Johnson, Barbara Muriel (2000). Out of the Ruts of Nova Scotia Education: Mi'kmaw Doors of Education Emerge (Upublished doctoral dissertation). Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.

Barbara Johnson, former Board administrator at Potlotek Board of Education, assistant Professor at St. Francis Xavier University and insAdult Ed at NS Department has worked in the field of Education for the last 30+ years. Her doctorial dissertation explores the Nova Scotia Public School Programs (PSP) through the lens of Native childrearing practices (NCRP).

She explores the relationships between desired cultural ways of life of the Mi'kmaq and the Nova Scotia school system. And contends that its is imperative that Mi’kmaq world view be included in the Nova Scotia educational system with conscienceness raising of what is probable and possible to make changes to our curriculum. Combining her previous work she created a model called “The influencing factors of Native Childrearing” to be used to understand Mi’kmaq child rearing and how that can affect their education. It discusses all the curriculum topics including math, science, social studies, and languages. Her work would be a great asset to any teacher to help promote Mi’kmaq inclusion in the curriculum. 359 pages, 11 chapters which include topics such as, “The Four Elements of Mother Earth: Fire, Air, Earth, and Water”.

This thesis explores the Nova Scotia Public School Programs (PSP) through the lens of Native childrearing practices (NCRP). The dialogue of the study follows a circular path around an eight-pointed star while using discourse analysis to raise consciousness regarding the need to make the PSP more inclusive of other cultures particularly the Mi'kmaw culture. It advances the notion that both the PSP and the NCRP have specific principles that lead to the enculturation of students. It also suggests that the PSP needs to be deconstructed then transformed to provide more balanced principles governing the Nova Scotia curriculum at it pertains to Mi'kmaw culture. The thesis concludes with recommendations on how the Mi'kmaq culture could become part of the Nova Scotia curriculum. In addition, addressing revisions to the PSP it implies a process for the continuity of the Mi'kmaw culture from the home to school. The thesis also strives to revitalize Mi'kmaw culture by way of a contemporary and balanced Nova Scotia curriculum. The conclusion provides a transformational work in progress that is designed to establish a vision for an inclusive PSP and an opportunity for Mi'kmaw children and youth to not only see themselves in the curriculum but to have enhanced opportunities to be both valued by others and to value their own culture within an inclusive framework. The process enables educational opportunities for and about Mi'kmaw lives.