NOTE: Issues range from 1996–2006. Contact information in earlier issues could be outdated. For current information, please contact the Alaska Native Knowledge Network, 907-474-1902.
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Parenting & Teaching: One and the Same by Angayuqaq Oscar Kawagley:As I begin this article, I am reminded of the Yupiaq woman who had an irritated skin condition on her hands and was given a tube of ointment with an applicator. One night when she was awakened by the irritation, she reached over in the dark to retrieve the ointment and applied it to her hands. The next morning, she woke up and looked at her hands. She was astounded and bewildered. Her hands were completely red. She worried as to what was happening to her skin. She finally looked at the tube of ointment she had applied, and then laughed when she saw that it was a red Bingo dauber! During the last century or so, we, as parents and teachers, have been working blindly just as this woman because of the promises of the American Dream-promises of a quality education, a good job, a good home, earning top dollars and getting promotions. We have become Americanized to a high degree. In the process, we have been losing our Native languages and cultures. A recent newspaper article suggests that our Native languages are eroding and many will be gone within a generation. Will we, as parents and teachers, allow this to happen? Historically the American way has encouraged the loss of Native languages and cultures. The English language and its cultures continue to have a very voracious appetite and will devour our Native languages and cultures if we allow it. In the past, our children were born in a sod house or a tent at spring camp or delivered under an overturned skin boat in an emergency. From the outset the newborn is introduced to the voices of the family members, the words of the midwife, the hum of the wind, the sound of falling rain and the call of the Arctic loon. The newborn is already immersed in nature from its first moments of life. During the gestation period and after a given time, the child is talked to, sung to by the mother and exposed to family members eating, sleeping, doing work and playing. The child learns of the sounds peculiar to its parents' language, love and care bringing an indelible sense of belonging. The child is exposed to and lives within nature all its life. When the mother walks, the child is placed inside the parka on its mother's back. The child can then look around and see things from the same level as its mother and is treated as a beautiful living being. As the child progresses through its growing stages, the parents, grandparents and community members assess the talents and inner strengths the child might have. These are nurtured with the thinking that the community will become greater with a responsible and caring member. As the child grows older, the members look for ideas that the child expresses, skills it shows, its interaction with others and its respect for everyone and everything. There are rites of passage that are practiced as the child grows. The killing of a first mosquito, first pick of berries and other acts are times of joy by villagers and are reinforced by giving support and encouragement for continued growth, physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Puberty is a time of ceremony-the becoming of a woman or a man. First menstruation of a young lady is considered a time of power requiring that the young lady be housed apart and served only by the mother or grandmother for its duration. No work is required of her. As the young person matures, the community members may ask the youngster: "Have you counted your blessings lately?" In actuality, they are asking: "Have you counted your inner values, talents, strengths, important relationships and connectedness?" This connectedness is spirituality. Knowing this about oneself will make one beneficial to the community. With respect to discipline, the home must be a place of love, care, companionship and cooperation. If these are practiced, the child is well-behaved. If such ingredients are lacking in the home, how can the parents expect to discipline the child? If the home is dysfunctional, then where will the child find the love, care, attention and companionship they need? It is possible for a parent to be a teacher, but a teacher cannot really substitute for a parent, yet this is what we sometimes expect of the school. When teachers meet with parents, it is important that they encourage them to be loving, caring and attentive to their child's needs and then the teacher should reinforce the parents attention. As educators, we must try to make the classroom an environment where children can be with and of nature. Take them outdoors as much as possible. Have the children express their ideas of what is beautiful that they see in nature; guide them to begin to see beauty in oneself and in others, in one's village or in one's neighborhood. The young person will then begin to see the value of their own Native language and culture. This is an invaluable asset in one's life. From this, you begin to see that "community/place is an experience that is created." Quyana | |
