Volume 17 Summer 2006 Issue No. 4

In This Issue:
Reforming Our Schools, Native Style

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RESOURCE GUIDE

School Reform, Student Success for Educators Working With Native K-12 Students

by John W. Tippeconnic, III (Comanche), Ph.D., and Susan C. Faircloth (Coharie), Ph.D.

INTRODUCTION

There are approximately 624,000 American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students enrolled in elementary and secondary schools in the United States; they account for 1% of the total public school enrollment (Freeman & Fox, 2005). Approximately 92% attend public schools while 7% attend schools operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) (U.S. Department of the Interior, 2006).

The quality of education for AI/AN students in both public and BIA schools has been an issue of concern, which continues to this day. Although many students are successful in school, the reality is that too many are not.

Efforts to reform and make education for AI/AN students more relevant to their needs have fluctuated over the years and have gained momentum as Indian control of education becomes more of a reality.

Today, educational standards, public accountability, and student assessment are the focus as the provisions of such laws as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 are implemented, particularly in the teaching of reading, math, and science.

This resource guide is intended to provide a listing of resources that can be used to improve the teaching and learning of AI/AN students in grades kindergarten through 12 so more of them can be successful and take advantage of higher education opportunities in both tribal and mainstream colleges and universities.

BOOKS & ARTICLES

Beaulieu, D.L. (2000, Winter). Comprehensive reform and American Indian education. Journal of American Indian Education, 39(2), 2-17.

Beaulieu cites a number of factors that must be taken into account when attempting to reform schools attended by American Indian students. These include: staff turnover, student mobility, high dropout rates, limited knowledge of both the unique cultural and educational needs of Indian students, and effective models.

Bergstrom, A., Cleary, L.M., & Peacock, T.D. (2003). The seventh generation: Native students speak about finding the good path. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools.

Stories from Native students focus on identity, school challenges, how they handle difficulty, how they make it in school, and the “Good Path” they follow in life. Issues of teaching, curriculum, and research are reflected in the student voices.

Boyer, P. (In Press). Building community: Reforming math and science education in rural schools. Fairbanks, AK: Alaska Native Knowledge Network.

Boyer examines the work of the National Science Foundation's Rural Systemic Initiative (RSI), a 10-year project to reform and improve the quality of math and science instruction in rural schools, including those serving tribal communities. Three key strategies for reform are identified: (1) empower teachers to assume increased responsibility for research and innovation in the classroom; (2) make place-based education a focus of the curriculum; and (3) provide programs and services that support entire communities.

Cleary, L.M. & Peacock, T.D. (1998). Collected wisdom: American Indian education. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

This book is based on the collective stories of teachers and addresses topics such as cultural differences, being Indian in a non-Indian world, issues of Native languages, American Indian learning styles, literacy, and student motivation from an Indian cultural road map perspective. The target audience includes teachers of Indian children.

Demmert, W.G., Jr. (2001). Improving academic performance among Native American students: A review of the research literature. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools, Appalachian Educational Laboratory.

This is an extension of Demmert and Towner’s earlier work, A review of the research literature on the influences of culturally based education on the academic performance of Native American students. A comprehensive review of literature identified approximately 100 research studies examining the academic performance of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students. Six themes emerged:

“… (1) early childhood environment and experiences; (2) Native language and cultural programs in schools; (3) teachers, instruction, and curriculum; (4) community and parental influences on academic performance; (5) student characteristics; and (6) factors leading to success in college” (p. 5).

Demmert, W.G., Jr., & Towner, J.C. (2003, September). A review of the research literature on the influences of culturally based education on the academic performance of Native American students [Final paper]. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Available: www.nwrel.org/indianed/cbe/

This is a comprehensive review of the literature, which includes primarily quantitative and a select group of qualitative studies. The authors explore the impact of language and culture on the academic performance of Native students.

Fox, S. J. (2001). American Indian/Alaska Native education: Standards based reform. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools. ERIC Document Reproduction Services No. ED 459 039

This digest addresses the potential implications of standards based reform on the education of American Indian and Alaska Native students.

Klug, B.J., & Whitfield, P. (2003). Widening the circle: Culturally relevant pedagogy for American Indian children. New York: RoutledgeFalmer.

This book intends to present a more holistic view of Indian students and their cultures. Culturally responsive pedagogy for Indian children is presented as an approach to successful teaching. The target audiences are pre-service and in-service teachers of Indian students.

National Indian Education Association. (2005). Preliminary report on No Child Left Behind in Indian Country. Washington DC. Available: www.niea.org/sa/uploads/policyissues/29.23.NIEANCLBreport_final2.pdf

Prepared by the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), this document provides a preliminary assessment of the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act on the education of American Indian and Alaska Native students.

Swisher, K.C., & Tippeconnic III, J.W. (Eds.) (1999). Next steps: Research and practice to advance Indian education. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools.

This book compiles writings by Native scholars in the field of education. Topics include the foundations of Indian education, culturally appropriate curriculum, bicultural science teaching, student assessment, counseling, and research to support improved practice in Indian education.

