Andre's 8 Rules of Education

Andre’s 8 Rules Of Native American Education

               These rules are my reflections after having worked for 25 years in Native American education at all levels (parent, teachers aid, bus driver, high school teacher, education specialist, consultant, head start teacher and director, college instructor, principal, and tribal education director).  They are written to an audience of supplemental Indian Education programs and teachers working with Native students.  I have modified these rules and added to them over the years as I continue to learn and find other successful methodologies, practices and programs. 

 American Indian students have lower academic success compared to other students.  http://www.swcompcenter.org/pdf/conf0406/Native_American_Overview.pdf

Additionally, they graduate at a significantly lower rate then their classmates. http://diverseeducation.com/article/13555/ As has been demonstrated, through time and research, the techniques that successfully meet the unique needs of American Indian students are also effective with ANY non-typical learner

1.     Do Not Waste Your Money On Tutoring:  The reason a school exists is to educate our students.  If we use limited resources to relieve them of this responsibility we are not able to work on broader issues that need to be addressed.  Researchers have found that American Indian students have the highest dropout rate of any group student. http://tinyurl.com/23d4w6 While tutoring may be a great tool to assist one, and only one, student; it does not change the core problems that cause the need for tutoring.  Use your underfunded program budgets to be an advocate for all of your students in getting better curriculum, training and staff to work with our students and families.  Tutoring can be made available by leveraging resources.  Tutors can be paid for by outside resources such as Title 1, NCLB low performing schools and community learning center grants, Americorps, Peer Tutors, After School Programs, Cross Age Tutors, TANF, Workforce Investment Act funds, Adopt-a- Grandparent, be creative to stretch budgets. www2.nau.edu/~jar/IndianLinks.html

2.     A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF NATIVE STUDENTS HAVE A VISUAL LEARNING STYLE: http://tinyurl.com/3gq2hbh Native students rely on visual input to guide them in the learning process.  This comes from traditional instructional techniques that rely on modeling.  When combined with the information in rule # 3 it becomes clear why there is a large achievement gap between American Indian students and their classmates.  Additionally, as part of an oral tradition, auditory learning is also important to integrate into your teaching methods. http://www.xmission.com/~amauta/visual%20learner.htm

3.     Many American Indian Students Will Have A Visual Learning Disorder: This means dyslexia, numeric dyslexia, amblyopia (lazy eye), focusing slowness, blurred and low vision (correctable with lenses) nutritional deficiencies, etc. http://www.allaboutvision.com/parents/learning.htm This has significant implications considering the large percentage of Native students that are visual learners (please see rule #2).  If student are undiagnosed with these problems they WILL be labeled as discipline problems, or with other, misdiagnosed, special education problems.  This will put them on a path that gets them further away from having their specific needs met.  You need to work in partnership with IHS clinics, local specialist and the district to identify this as a learning disability and have it included in an IEP. http://www.ldonline.org/article/6390

4.     Change The System To Meet The Needs Of Students & Families, Not The Other Way Around:  Western education models, by and large, are not the best option to teaching many Native learners.  Programs such as AVID can be utilized to assist Native students achieve academic success. http://www.avid.org/ American Indians typically learn best by visually reinforced teaching approaches, not lecture and copy.  Participatory project based thematic instruction works wonders for any child.  Unfortunately the focus is put on how teachers and schools systems feel “comfortable” in presenting instruction, which is the way they learned, predominately rote drills, written tests, lectures and homework.  The copier and laser printer have replaced the ditto machine and mimeographs that churns out endless streams of materials.  These handouts are not designed to actively engage students in the learning process but rather to keep them busy.  Teaching content has been lost to teaching so students do better on standardized tests.  www.evergreen.edu/k12outreach/docs/RdgNAlrner.doc 

 

5.     Many of the problems In The World Are CAUSED BY A Breakdown in communication:  Help your students learn to speak clearly and effectively.  This includes active listening, which when bundled with decision-making skills, leadership training and internal asset development will get them well on the road to being a student poised to succeed.  Helping students develop these skills will give them the abilities and tools to grow and will help motivate them in school.  Students who have fewer of these abilities will make poor choices that will negatively impact success in school.  Use strong communication skills yourself.  Do not leave things unsaid; seek common understanding of the issues at hand.  Communication between the family and the school system will help minimize conflict and confusion.  Work to achieve clarity and to promote long-term positive relationships based upon mutual respect and cooperation. http://www.hanksville.org/storytellers/pewe/writing/Fluff.html