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Partnerships Are Necessary For Success by Frank Hill:The words above mean partner in some of the Alaska Native language dialects, but all share the understanding that it takes the coordinated skills of individuals to accomplish a task or complete an activity. If any part of the partnership fails to do their work, the probability of success is decreased. Many successful endeavors depend on the coordinated work of individuals or groups of individuals. Such is true of the work of the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative/Rural Challenge; without the partnerships we have established throughout Alaska, the efforts of AKRSI/RC would not be successful. Many corporate and legal entities have senior partners that established the concept of the business or firm and continue to serve as advisors to the entity's success. Alaska Native Elders are our senior partners; they collectively contribute their wisdom and knowledge to the project so that we can continue to be successful in our mission to enact systemic change in Alaska's rural schools and improve learning opportunities for Alaska's rural and Native children. AKRSI/RC's partners include school districts, the University of Alaska, private higher educational institutions, local tribal colleges, Native teacher associations, the Alaska Department of Education, tribal organizations, city and borough governments, public and private organizations, and individuals. Partners must have a coordinated vision of the goal or mission of the enterprise. Each partner must do their part to ensure that the goal is accomplished. Partners meet frequently to make sure that everyone is working toward that goal. Partners can be depended on to do their job; just like I knew my commercial fishing partners would do theirs. Commercial fishing is a dangerous activity, and without the confidence that my partners would do their jobs unfailingly, I, as captain, would not be able to do my job of keeping the boat where the fish are, safely. My hunting partner, George, and I have established a pattern for successful hunting-we know each other's skills and strengths and can depend on each other to make sure that we have successful and safe hunts. My Finnish father had a friend who named his small boat Ipa, which I understand to be "partner" in Finnish. He named his boat appropriately because he said he could depend on it to do whatever he asked, unfailingly, every time. The aft/helmsman in an Aleut baidarka had to know how to keep the craft stable on the ocean waves so that his partner could successfully throw his spear. This is one of many examples of partners working together in Alaska Native cultures to be able to successfully live in their environments. It often took whole groups to do the job, such as a successful whaling crew, then later, the whole village was needed to pull the whale onto the ice and divide the bounty. The AKRSI/RC partners have been working together for nearly four years. Since we began, we have maintained a consistent set of partners and have refined our methods and means to stay on track. It is still very important to keep our partners informed and updated as we approach the last year of the project, in the time we have given ourselves to accomplish our mission. We want to thank the AKRSI/RC partners for the work they have done. They need to know that without their individual and group efforts, none of what we have accomplished would have happened. | |
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Planning Underway for 2001 Native Educators' Conference by Virginia Ned and Ray Barnhardt:This year's NEC will include a work session on February 4, 2001 aimed at finalizing and adopting two sets of guidelines that have been drafted as extensions of the work on the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools. Participants will review draft Guidelines for Nurturing Culturally Healthy Youth, as well as a set of draft Guidelines for Strengthening Indigenous Languages-both of which are under development through a series of regional meetings this fall. The Native Educators' Conference provides an opportunity to share and contribute to the excellent work that is underway in schools and communities throughout the state. Building on past themes, the tentative theme for the 2001 NEC is "Reaping the Harvest of Indigenous Knowledge." Proposals for workshop presentations at the NEC should be submitted to the ANKN offices by December 15, 2000. For proposal forms, a registration packet or further information, contact: Virginia Ned Alaska Native Knowledge Network University of Alaska Fairbanks PO Box 756730 Fairbanks, AK 99775-6730 Phone: 907-474-2477 or 474-1902 Fax: 907-474-5615 E-mail: fnvmn1@uaf.edu. For information regarding the 27th Bilingual/Multicultural Education/Equity Conference, contact: Dr. Bernice Tetpon Alaska Department of Education and Early Development 801 W. 10th Street, Suite 200 Juneau, AK 99801-1894 Phone: 907-465-8729 Fax: 907-465-3396. | |
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Preparing Culturally Responsive Teachers for Alaska's Schools:The following guidelines, adopted by the Assembly of Alaska Native Educators in February 1999, address issues that should be considered in the preparation of teachers who will be expected to teach students from diverse cultural backgrounds in a culturally responsive and healthy way. The intent of these guidelines is to offer assistance to teacher education programs in addressing the special considerations that come into play for teachers seeking to implement the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools in their work as educators. Using the Alaska Teacher Standards as a framework, these guidelines provide specific suggestions for complementary knowledge and skills that culturally-responsive teachers need to acquire above and beyond the performance indicators stipulated by the state for each of the teacher standards. While all of these guidelines should be given explicit attention during the initial pre-service preparation of teachers, many of them will benefit as well from continued attention throughout a teacher's professional career. No student, community or society stands still for long and, therefore, neither can a teacher. The guidelines are in draft form now, with plans to publish the final version this summer. You can download a pdf version (viewable with Acrobat Reader) from our ANKN website at http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/teachers.pdf. 1 Philosophy A teacher can describe the teacher's philosophy of education and demonstrate its relationship to the teacher's practice. Culturally responsive teacher candidates who meet this standard will: a. develop a philosophy of education that is able to accommodate multiple world views, values