Using the NACA CVs-- the values that were supported today are Responsibility, Community and Perseverance. Today was an eye opener in many cases-- especially on the subject of sovereignty. Sovereignty has a story all of its own and it has changed so much over the years. As tribal people we need to learn about our relations with the federal government. We don't have to know everything that took place, but get a basic understanding of where we stand as a tribal nation. If people have this knowledge I feel it would motivate them to become more involved with the voting process; tribal, state, and federal. "Who is trying to make a difference in our communities?"
How the core values come into play:
*Responsibility: it is our responsibility to educate our youth and people about our relationship with the federal government. Mainstream US history classes leave out the true story of what happened in this country-- and when the "Indian portion" is taught they lump all the tribes together. In high school I was the only Native in the class and I was asked questions that had nothing to do with my tribe. Being singled out and asked to be the spokes person for all the tribal nations made me angry. Working at a Native charter school it is vital that we teach our students about our tribal/federal relations.
*Community/Perseverance: Teaching our students and people is part of giving back to the tribal communities, no matter which tribe we are affiliated with. Listening to all of the acts and laws that were put into place for tribal nations-- the core value of Perseverance stood out. Tribal people have been through a lot but we are still moving forward to make a better future for our people. With this in place, the students will hopefully walk away with a sense of empowerment about being part of their tribal heritage.
Relating the information to the core values will reinforce the importance of their existence. If we do not utilize and practice the values, they are going to be seen as just words on the wall. Using the core values in our lessons will keep the flow going-- for example, When the students see the word RESPECT in a lesson, they should automatically start thinking... "how is respect going to be reflected in the lesson?" If every teacher incorporates the CVs into their lessons, it will make the culture of the school a lot stronger, because it will become second nature to the students.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Open Blog #4
Thursday was a day filled with a lot detailed information about different aspects of education. The morning reading was very intense and it created a lot of great dialog about our tribes and our own values. One area that hit home was the part about how to be "fully Onkwehonwe" in modern society. There were different opionions about the subject but this is how it spoke to me.
In order to be fully Onkwehonwe in a tribal sense-- we have to pay close attention to our tribal values and practice them to the fullest. In my tribe some of the values is love, respect, and community. Those values are always preached but rarely practiced, especially by those who are doing the preaching. Tribal life has changed so much over the years, and mainstream values now tower over our tradtional teachings. Money, politics, and selffishness has taken over and little by little our communities are becoming detached from "our mother."
To be Onkwehonwe is to live a life fueled by your tribal values and do what is right for you, your family, and community. This transition will take a lot of self reflection because there are so many values and perspectives that need to be evaluated-- it can't be done over night. I feel that our communities would be more healthy and productive if "everyone" took that leap into a new way of thinking and living. Traditionally, everything our mother gave us was sacred and positive, but she has taken a lot away from us because we were not using her gifts in the way she intended. As a Laguna Pueblo person, we have to hold onto what is left of our mother's gifts-- and one way to honor her is by living the life she set out for us.
In order to be fully Onkwehonwe in a tribal sense-- we have to pay close attention to our tribal values and practice them to the fullest. In my tribe some of the values is love, respect, and community. Those values are always preached but rarely practiced, especially by those who are doing the preaching. Tribal life has changed so much over the years, and mainstream values now tower over our tradtional teachings. Money, politics, and selffishness has taken over and little by little our communities are becoming detached from "our mother."
To be Onkwehonwe is to live a life fueled by your tribal values and do what is right for you, your family, and community. This transition will take a lot of self reflection because there are so many values and perspectives that need to be evaluated-- it can't be done over night. I feel that our communities would be more healthy and productive if "everyone" took that leap into a new way of thinking and living. Traditionally, everything our mother gave us was sacred and positive, but she has taken a lot away from us because we were not using her gifts in the way she intended. As a Laguna Pueblo person, we have to hold onto what is left of our mother's gifts-- and one way to honor her is by living the life she set out for us.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Empowerment vs. Victimization #3
The legacy of Indian Education did not start out very well. In the early years of Indian Education, more energy was put into stripping the students of their identity instead of educating them. Most of the time students were punished for speaking their language and rejecting the "white way." They were brain washed into thinking their traditional life was wrong and that they were lucky to be saved. The assimilation process would eventually cripple future generations from knowing their true identity and that was apart of the mission.
Over the years, Indian Education has become better at recognizing the students tribal background in the school or class. Boarding schools, such as Santa Fe Indian School, allows students to bring their cultural knowledge with them. Even if a student doesn't know their tribal background they can still learn from their peers and cultural support. NACA is another example of where students can excel in academics and learn more about their culture. Our vision is to make sure the students are secure in their identity and healthy in all aspects of life-- physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
In most tribal communities, members are encouraged to go out and get a college education. One of the biggest reasons is because most of the higher positions, when is comes to economic development- natural resources- and gaming, are held by non-natives. Tribes would like to see some of their own people take over the responsibility, but few people are willing to take the challenge. Slowly but surely native people are making progress-- tribal sovereignty has motivated the movement of change in Indian country. Unlike the western view of the "individual," Native American people are taught to keep the "people" in mind.
In my class I often state how lucky the students are to be at a school like NACA. To some students, NACA is just another school where they have to stay all day and learn the same old things. To others NACA is a refuge for a safe and unique education. I use examples of how things used to be when young Native kids were prohibited from having long hair, using their native language, and stripped away from their families. They have a chance to make a difference in their communities and in the world through education. They might not see the big picture right away, but as long as we are encouraging them to do great things they will find their path.
