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Lessons Taught, Lessons Learned Vol. I
Introduction
While there have been many reports
over the years describing and analyzing schooling processes in rural
Alaska, only rarely have we had an opportunity to see those processes
through the eyes of the teacher. This collection of essays provides
one such opportunity.
The essays included here were
selected from over fifty that were submitted by teachers who
participated in the First Annual Rural Alaska Instructional
Improvement Academy in Fairbanks in May, 1987. The essays were
written as a followup to the academy, based on the teachers'
reflections on their own experiences in rural schools, as well as on
the academy workshops they attended and on the four readings included
in the last section of this publication. The teachers were asked to
write about either their own notion of the ideal schooling process
for rural Alaska (first section of essays), or what they considered
to be an appropriate curriculum unit for village schools (second
section).
Although the essays represent a range
of views on, and experiences with schooling in rural Alaska, even the
casual reader will recognize the common threads of a strong
commitment to improving the quality of education in village schools,
and a willingness to be innovative in pursuit of that goal. Teachers
themselves don't always recognize the level of insight into social,
cultural and educational issues they have acquired while struggling
with the day-to-day challenges of teaching. This collection of essays
provides ample evidence of the creative energy, the curriculum
sophistication, and the cultural sensitivity that is present in
Alaska's rural schools.
These teachers, and the many others
like them, are the unsung heroes of our educational system, breaking
new ground in pursuit of better ways. To them, this collection of
essays is offered in salute.
As the editor, I wish to express my
appreciation to all those who have helped pull this publication
together: Jackie Scholle and Annmarie Kuhn for their typing and
editing skills; Jean Findley for converting the material from disk to
final document; and Kelly Tonsmeire for sponsoring the Rural Alaska
Instructional Improvement Academy and providing the financial support
for this publication. Finally, I want to thank all the teachers who
participated in the academy and those who submitted essays that
weren't included in this collection. I hope you will find your ideas
and concerns represented in the essays that follow.
Ray Barnhardt,
Editor
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, April, 1988
Foreword
J. Kelly Tonsmiere
Introduction
Ray Barnhardt
Section
I
Some Thoughts on Village
Schooling
"Appropriate
Schools in Rural Alaska"
Todd Bergman, New Stuyahok
"Learning
Through Experience"
Judy Hoeldt, Kaltag
"The
Medium Is The Message For Village
Schools"
Steve Byrd, Wainwright
"Multiple
Intelligences: A Community Learning
Campaign"
Raymond Stein, Sitka
"Obstacles
To A Community-Based Curriculum"
Jim Vait, Eek
"Building
the Dream House"
Mary Moses-Marks, McGrath
"Community
Participation in Rural Education"
George Olana, Shishmaref
"Secondary
Education in Rural Alaska"
Pennee Reinhart, Kiana
"Reflections
on Teaching in the Kuskokwim Delta"
Christine Anderson, Kasigluk
"Some
Thoughts on Curriculum"
Marilyn Harmon, Kotzebue
Section
II
Some Suggestions for the
Curriculum
"Rabbit
Snaring and Language Arts"
Judy Hoeldt, Kaltag
"A Senior
Research Project for Rural High Schools"
Dave Ringle, St. Mary's
"Curriculum
Projects for the Pacific Region,"
Roberta Hogue Davis, College
"Resources
for Exploring Japan's Cultural Heritage"
Raymond Stein, Sitka
"Alaskans
Experience Japanese Culture Through
Music"
Rosemary Branham, Kenai
Section
III
Some Alternative
Perspectives
"The
Axe Handle Academy: A Proposal for a Bioregional, Thematic
Humanities Education"
Ron and Suzanne Scollon
"Culture,
Community and the Curriculum"
Ray Barnhardt
"The
Development of an Integrated Bilingual and Cross-Cultural
Curriculum in an Arctic School District"
Helen Roberts
"Weaving
Curriculum Webs: The Structure of Nonlinear
Curriculum"
Rebecca Corwin, George E. Hem and Diane Levin
Artists'
Credits
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