Tharp, R.G., Estrada, P., Dalton, S.S., & Yamauchi, L.A. (2000). Teaching transformed: Achieving excellence, fairness, inclusion, and harmony. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Education reform and teaching are addressed through standards for effective pedagogy. The approach is to reform teaching at the classroom level using effective pedagogy that is based on the research conducted at the Center for Research on Education, Diversity & Excellence (CREDE) at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Tyack, D., & Cuban, L. (1995). Tinkering toward utopia: A century of public school reform. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Tyack and Cuban examine trends in school reform from a national perspective.

WEBSITES

Alaska Native Knowledge Network

www.ankn.uaf.edu/

Operated by the University of Alaska- Fairbanks and sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Alaska Federation of Natives, this website is a useful resource for those interested in the intersection between indigenous knowledge, specifically Alaska Native ways of knowing, and educational systems. Phone (907) 474-1902; fax (907) 474-5615.

CREDE- Center for Research on Education, Diversity, & Excellence

http://crede.berkeley.edu

Housed at the University of California-Santa Cruz, this website provides a wealth of information regarding the education of racially, ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse students. One link is devoted to Native American/American Indian education. Phone (510) 643-9024, or email crede@berkeley.edu.

National Indian School Boards Association (NISBA)

http://www.skc.edu:16080/NISBA/

One of the initiatives sponsored by NISBA is “Creating Sacred Places for Children: Improving Indian Schools for the 21 st Century.” This was a school reform effort for Indian schools based on effective school research. Enhancements to the effective school model included the integration of Indian curriculum, tribal values and organizational culture, leadership, wellness, healing, prevention, and the Learning record: A performance-based assessment of students. Additional information regarding this program is available at www.creatingsacredplaces.org. Phone (406) 883-3603, or fax (406) 275-4987.

National Indian Education Association (NIEA)

www.niea.org

NIEA, located in Washington, DC, is a national organization committed to the education of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Phone (202) 544-7290, fax (202) 544-7293, or email niea@niea.org.

Native American Rights Fund

www.narf.org/

National Indian Law Library

Tribal Education Department National Assembly

NARF has an extensive law library related to Indian education. In addition, they have assisted tribes in developing tribal codes of education that have helped to reform education on reservations through a partnership between tribes, schools, and communities. NARF also provides leadership in Tribal Education Department National Assembly (TEDNA) ( www.tedna.org/about/about.htm), an organization for tribal education departments . Phone (303) 447-8760, or fax (303) 443-7776.

Regional Educational Laboratories including:

JOURNALS AND NEWSLETTERS

Language, Culture and Equity

The e-Newsletter of the Council of Chief State School Officers’ State Network on ELL and Native American Students is available at the website, www.ccsso.org.

Phone (202) 336-7000, or fax (202) 408-8072.

Journal of American Indian Education

Scholarly articles that focus on the education of American Indians and Alaska Natives are published in the journal. Founded in 1961, the j ournal is published by the Center for Indian Education at Arizona State University. http://jaie.asu.edu/ Phone (480) 965-6292, or fax (480) 965-8115.

Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education

Articles concerning the higher education of American Indians and Alaska Natives are included in this journal, which is published by the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. Of particular interest to the study of school reform and student success is a resource guide for teachers of Indian students that appeared in the Volume 11, Winter 1999, Number 2 issue of the j ournal. www.tribalcollegejournal.org/ Phone (970) 533-9170, or fax (970) 533-9145.

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

Deyhle, D., & Swisher, K. (1997). Research in American Indian and Alaska Native education: From assimilation to self-determination. In M.W. Apple (Ed.) Review of research in education, 22 (113-194). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.

Freeman, C., & Fox, M. (2005). Status and trends in the education of American Indians and Alaska Natives (NCES 2005-108). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Pewewardy, C., & Hammer, P. (2003). Culturally responsive teaching for American Indian students. ERIC Digest, No. ED 482 325.

Reyes, R. (1998, August). A Native perspective on the school reform movement: A hot topics paper. North West Regional Educational Laboratory. Available: www.nwrel.org

Reyhner, J. (Ed.). (1992). Teaching American Indian students. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.

U.S. Department of the Interior. Office of Policy, Management and Budget. Office of Budget. (2006). The Department of the Interior, Fiscal year 2007 Budget in Brief. Available: www.doi.gov/budget/2007/07Hilites/2007_Highlights_Book.pdf

SUMMARY

Much has been written about improving the education of American Indians and Alaska Natives over the years. Samplings of some of the important resources are identified in this listing. However, it does not include all the school improvement literature; new research is constantly added to this body of knowledge.

It is encouraging to note that more American Indians and Alaska Natives are conducting research and adding their voice to this discussion. The references cited in this resource guide underscore the need to be cognizant of and responsive to the unique linguistic, culture, and social characteristics of AI/AN students when developing and implementing successful school reform measures.

John W. Tippeconnic, III (Comanche), Ph.D., is a professor of education and director of the American Indian Leadership Program at the Pennsylvania State University. He may be reached via email at jwt7@psu.edu. Susan C. Faircloth (Coharie), Ph.D., is an assistant professor of education at Penn State. She holds a joint appointment in special education and educational leadership. She may be reached via email at scf2@psu.edu.

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