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ABSTRACT
Why does Amerindian education in North America almost inevitably fail? In this, it is similar to many other tribal cultures all over the world. From discussions with many Indians and people from other tribal groups, six factors emerge as characterizing the Amerindian world view: (1) life is seen whole rather than in parts; (2) human beings in mundane life are seen as highly active in spiritual life and not as passive; (3) arts are expressions of the spiritual world rather than personal expressions; (4) time is spatial rather than linear; (5) learning occurs in natural social settings rather than in schools; (6) religious beliefs, attitudes, and mores, result in a world view that is fundamentally different from that of the white culture. Amongst the Tewa of New Mexico, ritual drama unifies their intellectual and emotional orientations into an active metaphor of reality. This is paralleled by the work of Dorothy Heathcote, the most famous modern drama educator, who effectively uses improvisation as a significant method of learning. Evidence is cited from a University of Calgary experiment in Amerindian education to support the view that the creative arts in general, and spontaneous drama in particular, can provide a more positive attitude to education amongst native peoples.