Child School Readiness from an L'nu Worldview

Abstract

Determining school readiness varies within the context of community, family perspectives, and the educational system mechanisms used to assess it. For the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, this means their ways of knowing may or may not be reflected in the Early Development Instrument (EDI), an assessment of developmental health utilized by public schools. Fifteen Mi’kmaw parents, educators, and Elders defined the domains of school readiness through Indigenous Storywork and an Etuaptmumk guiding framework. The resulting dimensions are School Readiness Indicators: Te’papu’ek, School Readiness Enhancers, and School Readiness Inhibitors. The School Readiness Indicators of Relational Safety, Social Connection, Ability to Communicate and Confidence have some alignment with the EDI domains; however, important areas were missing regarding what Mi’kmaw indicate is important for their children. The results suggest that a comprehensive evaluation of the EDI is required to determine its cultural relevance and validity to accurately reflect the needs of Mi’kmaw children.