Abstract
This study examines
the perceptions of teachers of Punjabi Sikh ancestry of their
roles in the British Columbia public education system. Twenty
teachers, 13 females and seven males, were interviewed. Three
of the participants were born in Canada, 17 had immigrated to
Canada. The participants ranged in age from their early 20s to
their late 40s. The results of this investigation indicate that
these teachers see themselves playing a wide range of roles in
the education system. They recount that they serve as bridges
between the Punjabi Sikh community and the education system, acting
as translators, cultural informants, and role models. These teachers
are also committed to influencing selected cultural values of
Punjabi Sikh parents in order to reflect mainstream attitudes
toward education and gender roles. This research has important
implications for teacher education programs and public school
districts that recruit, train, and employ minority teachers. This
research suggests that it is critical to acknowledge teachers
of Punjabi Sikh ancestry not just as "professional ethnics",
but as educators with a range of skills and talents as varied
as those of their mainstream colleagues.
Copyright © AJER, the Faculty of Education, and the University
of Alberta, 2000.
Last revised: October 27, 2000.
Designed by G.H. Buck