Over the years, Indian Education has become better at recognizing the students tribal background in the school or class. Boarding schools, such as Santa Fe Indian School, allows students to bring their cultural knowledge with them. Even if a student doesn't know their tribal background they can still learn from their peers and cultural support. NACA is another example of where students can excel in academics and learn more about their culture. Our vision is to make sure the students are secure in their identity and healthy in all aspects of life-- physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
In most tribal communities, members are encouraged to go out and get a college education. One of the biggest reasons is because most of the higher positions, when is comes to economic development- natural resources- and gaming, are held by non-natives. Tribes would like to see some of their own people take over the responsibility, but few people are willing to take the challenge. Slowly but surely native people are making progress-- tribal sovereignty has motivated the movement of change in Indian country. Unlike the western view of the "individual," Native American people are taught to keep the "people" in mind.
In my class I often state how lucky the students are to be at a school like NACA. To some students, NACA is just another school where they have to stay all day and learn the same old things. To others NACA is a refuge for a safe and unique education. I use examples of how things used to be when young Native kids were prohibited from having long hair, using their native language, and stripped away from their families. They have a chance to make a difference in their communities and in the world through education. They might not see the big picture right away, but as long as we are encouraging them to do great things they will find their path.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Core Value Blog #2
The core values in my life have helped me construct the world view that I utilize today. Core values play a role in my everyday life, especially when it comes to interacting with people. Growing up, I never realized how important these teachings would be. Some of the core values I grew up were RESPECT, COURTESY, and LOVE.
Respect is a core value every tribal culture instills in their people. The value is very versatile and it can be used in all aspects of life. One thing about respect is that it can be seen in both a positive and negative manner. An example of negative respect is fear-- there may be a certain group in a community that people have to respect or they will do something to you. If a kid grows up around that type of negative respect, that will become the norm. If a young person does not understand the definition of positive respect, how do you expect him/her to show it?
Courtesy and Love can be combined because they involve people's well being. As a person, I don't go anywhere where I don't feel comfortable. In return, I don't like to put anyone in a situation or environment where they don't feel safe or comfortable. As a teacher it is my duty to make my class as comfortable as I can. I'm sure the students would like a flat screen TV and couches, but it's still school and they have to learn something. Another thing I like to do is check in with the students about anything! I want them to know I am interested in who they are outside of the class.
In my class the tone is set at the very beginning with structure and expectations. I use the NACA core values as a guide to demonstrate what each one looks like. I refer back to tribal ceremonies or meetings where tribal officials/elders are present. Some of the questions I ask the students are: How would you conduct yourself if you were taking part in a ceremony and someone was talking? Would you be laughing? Would you be throwing things? My goal is to find common ground with the students so that we are on the same page. As a teacher, I have to conduct myself in a manner where I don't go against my values. I've learned that students pay close attention to your actions, and they will not hesitate to call you out.
I will continue to integrate traditional, pop cultural, and social examples in my class for the students to understand our communities core values.
Respect is a core value every tribal culture instills in their people. The value is very versatile and it can be used in all aspects of life. One thing about respect is that it can be seen in both a positive and negative manner. An example of negative respect is fear-- there may be a certain group in a community that people have to respect or they will do something to you. If a kid grows up around that type of negative respect, that will become the norm. If a young person does not understand the definition of positive respect, how do you expect him/her to show it?
Courtesy and Love can be combined because they involve people's well being. As a person, I don't go anywhere where I don't feel comfortable. In return, I don't like to put anyone in a situation or environment where they don't feel safe or comfortable. As a teacher it is my duty to make my class as comfortable as I can. I'm sure the students would like a flat screen TV and couches, but it's still school and they have to learn something. Another thing I like to do is check in with the students about anything! I want them to know I am interested in who they are outside of the class.
In my class the tone is set at the very beginning with structure and expectations. I use the NACA core values as a guide to demonstrate what each one looks like. I refer back to tribal ceremonies or meetings where tribal officials/elders are present. Some of the questions I ask the students are: How would you conduct yourself if you were taking part in a ceremony and someone was talking? Would you be laughing? Would you be throwing things? My goal is to find common ground with the students so that we are on the same page. As a teacher, I have to conduct myself in a manner where I don't go against my values. I've learned that students pay close attention to your actions, and they will not hesitate to call you out.
I will continue to integrate traditional, pop cultural, and social examples in my class for the students to understand our communities core values.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Reflection: "Where do you get your medicine?"
Today's activity is a great way to start the class. It provides an in depth view on the people who surround us. Everyone has a story and usually it does not get told because there isn't enough "time" or people do not take the time to listen. Knowing the individuals who we are working with is very important because it helps open doors to communication and collaboration.
Sharing my story with the class today made me feel great. Reflecting on my life helps me realize how much I have grown personally and professionally. From listening to other people's stories, we all have gone through transitions in our lives that make us who we are today. It is through our past experiences, negative or positive, that molds our future.
The "Where do you get your medicine" activity can be used as a personal assessment to gauge where we stand in this big world. No matter what we do in life, we need to take time to reflect upon ourselves in order to stay grounded.
Sharing my story with the class today made me feel great. Reflecting on my life helps me realize how much I have grown personally and professionally. From listening to other people's stories, we all have gone through transitions in our lives that make us who we are today. It is through our past experiences, negative or positive, that molds our future.
The "Where do you get your medicine" activity can be used as a personal assessment to gauge where we stand in this big world. No matter what we do in life, we need to take time to reflect upon ourselves in order to stay grounded.
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