| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立東華大學 === 多元文化教育研究所 === 98 === Taiwanese aborigines have suffered unfair political treatment and cultural discrimination for a long time. The decades-long political and cultural policies aiming at nationalizing Taiwanese aborigines as citizens of a Han nation have assimilated and acculturated them into the dominant Confucian “Han” culture.
Despite the emphasis on multiculturalism, the indigenous people of Taiwan still struggle to live out their own characters. Like their culture, the circumstances of aboriginal students are dismissed deliberately, existing in a subordinate and invisible way in schools. Stereotyped as lazy people who lack aggressiveness, the dignity and image of aboriginal students are damaged by the mainstream culture. And I believe it will certainly help aboriginal students create the positive experiences of learning career if the “Han” teachers predominating in schools can understand more about aboriginal students’ cognitive learning and life.
This research explores the influence of race, social class and gender and their intertwinement on the educational experiences of seven Amis, Bunun and Truku senior high school girls. Further discussions and suggestions are made accordingly.
Regarding their educational experiences, all the seven participants were encouraged by their parents to pursue advanced studies. However, the emphases on group life and peer friendship also influenced their viewpoints and attempts on academic achievement. As aborigines, all the young girls experienced the hostility and misunderstanding from other ethnic groups, including their teachers, classmates, and the parents of classmates. Nevertheless, some teachers’ constant encouragement and support did inspire their attempt to win honor for their tribes. When it came to family’s social economic status, parents of different social classes all recognized the value of school education. Yet, the capitals of their family influenced their study and career plans as well as their learning opportunities. As for genders, they recognized the gender roles of their tribes; nonetheless, in school and social life, they felt the norms and limitations that traditional gender expectations had put on them.
Race, social class and gender did not exist independently. The dual disadvantages of race and socioeconomic status made them face more challenges in the course of studying. However, the mutual influence of race and gender enhanced the possibility of these young girls receiving advanced education. In the mutual influence of class and gender, working-class families made more demands for daily life norms on females than civil service employees’ families.
The issues of race, social class and gender are often tangled and sometimes it is difficult to distinguish them. However, the research found that social class, determining all the capitals these girls could get, played the most important role in their studying process. Most of these seven female aboriginal senior high school students were from working-class families, the educational resource they got and their future development were in relative disadvantage. What’s more, their learning process was in the triple disadvantage due to the gender stereotype and male superiority of the mainstream culture. However, these girls took the initiative to strive for the best.
Through the educational experiences of the seven female aboriginal senior high school students, the researcher suggests that schools should get rid of ethnocentrism, enhance multicultural awareness and respect the difference in the aspects of teachers, curricula or careers guidance, and provide necessary support in terms of aboriginal students. For example, schools should help turn aboriginal clubs into service clubs, allow aboriginal students to join two clubs to give consideration to both personal interests and the study of ethnic culture. The extra curriculum guidance should take the community-based model for the convenience of aboriginal students to study in the neighborhoods after school; in this way, the study atmosphere of the community can be improved.
As for students, the researcher suggests that the sense of mission for the inheritance of ethnic culture and the participation with real action are indispensible for female aboriginal students. In this way, they can cultivate the confidence of being aborigines. Students of other ethnic groups should understand the injustice and oppression that history puts on aborigines, view the issue of multi ethnic culture in a broader perspective, and learn to respect other cultures. To dismiss the ethnic stereotype and discrimination, one should accept aboriginal students and even learn to understand aboriginal culture.
In conclusion, the research is based on Amis, Bunun and Truku female senior high school students. Thus, it cannot answer the question whether female senior high school students of other ethnic groups will have different educational experience. The future research can make a more in-depth discussion on this part.
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