Relationships with Peers / Students

Be aware that the best students are often not the best tutors; they may not be able to relate to the learning challenges and struggles that other students face. (Our Words, Our Ways: Teaching First Nations, Metis and Inuit Learners, Alberta Services, Learning and Teaching Resources Branch, 2005, PDF)

There are also differences, for example, in the way that Indigenous and non-Indigenous people conceptualise well-being. An insightful study by Kral et al. (2011) has underscored some of the differences between non-Indigenous and Indigenous cultures and highlighted the importance placed on various domains of well-being and happiness. Working closely with the Inuit people living in the Nunavut communities of Igloolik and Qikiqtarjuaq, Canada, they investigated Inuit understanding and meaning of wellness, happiness, unhappiness and healing. Seeking the Inuit's perspective on well-being and "Unikkaartuit" (people's stories) they found that spending time with the family (especially talking) and experiences on the land were viewed as the most important aspects of well-being. They found that this was true even for Inuit youth who were influenced by peers in the dominant Canadian culture. Talking with family members was considered essential for well-being and it was identified as the significant component of prevention, intervention and healing… while negative emotions were often tied to the absence of such communication (p.430) (Well-being, Positive Peer Relations and Bullying in School Settings; Phillip T. Slee, Grace Skrzypiec, 2016, Springer)

Peer mentors can help students develop social and friendship skills. Peer mentors can serve as role models, sources of information, readers, scribes and study buddies. Because they speak the same "language" and often have similar experiences, peer mentors can help create a more relaxed learning situation.

Be aware that the best students are often not the best tutors; they may not be able to relate to the learning challenges and struggles that other students face. (Our Words, Our Ways: Teaching First Nations, Metis and Inuit Learners, Alberta Services, Learning and Teaching Resources Branch, 2005, PDF)

There are also differences, for example, in the way that Indigenous and non-Indigenous people conceptualise well-being. An insightful study by Kral et al. (2011) has underscored some of the differences between non-Indigenous and Indigenous cultures and highlighted the importance placed on various domains of well-being and happiness. Working closely with the Inuit people living in the Nunavut communities of Igloolik and Qikiqtarjuaq, Canada, they investigated Inuit understanding and meaning of wellness, happiness, unhappiness and healing. Seeking the Inuit's perspective on well-being and "Unikkaartuit" (people's stories) they found that spending time with the family (especially talking) and experiences on the land were viewed as the most important aspects of well-being. They found that this was true even for Inuit youth who were influenced by peers in the dominant Canadian culture. Talking with family members was considered essential for well-being and it was identified as the significant component of prevention, intervention and healing… while negative emotions were often tied to the absence of such communication (p.430) (Well-being, Positive Peer Relations and Bullying in School Settings; Phillip T. Slee, Grace Skrzypiec, 2016, Springer)