and belief systems, including the interconnectedness of the human, natural and spiritual worlds as reflected in Alaska Native societies. b. incorporate locally appropriate cultural values, as reflected in the various regional value statements and posters, in all aspects of their teaching. c. gain first-hand experience in alternative ways of knowing and learning under the guidance of personnel who are themselves grounded in ways of knowing that are different from those based on a literate tradition (i.e., schooling), including the experientially-based oral tradition of Alaska Native societies. d. incorporate alternative ways of knowing in their teaching practice and understand the similarities and differences between them, particularly with regard to Alaska Native and Western traditions. e. demonstrate their understanding of alternative world views in contexts where they can be judged by practitioners of those world views. 2 Learning Theory & Practice A teacher understands how students learn and develop and applies that knowledge in the teacher's practice. Culturally responsive teacher candidates who meet this standard will: a. incorporate and build upon the prior knowledge and experiences of the students in their care and reinforce the positive parenting and child-rearing practices from the community in all aspects of their teaching. b. demonstrate a thorough understanding of the role of naturalistic intelligence in indigenous societies and will demonstrate their ability to draw upon multiple forms of intelligence in their teaching practice. c. acquire and apply a full repertoire of skills for the appropriate use of experiential approaches to teaching and learning in their teaching practice. d. demonstrate the ability to work with mixed-age/grade groupings in their classroom and to utilize the range of abilities and experiences in such a situation to instructional advantage. e. approach the developmental potential of their students in a way that recognizes that all children develop at their own rate and in their own way. f. engage in extended experiences that involve the development of observing and listening skills associated with the traditional learning ways of Native people. 3 Diversity A teacher teaches students with respect for their individual and cultural characteristics. Culturally responsive teacher candidates who meet this standard will: a. acquire and apply the skills needed to learn about the local language(s) and culture(s) of the community in which they are situated. b. draw upon the traditional teaching roles and practices in the community to enhance the educational experiences of their students. c. participate in an Elders-in-Residence program and learn how to implement such a program in their own school and classroom. d. understand the significance of the role of cultural identity in providing a strong foundation for all social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development and will demonstrate the ability to build on that understanding in their teaching. e. acquire a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the local, regional and statewide context in which their students live and be able to pass on that understanding in their teaching, particularly as it relates to the well-being and survival of small societies. f. help their students to understand and compare different notions of cultural diversity from within and beyond their own community and cultural region, including factors that come into play within culturally mixed and blended families. g. serve as adult role models by actively contributing to the local lifeways and traditions as practiced in the community in which they teach. 4 Content A teacher knows the teacher's content area and how to teach it. Culturally responsive teacher candidates who meet this standard will: a. pursue interdisciplinary studies across multiple subject areas that are applicable to the curriculum content they will be called upon to teach as it relates to the real-world context in which their students are situated. b. demonstrate an extensive repertoire of skills for the application of the content knowledge they teach in guiding students toward the development of local solutions to everyday problems in the world around them. c. know how to acquire an in-depth understanding of the knowledge system indigenous to the place in which they are teaching and apply that understanding in their practice. d. demonstrate a recognition that many and various cultural traditions from throughout the world, including Alaska Native, have contributed to the knowledge base reflected in the Alaska Content Standards. e. demonstrate the ability to align all subject matter with the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools and to develop curriculum models that are based on the local cultural and environmental experiences of their students. f. recognize the importance of cultural and intellectual property rights in their teaching practice and will honor such rights in all aspects of their selection and utilization of curriculum resources. 5 Instruction & Assessment A teacher facilitates, monitors and assesses student learning. Culturally responsive teacher candidates who meet this standard will: a. utilize multiple instructional strategies and apply those strategies appropriately and flexibly in response to the cultural and instructional environment in which they are situated. b. incorporate and build upon locally identified cultural values and beliefs in all aspects of their teaching and assessment practices. c. construct and teach to alternative curriculum frameworks, including those grounded in Alaska Native world views and knowledge systems. d. utilize alternative instructional strategies grounded in ways of teaching and learning traditional to the local community and engage community members in helping to assess their effectiveness in achieving student learning. e. demonstrate the ability to utilize a broad assortment of assessment skills and tools in their teaching that maximize the