Foundations of American Indian Education

Catalog description

This course is an exploration of American Indian education from the past to the present. Topics include: boarding schools, Indigenous language issues, policies, practices, experiences, educational models, language and cultural maintenance, urban/rural schools. In particular, this course will look at curriculum, pedagogy, and the processes of education that empower students to draw on their personal strengths and lived experiences and to develop their confidence in their abilities to learn. We will explore ways to understand and appreciate students’ background, and to foster learning that values the rich cultural and linguistic resources that children bring to the classroom, so that we can help learners successfully integrate the learning community of the school with their broader communities.