 Our Language Our Souls:
The Yup'ik bilingual curriculum of the
Lower Kuskokwim School District: A continuing success story.
Edited by Delena Norris-Tull,
University of Alaska Fairbanks,
School of Education, Fairbanks, Alaska
copyright
1999
Chapter 10
Recommendations for Yup'ik Curriculum
at Lower Kuskokwim School District
By Sally Casey
Napakiak, Alaska
Copyright 1998
I was born and raised in what is now called Napakiak, Alaska. The
name is Anglicized for Naparyarraq. Located about 12 miles Southwest
of Bethel, it is a Yup'ik community with a population of
approximately 350. About the age of sixteen, under the auspices of
the Bureau of Indian Affairs, I began my long and sometimes difficult
educational experience in Western society. However, my primary
education took place at home where I was taught culturally relevant
values and beliefs and what it means to be Yup'ik. My Yup'ik
educational background is what I think qualifies me for what I want
to impart.
The Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD) is located in Yup'ik
country on the Kuskokwim Delta. The district operates 25
village-based schools with a growing enrollment of 3,600. A
persevering effort has been made to maintain the Yup'ik Language
through the Bilingual Program which began in 1974. The schools are
utilizing teacher-made materials developed at summer institutes. The
program is currently used without an overall curriculum; however,
development of that curriculum is slowly under way. The program
currently (as of summer 1998) lacks the six common concepts of
curriculum laid out by Posner (G.J. Posner. 1995. Analyzing the
Curriculum. McGraw-Hill): 1) Scope and sequence, 2) Syllabus, 3)
Content outline, 4) Textbooks, 5) Course of study, and 6) Planned
experiences.
The treatment of indigenous history is typically written from
somebody else's perspective; thus, it is usually erroneous. Violence
done to the First Nations during European invasion is rarely
mentioned in schools. It is to this effect and in particular Yup'ik
history I am dedicating my paper; however, in the research process I
have learned that Yup'ik history is finally being written. I would
like to present my research findings as recommendations to the
district, the board, and the Association of Village Council
Presidents.
To assist in the development of Yup'ik curriculum, the
district
has on file the following resources: "Social Studies--An Expanding
Circle of Awareness" (draft, 1997, Lower Kuskokwim School District,
Curriculum/Bilingual Department); "Yupiit Univkarait: A History of
the Real People" (draft, 1993, Lower Kuskokwim School District,
Curriculum/Bilingual Department); "L.K.S.D. Land Claims Curriculum
and ANCSA Supplementary" (1986, Lower Kuskokwim School District,
Curriculum/Bilingual Department); and "Inuuqatigiit" (1994,
Education, Culture & Employment, Government of Northwest
Territories, Canada).
"Social Studies--An Expanding Circle of Awareness" is an
incomplete draft which attempts to include learner outcomes,
performance indicators, and activities. There are no other
instructional materials included. The indicators are written from
Western perspective, i.e., "describe expansion of the U.Są; Possess a
logical sense of progression of modern U.S. history." This draft
includes events of the state, nation, and world. This draft is
beneficial for the child's awareness beyond his immediate region.
"Yupiit Univkarait" was assembled by Paul Alexander. Alexander's
work shows signs of Western influence by the way he uses scientific
theories, "The Paleo-Arctic Tradition; The Land Bridge; Origins of
Homo-sapiens, etc." Furthermore, he admits that, "Considerable
revision needs to take place to infuse a Yup'ik
perspective...Interviews with Yup'ik Elders and similar Native
sources need to be done in order to gain that perspective." Thus, his
work lacks adequate support from the prominent Yup'ik community.
Furthermore, his ideas are influenced by other cultures and not
primarily Yup'ik culture. Alexander's work could be used to compare
and contrast opinions. Other than that, his ideas are not conducive
to learning Yup'ik heritage.
The district has on file a Land Claims curriculum. The land claims
settlement is controversial because it was not developed in a truly
democratic manner. The Alaska Natives as a whole were not given a
chance to voice their opinions or vote on it one way or another. The
land settlement was developed excluding overall Native support.
The only document with partial support for the Yup'ik culture is
the ANCSA supplementary. For example, the lesson on names and
matching pictures of animals found in Alaska is appropriate. The
lesson would be more effective had a section on local animals been
included. A similar approach was taken on wild plants of Alaska.
Other than that, the land claims curriculum is another example of how
the Natives are treated in Alaska by the U.S. government. The U.S.
government has a long and ongoing history of mistreating Alaska
Natives. The development of land claims disregarding major Native
opinion is one example. This type of settlement created unwanted
foreign-oriented corporations among the Natives. The Natives were not
ready to take on corporate businesses. Their ultimate desire was to
secure their birthright lands, but not through corporations. The LKSD
land claims curriculum is a good reference for study of the
continuation of mistreatment of Alaska Natives.