opportunities for students to demonstrate their competence in a variety of ways applicable to local circumstances, including the involvement of local Elders to pass judgement on knowledge and skills associated with traditional cultural practices. f. demonstrate a thorough understanding of the cultural implications of standardized and norm-referenced tests and be able to make appropriate decisions regarding their use for educational and accountability purposes. g. consider all forms of intelligence and problem-solving skills in the assessment of the learning potential of students in their care and provide appropriate opportunities for the educational advancement of all students. h. acquire the skills to utilize technology as a tool to enhance educational opportunities and to facilitate appropriate documentation and communication of local cultural knowledge while honoring cultural and intellectual property rights. 6 Learning Environment A teacher creates and maintains a learning environment in which all students are actively engaged and contributing members. Culturally responsive teacher candidates who meet this standard will: a. construct learning environments in the classroom context that are modeled on natural learning environments in the community. b. effectively utilize the local community as an extension of the classroom learning environment. c. successfully prepare for, organize and implement extended camps and other seasonal everyday-life experiences to ground student learning naturally in the surrounding environment. d. utilize natural structures and models to construct learning environments that are compatible with the cultural and ecological context in which students are situated. * Family & Community Involvement A teacher works as a partner with parents, families and with the community. Culturally responsive teacher candidates who meet this standard will: a. effectively identify and utilize the resources and expertise in the surrounding community to enhance the learning opportunities of the students. b. develop partnerships with parents, Elders, school board members and other community members as co-teachers in all aspects of their curricular and instructional planning and implementation, and arrange for appropriate recognition for such contributions. c. understand the role and responsibility of the school as a significant factor in the social, economic and political makeup of the surrounding community and as a major contributor to the communities health and well-being. d. assume culturally appropriate and constructive roles in the community in which they teach and respect the roles and contributions of other members of the community. 8 Professional Growth A teacher participates in and contributes to the teaching profession. Culturally responsive teacher candidates who meet this standard will: a. draw upon the regional Native Educator Associations along with state and district resources for their own educational improvement and professional growth. b. engage in critical self-assessment and participatory research to ascertain the extent to which their teaching practices are grounded in the traditional ways of knowing and transmitting the culture of the surrounding community. c. prepare and maintain a comprehensive portfolio documenting the strengths and weaknesses they bring to their role as a teacher. d. demonstrate their willingness and ability to contribute to a supportive collegial environment that promotes professional growth of all participants on behalf of the educational and cultural well-being of the students in their care. e. participate in, contribute to and learn from local community events and activities in culturally appropriate ways. | |
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Preparing Teachers for Rural Alaska by Ray Barnhardt:Based on a review of topographic maps of the area and some old photographs of the trading post, this small logging company had put their savvy as backcountry loggers in Washington to work in devising a bid that would bring them a reasonable return for their summer's effort. Their successful bid called for them to haul all of their supplies and equipment, including a large landing-craft style boat and two Honda "Big Red" three-wheelers, up the highway from Washington to Circle by truck, and then load everything in the boat for the trip down the Yukon and up the Porcupine to the border. Their first hint that conditions in the North may not be the same as they were used to back in Washington came when they ran aground four times before they got around the first bend in the Yukon River below Circle. The cost of a local river guide to get them to Ft. Yukon didn't hurt their budget or pride too much, but the two extra days and the three spare props needed to get up the Porcupine began to worry them. By the time my friend and I arrived on the scene, their anxiety level had reached the point where their behavior was not unlike that of a first-year bush teacher in mid-January, and here it was mid-June. The circumstance that had driven them to the brink was when they realized their Honda three-wheelers were no match for the hummocks and muskeg on the northern tundra. To get out to their work sites each day from their river base they had to charter a helicopter, which was very quickly consuming their summer profits. To cut costs, the men were sleeping out on the line with a pistol for a pillow, mosquitoes and grizzlies for company, and granola bars and freeze-dried food for sustenance. Their expectations of an exciting summer in Alaska were being realized, but not quite in the manner they had anticipated. By the time we left, things were getting pretty tense and the whole outfit was in general despair. What had brought this otherwise hearty and savvy group of people to this unfortunate state of affairs? They knew their trade. They had done a good job of planning, based on their perception of the situation. But, they hadn't taken into account that in the North, conditions aren't always what they seem to be