Boarding school model

Definition

The boarding school model refers to a system of education designed to assimilate Native American children into Euro-American culture by removing them from their families and communities. This model aimed to erase indigenous identities and promote Western values, often employing harsh discipline and a strict curriculum focused on English language and Christianity.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The boarding school model gained prominence in the late 19th century as part of broader efforts to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream American society.
2. Children were often forcibly removed from their families and taken to distant boarding schools, where they faced strict regulations and punishment for speaking their native languages.
3. The curriculum at these schools focused heavily on vocational training, religion, and Western education while neglecting indigenous knowledge and practices.
4. The legacy of the boarding school model has resulted in long-lasting trauma within Native American communities, contributing to issues such as loss of language and cultural disconnection.
5. Many former students have come forward with stories of abuse and neglect, highlighting the detrimental effects of this assimilation strategy on individual lives and tribal cultures.

Review Questions

• How did the boarding school model influence the cultural identity of Native American children?
  • The boarding school model profoundly affected the cultural identity of Native American children by forcibly separating them from their families and communities. In these institutions, children were pressured to abandon their languages and traditions in favor of English and Euro-American customs. This systematic approach to assimilation created a generation that struggled with a fractured sense of identity, as many were disconnected from their cultural roots and heritage.
• Evaluate the methods used in the boarding school model to promote assimilation and their impact on Native American communities.
  • The methods employed in the boarding school model included harsh discipline, cultural suppression, and a curriculum designed to erase indigenous identities. Students were often punished for speaking their native languages or practicing their cultures. These practices not only disrupted family structures but also led to widespread trauma within communities, weakening cultural transmission and resulting in intergenerational challenges related to identity and belonging.
• Assess the long-term effects of the boarding school model on contemporary Native American communities and their cultural revival efforts.
  • The long-term effects of the boarding school model are evident in contemporary Native American communities as they navigate issues stemming from historical trauma, loss of language, and diminished cultural practices. Many tribes are actively working toward cultural revival by teaching native languages, traditions, and customs to younger generations. Despite the challenges posed by past assimilation efforts, there is a strong movement within these communities to reclaim their identities and heal from the wounds inflicted by boarding schools.

Related terms

Indian boarding schools: Institutions established primarily in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that aimed to educate Native American children while enforcing cultural assimilation.

cultural genocide: The systematic destruction of a group's culture, including language, traditions, and social structures, often used in the context of the boarding school model's impact on Native American communities.

dawes act: A law enacted in 1887 that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by allotting individual plots of land to them, undermining communal landholdings and furthering the boarding school model's goals.