Seeking Good and Right Relations: Student Perspectives on the Pedagogy of Joe Duquette High School

by Hodgson-Smith, Kathy

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of Joe Duquette High School students through listening to their stories. My approach to listening developed out of the context of the school's Aboriginal philosophy. The thesis analyzes and describes what constitutes a meaningful education within the cultural framework of Good and Right Relations from the perspective of Joe Duquette High School students.

The Joe Duquette High School environment is a holistic one where the Sacred Circle philosophy and the good and right relations framework serves as a guide to the pedagogy of the school.

The methodology used in this thesis was shaped by the cultural philosophy of Joe Duquette High School and guided by student emphasis and meaning. A number of methodologies were drawn upon in order to approach the multiple contexts of the Joe Duquette High School cultural complex.

The central themes identified by students through their narratives serve as an organizational framework for the findings. My interpretation of what the students said is presented through my own personal narrative. I used my own story to develop more fully those ideas/concepts/ideals expressed by the students.

The main contribution of this study is highlighting the Joe Duquette High School experience through the students' perspectives and the method used to tell their story came out of the cultural context of the school.