from an outside perspective. The same is true for the field of education. We can't always do things here the way they are done elsewhere. When we try, those things that are unique to the North, especially in rural Alaska, end up being viewed as impediments rather than as opportunities. How do we know that teaching in rural Alaska is different than teaching elsewhere? The first hint should come when we look at the fact that of the 2,368 teachers in rural schools this year, nearly one-third are new to their positions. That compares with about 12% in the urban schools (including 104 brand new positions in Anchorage.) While rural schools employ only one-third of all the teachers in the state, they typically hire over two-thirds of the new teachers each year, most of whom originate from outside the state. That means that at the present time, the potential for improving the quality of education in rural schools has an upper limit that is established by the average three-year cycle of staff turnover. How do we break out of this cycle? First of all, by identifying the factors that contribute to it. Some of these have already been touched upon-most importantly the stress teachers experience when working in a physically and culturally foreign environment for which they are ill prepared by either training or experience. While an orientation program such as that offered at Old Minto each summer, along with improved living conditions, can help extend teachers' longevity a year or two, in the long run, the problem of teacher stability, curriculum continuity and quality education in rural schools can be addressed only through the preparation of more teachers and administrators who are from rural communities. Only then can those communities begin to assert the degree of local professional control needed to go along with the political control they obtained with the decentralization of rural schools in 1976. The number of degreed and licensed Alaska Natives in the field of education at the present time is just a little over 350, nearly half of whom came up through the field-based Cross-Cultural Education and Development (X-CED) program. While some rural districts have a higher proportion of Native staff than others (a couple are in the 30% range), we clearly have a long way to go before rural Native communities can experience the degree of local representation in their schools that other communities take for granted. This is all the more critical today, in that many of the most promising rural school reform initiatives are dependent on the professional involvement of people knowledgeable about the local culture and environment. Unfortunately, the university programs designed to address these needs have been reduced to less than half of what they were five years ago, and their future remains uncertain. Responsibility for addressing this issue falls on all of us - school districts through career ladders and staff development plans; Department of Education (DOE) through licensing regulations and teacher education standards; the universities through appropriate teacher preparation programs such as X-CED/Rural Education Preparation Partnership (REPP); and rural communities through their commitment to locally controlled education. But a renewed commitment to preparing homegrown teachers is not in itself going to bring the schools of Alaska to the level of excellence that we are seeking over the next few years-it is a necessary, but not sufficient step. At the present time, we are importing over three-fourths of the teachers in our state. That means that no matter how much we upgrade our own pre-service programs, we are still going to be touching only a small percentage of the teachers working in Alaska. To get at this issue, we need to address the problem at another more fundamental level-that being at the level of in-depth cross-cultural orientation and mentoring programs for all teachers new to rural Alaska. New teachers, whether from in-state or out-of-state, while on a provisional certificate could be encouraged to participate in a teaching internship program provided jointly by the local school district and the university. In districts where cultural disparities are an issue, the internship period could include training in cross-cultural teaching practices based on activities such as the following: * New teachers could be encouraged to participate in a district-sponsored cultural orientation program during their first year or two, which could include participation in a week-long camp with local Elders as the instructors sometime during the fall term (similar to the Kodiak camp prior to school last year or the Alakanuk camp that took place throughout the first three weeks of school this year.) * New teachers could be paired with an Elder in the community and a respected experienced teacher in the school (or an experienced Native teacher) to serve as mentors throughout the first year of teaching. * A program of study based on the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools could be made available to guide the teachers in the translation of their new insights into culturally-appropriate curriculum and teaching practice (the Alaska Staff Development Network has already prepared materials for such a program of study.) * For those teachers who are interested, a two-year field-based course of study could be made available leading to a possible specialty endorsement in "cross-cultural education," and/or a graduate degree in cross-cultural studies. All of the above could also fulfill the current state "multicultural education" and "Alaska studies" requirements. Such an internship experience would benefit teachers coming out of the university programs in the state as well as those coming with training and experience from outside the state, just as the Washington state loggers would have benefited from a little grounded experience on the Porcupine River before they committed themselves to the border-clearing contract. Finally, I'd like to say that all of the issues that have been raised here suffer from an inadequate Alaskan data base of information on which to make informed decisions. Recognizing that some problems are unique to Alaska, and that if we don't address them, no one will, I would urge the legislature and the DOE to consider setting aside funds in the amount of one-half of one percent of the annual appropriation for education, to be made available on a grants and contracts basis for the purpose of soliciting and stimulating research and evaluation efforts related to Alaskan education issues. We would then be in a position to build programs with a knowledge base that takes Alaskan conditions into account, instead of adopting programs and practices from elsewhere and finding out after expensive investments that they don't fit. Let's be better prepared than the transplanted brushwackers on the Porcupine River. | |
