Creating a Post-Colonial Elementary Education Program

Lisa Blank Georgia Cobbs Matthew Schertz

Indian Education for All

It is the intent of the legislature . . . that every Montanan, whether Indian or non-Indian, be encouraged to learn about the distinct and unique heritage of American Indians in a culturally responsive manner . . . all school personnel should have an understanding and awareness of Indian tribes to help them relate effectively with Indian students and parents . . . Every educational agency and all educational personnel will work cooperatively with Montana tribes . . . when providing instruction and implementing an educational goal…

Effects of IEFA

• Focus of Office of Public Instruction • Montana Tribal History Project • Montana: Stories of the Land • Maps of Flathead "1907" & "1922-19

35“• Increase In Grants

Essential Understandings of Montana Indians• Diversity

• History

• Culture

• Sovereignty

Montana Content Standards

• Grade Level Expectations

Native American Center

School of Education

• Required N.A.S. course• Grant Activity: CLTW, Project

LETTERS, Ready to Go Grant• Inservice/Preservice Professional

Development

Integrated Block Mission Statement

As Montana is home to many tribal nations, we recognize our moral, ethical, and legal responsibility to ensure all pre-service educators understand their obligation to consult with the tribes, learn from the tribes, and teach about the tribes under Indian Education for All.

SCIENCE METHODS

• Indigenous Ways of Knowing• Place-based Pedagogy: PlaceNames

Project• Fire on the Land, Digital Teachers

Workshop

Cross-Cultural Curriculum Development Process

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Places are localities given meaning by human experiences in them. Sense of place refers to a set of meanings of and attachments to places that are held by individuals or by groups (Semken, 2005).

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Photo Credit: Library of Congress

Critical Pedagogy of Place

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Colonialism

Artifact Analysis

Cultural Universals

Math Methods

NCTM Standards•Measurement

•Probability & Data Analysis

Measurement

7 Reservations and 12 Tribes

Probability: Plum Stone Game

Where do we go ?

• Indigenous Integrated Unit• Program-wide articulation and

assessment of IEFA • Immersion Experience