The only curriculum I have seen that is close to the heart
of the
Yup'ik heritage is the Inuit Curriculum developed in Canada. Their
K-2 curriculum is appropriately entitled "Inuugatigiit" which means,
"Inuit to Inuit, people to people, living together, or family to
family." The government of Canada through their Department of
Education organized an Inuit Subject Advisory Committee to develop an
Inuit Curriculum. A steering committee was formed to work with the
Advisory Committee. The committee made sure the information for the
curriculum came directly from the regional Elders, Inuit educators,
parents, and other key people. The developers relied on the words and
wisdom of the Elders, which became the foundation of their
curriculum. Relying on words and wisdom of Elders has also been the
focus of the Yup'ik curriculum development.
Restricting research to a regional level, and using a filtering
system are factors that gave originality to the curriculum. In other
words, the developers met their goal by staying focused mainly on the
Inuit culture.
The Inuit curriculum includes the following components. The
Mission Statement or Philosophy is well organized with explicit
questions and answers. Scope and sequence is for grade level by
clusters rather than individual grades. For example, objectives are
grouped according to a common theme, by age group levels. The goals
and objectives include rationale, values, beliefs, major
understandings, and attitudes. Planned experiences contain key
experiences and activities.
The Inuit values and beliefs system is similar to that of the
Yupiit; thus, their curriculum would be a good model for the
development of the Yup'ik curriculum. The Inuit and Yupiit share
mutual sentiments about preserving their heritage. They both have
strong feelings about teaching their cultures from their perspective.
Like the rest of the many cultures around the world, the Inuit and
Yupiit believe that without a curriculum there is not enough support
to do justice to their language and culture. LKSD maintains an
English curriculum. Is not the district enjoined to also incorporate
an official Yup'ik curriculum?
The Yup'ik curriculum would not be complete without paying
attention to Posner's six common concepts of curriculum as outlined
earlier in this paper. The goals may seem impossible, but it can be
done with a little cooperation and support from key personnel. If
curriculum is to be developed, it should be done right.
There are excellent resource people in the region. For example,
Elders, Yup'ik educators, parents, and key community people. The most
important resource people are the Elders. The Yup'ik history, values
and beliefs are revealed only through the Elders. There is a strong
concern to gather information before we lose our valuable resource
people. The Inuit gathered information on an on-going basis through
steering and advisory committees. Why can't we do the same?
Furthermore, with the growing instructional materials and resources,
we need teacher resource centers.
Cecelia Martz and Mary Gregory are examples of excellent
resource
people. Mrs. Martz, recently retired faculty member at the Kuskokwim
Campus in Bethel (a branch of the University of Alaska Fairbanks),
taught Yuyaraq and Yup'ik history. Mrs. Gregory teaches local flora.
In this report, I would like to add what Mrs. Martz developed with
the help of the Elders, "Nallunrilamta Yuuyaramteni
piciryarangqerramta nutemllarmek." I cannot begin to explain the
meaning because the statement has many sections and subsections. All
I can say is, it has to do with doing things the Yup'ik way; the
original Yup'ik way not influenced by other cultures.
Lack of an overall curriculum plan, information gathering system,
and resource centers, generate a question of educational equity. Is
the Yup'ik community being treated equally with the English-speaking
community?
Table of Contents
- Introduction to the Kuskokwim
Delta - Delena Norris-Tull
- Introduction to the Yup'ik
Language and Culture Programs of the Lower Kuskokwim
School District - Delena Norris-Tull &
Beverly Williams
- Chapter 1: The Yup'ik
First Language Program: Lower Kuskokwim School District
- Mary Lou Beaver & Evon Azean, Sr.
- Chapter 2: The Balanced
Literacy Program in Yup'ik - Pamela Yancey & Sophie
Shield
- Chapter 3: Creating Yup'ik
Books, Translating, & Orthography - Pamela Yancey
& Sophie Shield
- Chapter 4: Ayaprun Immersion
School - Loddie Ayaprun Jones
- Chapter 5: Analysis of the Yup'ik
Immersion Program In Bethel - Agatha Panigkaq
John-Shields
- Chapter 6: Yup'ik Language and Culture: A
Description and Analytical View of the 4-6 Yup'ik Thematic
Unit - Dora E. Strunk
- Chapter 7: K-3
Thematic Units and the Alaska Cultural Standards - Nita
Yurrliq Rearden
- Chapter 8: Yup'ik Language and Culture: A
Description of the 5th-12th
Yup'ik Curriculum and its Revision - Rosalie
Lincoln
- Chapter 9: Yup'ik
Discipline Practices Inerquutet and Alerquutet To
Implement Into Yup'ik Schools - Theresa Arevgaq John
- Chapter 10: Recommendations
for Yup'ik Curriculum at Lower Kuskokwim School District - Sally
Casey
email the
editor, D. Norris-Tull
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