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Pribilof Stewardship Camp 1996 by Aquilina Bourdukofsky and Poppy Benson:The camps are the result of a challenge cost share agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Pribilof School District, the cities of St. Paul and St. George, Tanaq Corporation, Tanadgusix Corporation, the traditional councils of St. Paul and St. George and the Nature Conservancy. A committee with representatives from these organizations provides direction and fundraising for the camps. The goal of the camp is to "bring together Western science and Aleut traditional knowledge and experience and to help young people understand, appreciate and practice stewardship." Camp activities are focused on seabirds, fur seals and the Aleut culture. On St. Paul Island, the Stewardship Program has expanded to include year-round activities including beach cleanups, baidar restoration, Aleut arts and crafts and elder and teen programs. For more information contact the Pribilof Stewardship program director, Aquilina Bourdukofsky at the Tanadgusix Corporation at (907) 546-2312 or for St. George Island, contact Georgia Kashavarof at the St. George Island Traditional Council (907) 859-2205. | |
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Project AIPA Education Summit by Joy Simon:* Professional development for teachers. * Curriculum development and piloting of materials. * Aligning curricula with the state content and performance standards as well as the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools. * Devise evaluative tools to assess the curricula as it is completed. * Prepare for the upcoming Alaska Indigenous People's Academy summer institute. * Establish a partnership program with the partner school districts. For more information on Project AIPA, check out the web site for the Association of Interior Native Educators at http://www.uaf.edu/aine. | |
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Project Centered Education by John Carlson:David Orr, who writes of our society's relationship to our natural world, summarizes that "Schooling has to do with the ability to master basic functions that can be measured by tests. Learning has to do with matters of judgment, and with living responsibly and artfully, which cannot be measured so easily." This brings us to the process of designing curricular opportunities that provide for a deeper learning than is directed by the current national and state trend towards written exit exams. I wonder at the semantics of the word exit; exiting from what, to where and with what knowledge? We should not accept without question the notion of standards. To whose standard of life and values do we teach? Can one array of standards and related test items meet the needs of both the rural citizen and urbanite? One must ponder these questions. Although the traditional academic areas assessed on these exams have invaluable usefulness, particularly in the economic world, they in no way represent all that is necessary to living a fulfilling life. The traditional evaluation of educational aptitude produces, as Orr sarcastically observes, " . . . the highly schooled and heavily degreed fool, and a person lacking intellectual pedigree." Learning has to do with matters of wisdom and with living responsibly and purposefully with not only the personal welfare in mind, but the good of the commons as well. Unfortunately to our political leadership, these skills-skills essential for the survival of our human society-are not easily measured. Nonetheless, our politicians continue to hammer on our children for exit exam scores as if higher test scores alone will set the world right. In the meantime, curricular opportunities become more and more narrowed and further alienated from their own community's needs and values. Some of the best learning opportunities are the most organic ones. Experiential learning is one way to provide additional educational opportunities for children. From the start, differences between experiential learning and the typical approach to classroom/school learning become apparent. A significant difference, and one that might cause discomfort to those locked into the traditional American classroom structure of learning, is the inevitable release of strict control of lesson planning, progression and outcome while following the philosophy of experiential learning. You can plan for a learning situation, but you cannot, if believing in experiential learning, plan for exactly what will be learned. This immediately points out a philosophical paradigm shift from conventional educational thought in that the school and teacher not make the assumption to be the possessors of an all and powerful bank of knowledge. Not only do they not assume to have all the secrets to the world, but they do not necessarily possess the ability to determine in totality what children should be learning. The typical approach to classroom teaching and learning often makes assumptions that detailed criteria and methods can be designed, adopted and often standardized to be used in varying educational settings with a wide range of students, often representing