The schools were part of a deliberate government policy of cultural genocide, designed to eliminate Indigenous cultures. Using a 'Policy vs. Practice' chart helps students see that the harm was a feature of the system's design, not just an accidental failure of individual schools.
Common MisconceptionThe schools happened a long time ago and don't affect people today.
What to Teach Instead
The last residential school did not close until 1996, meaning many survivors and their children are living with the effects today. Peer discussion about the timeline of the schools helps students realize how recent this history is and why it remains a central issue in Canada.
Suggested Methodologies
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Frequently Asked Questions
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