 

6.     6 Schools must create, use & SUPPORT culturally appropriate curriculum: http://tinyurl.com/3do7gl8 An integrated culturally responsive course of study uses materials and resources that link traditional knowledge and culture into the curriculum. http://lionsden.tec.selu.edu/~mhoff/eng_615/ResourceCD/ericDigest/edorc02-03.htm The use of tribal art, history, language, geography, literature, and science can infuse the educational experience in relevance that will serve the needs of the Native student. http://www.ericdigests.org/2005-1/teaching.htm Utilizing community resources such as artists, ceremonial leaders, elders and language teacher to supplement and support the curriculum will provide greater significance to the learning process and promote mastery of the information being taught.  www.as.wvu.edu/~equity/native.html

7.     7 THE POWER OF COLLABORATIONS CANNOT BE UNDER ESTIMATED:  Much like student study teams cooperative relationships between Indian Education Programs (Title VII, JOM and American Indian Education Centers) School District personnel, Parents Tribes and community agencies will promote the growth and potential success of our students.  Together you can create an effective and holistic learning environment.  As part of a community based upon the role of the individual, within the context of a village or tribe, cooperative lifestyles have been a core of American Indian values.  As a result many Native students learn best in a collaborative learning environment.  Use small group learning projects with students that have a variety of skills and strengths (oral presentations, artistic, reading, social etc) to support interactive learning. http://www.fourcornerslearning.org/edresources/NA/nalearning.htm

8.     8  Everyone Should Adopt These Rules:  Ok I am joking here but at least consider them in working with American Indian students.  Moreover, the information found in these rules can be applied to any classroom to make the learning environment accessible to a broader range of students. http://www2.nau.edu/~jar/TCarticle.html The more we can make the education system accessible to all students the more we will be able to direct our limited funds to providing students with additional, tools, resources and programs that will better prepare them for their post-secondary vocational or academic careers. http://www.literacynet.org/lp/namericans/strategies.html

 

If education systems do not operate with these rules Indian students will ultimately be pushed out of school. http://www2.nau.edu/~jar/AIE/Dropouts.html  Many Native American students drop out or are shunted to “Alternative Education Programs” such as home study, continuation schools, etc.  By allowing this to occur we are relieving the system of their primary duty of educating our students.  Work to break down the artificial barriers that impede learning and alienate students and families from the system.  If diligently working with the school system does not result in changes that benefit your students then perhaps a charter school is something to consider, but that is a whole other article to discuss the possibilities for Native students.  My best advice is to listen to your students and families and temper that with your own experience to change the overall system to best serve the needs of your community. http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/studies/2010463.pdf 

 

©André Cramblit. andre.p.cramblit.86@alum.dartmouth.org

 


Western Learning Styles & Native Learning Styles


 

Western (Standard) Learning Styles

Native (Traditional) Learning Styles

Well defined, organized

Informal, noisy atmosphere

Auditory learners, excels with verbal instructions and feedback

Visual learner, prefers demonstrations and illustrative assistance

Listens to teacher then learns by trial and error, uses Teacher as a consultant

Careful observer, attempts to repeat when secure in completing task, Teacher as model

Direct instructions, attempts new things

Likes to be shown, learning through stories, and physical hands on activities

Breaks items into parts, specific facts and works towards the completed whole

Looks for overall view, general principals, holistic approach

Succeeds with, reason, logic and facts

Relies on intuition, coincidence, feelings, emotions and hunches

Competitive attitude for recognition

Leans towards cooperation and group assistance

Task Oriented

Socially Oriented

Formal, impersonal, institutional

Spontaneous, informal, personalized

Likes discovery approach

Prefers guided learning

Uses language skills for thinking and learning

Uses images for memory and thinking

Likes talking and writing

Likes drawing and manipulation

 

http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9220/indian.htm and http://tinyurl.com/3l8m3q9 and http://tinyurl.com/3eha4rh

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·André Cramblit, Operations Director
707.445.8451
Northern California Indian Development Council (NCIDC) (http://www.ncidc.org) 
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