varying socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Ivan Illich, author and observer of social and educational systems, hoped for an educational change towards communal activities in libraries, work places, families and other community settings. Even though change is uncomfortable, we should look ahead to growth and not let the growing pains prevent us from trying new ideas. "The fear that new institutions will be imperfect, in their turn, does not justify our servile acceptance of present," says Illich. Experiential learning pertains particularly well to educational situations in a cross-cultural context. Oscar Kawagley, a professor at the University School of Education, reviews the role of traditional learning in a Yupiaq Eskimo context and it illustrates clearly the long history of learning in an experiential way. As he states, "Alaska Native worldviews are orientated toward synthesis of information gathered from interaction with the natural and spiritual worlds . . . " Notice that the word "interaction" is used here rather than words such as "schooling" or "taught." Kawagley (1997) says that the mystical knowledge of Yup'ik cannot be developed solely by observation, but will materialize as a result of "participation of the mind, body, and soul." A Yup'ik worldview is developed in part by interacting and participating in your cultural and natural world. It would be difficult to mention all the directly related educational activities at Anne Wien Elementary School that have taken place in relation to Noyes Slough and the children's local watershed. The bulk of these activities are really project centered endeavors, and have been generated from those in direct contact with the projects, the classroom teachers and children. There is no canned curriculum generated by an educational consultant Outside. There are, however, both delightfully spontaneous and carefully planned educational activities. The Noyes Slough generates the activities as much as the children and teachers generate them. Many of these activities would not have been possible without parent and community volunteers and additional funding to temporarily reduce classroom size during these specific projects. Some of the accomplishments include: 1. Trail Construction: students designed, constructed and maintain a three-quarter-mile Noyes Slough Nature Trail in Lions Park next to Anne Wien Elementary School. 2. A third grade class is currently working on an interpretive trail guide for the Noyes Slough Nature Trail. 3. Trail Kiosk: a sixth-grade class has designed and is currently building a trailhead display for the Noyes Slough Nature Trail. 4. Riparian protection and restoration: a sixth grade classroom is conducting a restoration effort involving damaged areas of seasonal wetlands. Other classrooms have wired trees along Noyes Slough to protect them from beaver. 5. A Noyes Slough website was created by a sixth-grade class. This website won a gold medal in the environmental category of the International Cyberfair contest. 6. Children have worked alongside various agency professionals to conduct water, invertebrate, and sediment testing to determine whether Noyes Slough meets federal and state water quality standards. 7. Three Noyes Slough symposiums have taken place involving over a hundred different presenters working with children in both classroom and field settings. The focus of the symposiums have been to increase understanding of our watershed. 8. All children of our school contributed to a permanent hallway mural depicting the journey of Noyes Slough and its flora and fauna. Its title: "Noyes Slough is Our Backyard". 9. Teachers are incorporating watershed study and Noyes Slough into school district curriculum in writing, reading, math, science, social studies, art, physical fitness and all other areas of school life. 10.A group of community volunteers have built an observation deck in Lions Park overlooking the Noyes Slough. They have dedicated it as the "Outdoor Classroom"! Traditional schooling makes the assumption that by instructing students in various disciplines that society, or rather those in power positions, have determined "important" and by learning enormous banks of knowledge students will retain much of this information in meaningful ways when the time comes to apply them. Experiential learning suggests instructing to more relevant learning, thus assuring deeper knowledge and understanding, thereby reducing the risky proposition of inconsistent and inaccurate transfer of learning. Should project-based experiential learning replace traditionally organized schooling in which children are seated in desks working quietly with teacher-directed lessons? Absolutely not. Some of our school curriculum is effectively taught in this way and the children can enjoy lessons organized in this way. Nonetheless, learning through direct activity in community and ecological projects can add much to the existing curriculum. References Orr, David W. (1992). Ecological Literacy, Education and the Transition to a Postmodern World. Albany: State University of New York Press. Illich, Ivan. (1970). Deschooling Society. New York: Harper and Row Publishers. Students compare the importance of vegetative buffers along Noyes Slough. The natural world holds unlimited discoveries. | |
