b'EDUCATION OPENING THE DOORS: PROGRESS IN INDIGENOUS EDUCATIONBy Mike HagerPersonal insights on the complex topic of Indigenous education S tatistically, my brotherand someplace for my brother toBEd application arrived in the mail and I should have beeneat lunch. He was less academicallyfirst. So off to teachers college stereotypical additions toinclined than I and better-looking,I went. Ive worked with some the criminal justice system. Thisallegedly. We both managed toamazing teachers who are truly had been a potential outcome sincegraduate with our high schoolgreat at their craft. Ive also worked my high-school-educated teendiplomasa bit behind schedule,with some who made me wonder mom, who belongs to the Mohawkbut with good enough grades towhy they stayed, let alone joined, Nation, raised two rambunctiousembark on post-secondary studies.this challenging and rewarding boys pretty much on her own.To some, this path towardsvocation. Im someplace in the Luckily for us, however, and for her,academic achievement is nothingmiddle of that spectrum, if I do say she had the help of her parents.unusual. But similar familyso myself.Both of my grandparents, one fromcircumstances for others we knew the Cayuga Nation and the otherwere sufficient to create an impos- PROGRESS REDEFINED from the Mohawk Nation, were resi- sible set of obstacles to higherMuch of my evidence for progress dential school survivors who livededucation. Im not providing thisin Indigenous educationand on Six Nations of the Grand Rivercontextual background informa- the possible reasons for a lack Reservation. And so my youngertion to pump my own tires inin various areas thereofare brother and I managed to remain aself-congratulatory celebration, noranecdotal. Many aspects of my statistical anomaly.am I seeking empathy. The contextbeliefs about progress are based Dont get me wrong; the localabout the odds that presentedon facts gleaned from conversa-Five-O knew who we were. Weand increased our chances oftions over several years with other didnt get the moniker of thefailure over success serve merelyteachers, both Indigenous and non-Dreaded Hager Brothers for ouras fodder to indicate the typicalIndigenous, who worked within the fastidious farm work and diligentstatistical data that my brother andeducation system and had similar attendance at Bethany BaptistI, and those similar to us, represent.experiences to me. Church on Chiefswood Road. ButEveryone has a sad song to sing,Progress in what areas of educa-we escaped our reputation throughregardless of their background andtion, you may be wondering? our combined fear of lettingupbringing. Progress in academic achievement, either of our Mohawk matriarchsMy path led me to join a different,teacher recruitment and reten-down, along with a genuine lovesomewhat problematic systemtion, or sense of belongingand of sports and guidance from somefor First Nations, Mtis and Inuitperhaps resiliency in both FNMI exceptional men as coaches. We(FNMI) folks: education. Whilestudents and teachers. How were regularly encouraged to stayI considered pursuing an MA inare these indicators of progress in school and finish. Plus, schoolhistory, the acceptance letter frommeasured? By higher graduation was where the free sports were,the university that accepted myrates, increased admissions to 16indspiration2021'