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Project Learning Tree by Susan Rogers:This interdisciplinary curriculum introduces tree biology, forest ecology and people's inter-relationship with their environment through hands-on, cooperative activities. Lessons also relate to air, water, soils, pollution, ways of using land and how people interact with parts of the natural and man-made environment. Developing problem-solving skills and creative thinking are emphasized. The curriculum framework for PLT's education program leads students through awareness to knowledge and concept building with opportunities for action projects. There are lots of chances for students to use visual arts and to write and talk about the activities while they are doing them. Many activities are designed to be done outdoors. Students at camp, in 4-H or ecology clubs could use the activities easily. Because the curriculum is used in all fifty states and U.S. territories and six other countries, activities can easily be adapted to a local setting. For example, to give an Alaskan focus to two activities concerning products we use from trees-We All Need Trees and Tree Treasures-examples of Native Alaskan tree products such as canoes and paddles, birch-bark baskets, masks and bentwood boxes are included. Because one of the major themes of PLT is building awareness of diversity of kinds of organisms, points of view and uses of the natural environment, there are examples of Native American culture written into the existing lessons. One activity, The Native Way, focuses on Native attitudes toward the environment and is just right for adaptations from regional education coordinators or other interested people. Workshops to obtain the material can be set up for an individual school or district in-service, or for any other group in a village. Any community member is welcome to attend the daylong workshop. After some activities are led by the facilitator, participants work in groups to present other lessons. For more information or to schedule a workshop in your area, call the PLT coordinator, Susan Rogers, (907) 269-8481, fax (907) 561-6659 or write to Alaska Division of Forestry, 3601 * Sreet, Suite 1034, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5937 | |
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Project WINGS by Dee McDonald:Project WINGS is an educational program for Native high school freshmen and sophomores from villages in Interior Alaska. The goal of the project is to introduce young people to scientific knowledge and skills related to Fairbanks and their home villages and integrate this with traditional Native values, knowledge and skills so youth may become well informed decision-makers and leaders. After moose season, 12 youth will be invited to fly to Fairbanks to learn the following: Political Science How federal, state, and tribal governments work; how political agencies in town make decisions that affect their life in the village; how to write a political resolution. Health Science How traditional and Western ways of healing are used to cure and prevent illness. Local elders will be asked to speak about traditional medicines. Museum Science How to maintain and preserve cultural artifacts. Elders explain how hunting tools, cooking utensils and other objects were made and used. Fire Science How to protect structures in the village from wildfires; fire safety in the home; the effects of fire on moose habitat, small game and berries and how elders used fire to improve local conditions. Jeannie O'Malley-Keyes, elder Rita Alexander and Rita Dayton at the Alaska Native Rural Education Consortium held April 23 and 24 in Sitka. Air Science What elders know about the weather, the moon and the stars; how to use telescopes, build model airplanes and learn what it takes to keep planes flying to and from the villages. Environmental Science How to build a water treatment plant; how technology impacts the village environment; solid and hazardous waste management, fish, wildlife and lands. Youth will visit a local post office, spend a day at a high school in Fairbanks, visit the Alaska Native Language Center and a local radio station. There will be dinners with elders, swimming lessons, talking circles and drum-making. Boy, are we going to be busy! Classes will be taught by Native instructors and elders. A booklet will be produced at the end of the project's first year describing the activities and outlining content areas. This booklet will be sent to schools throughout the Interior, allowing districts the opportunity to award high school credit to students who have completed the program. Your continued support will strengthen the educational quality of this program, and ensure an even better education for the students and leaders of the future. | |
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Publications and Resources:A Yupiaq Worldview A. Oscar Kawagley 174 pp, $10.00 The Gospel According to Peter John Peter John w/ commentaries edited by David J. Krupa 120 pp, $5.00 Gwich'in Native Elders Shawn Wilson 70 pp, $6.00 Yuuyaraq: The Way of the Human Being Harold Napoleon 76 pp, $5.00 The Website of the Alaska Native Knowledge Network http://www.uaf.edu/ankn Our goal for the website is to make as many Native educational resources as possible available to the public. We provide links to other sites that we feel might offer valuable resources as well as offer an online search of our own curriculum resources database. Many of the materials on the database are available through ANKN. If they aren't, we provide information on where they can be located. We also offer back issues of Sharing Our Pathways. Stop by for visit! For information on ordering any of the above items, contact the Alaska Native Knowledge Network at (907) 474-5086. Conflicting Visions in Alaskan Education Richard L. Dauenhauer 48 pp, $3.00 | |
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Publications Available Through AFN/ANKN:To order, photocopy or clip this form below and mail to: Alaska Native Knowledge Network P.O. Box 756730 Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-6730 Please make checks, money orders and purchase orders out to the Alaska Federation of Natives. Quantity Description Amount Total Shipping: $2 first copy, $.50 for each additional copy Total Amount Due: Purchase Order # Gwich'in Native Elders $ 6.00 Yuuyaraq: The Way of the Human Being $ 5.00 The Gospel According to Peter John $ 5.00 A Yupiaq Worldview $ 10.00 Gwich'in Native Elders by Shawn Wilson Yuuyaraq: The Way of the Human Being by Harold Napoleon A Yupiaq Worldview by A. Oscar Kawagley The Gospel According to Peter John by Peter John, edited by David Krupa | |
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