NCCRESt

part of the Education Reform Networks

You are in: Subject —>

American Indians

• "Dangerous Indians": Evaluating the Depiction of Native Americans in Selected Trade Books
  A study examined 20 trade books (1964-1997) to evaluate their accuracy in depicting Native American peoples and cultures. The criteria embodied an authenticity guideline based upon the "Five Great Values": (1) generosity and sharing; (2) respect for elders and women; (3) getting along with nature; (4) individual freedom and leadership; and (5) courage.
• A Critical Review of Ann Rinaldi's "My Heart Is on the Ground": The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl
  This collaborative review finds much to criticize in this fictional portrayal of the experiences of a young girl at the Carlisle Indian School, including a lack of clarity about the fictional nature of the story. Stereotyping and historical inaccuracies make this book add to the great body of misinformation about Native-American life in the United States and Canada.
• A Student's Guide to Native American Genealogy. Oryx American Family Tree Series
  This book provides a step-by-step guide to genealogical research in North America for Native Americans. The book also contains information on the history of Native Americans and their relationships with the United States.
• Dine College Struggles to Synthesize Navajo and Western Knowledge
  Discusses the 30-year struggle Navajo Community College leaders faced in developing a Navajo philosophy and education model that combines Navajo principles and values with a Western-based curriculum. Describes the 1995 implementation of Dine College's Philosophy of Education model at the Tsaile campus.
• Evaluating American Indian Textbooks & Other Materials for the Classroom
  This guide contains information and suggestions to help teachers review and evaluate textbooks and other materials for stereotypes, inaccuracies, omissions, and bias about American Indians and other Native Americans. Guidelines are presented to raise the awareness of educators and publishers about Native heritage, culture, and contemporary issues.
• Exploring African and Latin American Relationships: Enhancing Cooperation and Eliminating Barriers. Annual Adult Education Research Symposium Proceedings (6th, Chicago, Illinois, April 13, 1996). Revised Edition
  This document contains 14 papers presented at an annual symposium sponsored by Northern Illinois University's Department of Leadership and Educational Policy Studies and College of Education. First, information about the symposium's history and participants is presented.
• From Boarding Schools to the Multicultural Classroom: The Intercultural Politics of Education, Assimilation, and American Indians
  Examines American Indian perspectives about public education in the United States, discussing practices that still work to eradicate all traces of their resident cultures. Focuses on the politics of intercultural communication in the academy via a historical and contemporary analysis of American Indians as subjects, objects, and practitioners in the U.S.
• Lessons from Turtle Island: Native Curriculum in Early Childhood Classrooms
  Responding to the current level of bias with regard to Native peoples in preschool education and providing opportunities for preschool children to better understand issues of cultural diversity, this curriculum guide explores Native American issues.
• Multiethnic Children's Literature. Book Review
  Reviews a guide to children's literature for and about Latinos, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans. Suggests ways to improve the book's usefulness, including a more global perspective, more rigorous research about specific cultural references, and better student activities.
• Native American Stories Enhancing Multicultural Education in Elementary Schools
  This paper describes the use of unbiased Native American stories as part of a multicultural perspective in elementary schools. The inclusion of a multicultural perspective will help teach social acceptance rather than separation.
• Native Americans Today: Resources and Activities for Educators, Grades 4-8
  This activity guide seeks to dispel misrepresentations of Native Americans and build understanding among cultures by offering a hands-on approach to dissecting the whys and hows of institutionalized racism and by painting a realistic and diverse picture of modern American Indians.
• Presenting the Wounded Knee Massacre in Books for Children: A Review Essay on Neil Waldman's "Wounded Knee."
  Reviews a book on the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee, suggesting that the author puts a white, European bias on the actual events, which encourages non-Indian young readers to think in limited ways about Indian people and keeps them from identifying with Indian people. (SM).
• Teaching Native American Music with Story for Multicultural Ends
  States that the alliance between story and music within Native American culture can be carried over into the curriculum. Provides a rationale for utilizing story while teaching Native American music, specifically related to the multicultural curriculum.
• Teaching Young Children about Native Americans. ERIC Digest
  Noting that the terms "Native American" and "American Indian" are both legitimately used to refer to the indigenous people of North America, this digest identifies stereotypes about Native Americans that children gain from media portrayals and classroom role playing, and suggests strategies for teachers to use to counter stereotyped portrayals and to reflect cultural diversity among Native Americans.
• The State of Students of Color, 2001
  This report reviews the educational experiences of students of color in Minnesota schools, colleges, and universities, highlighting students and communities of color; students of color K-12 enrollments; students of color K-12 achievement; students of color college success; early college awareness; and redefining success for students of color.
• The Wonderful Diversity of American Indians
  Presents strategies for teaching Head Start children about the diversity of American Indians. Addresses common misconceptions about American Indian language and cultural traditions.
• Training Counselors To Work with Native American Clients
  This paper discusses the history and the impact that current social conditions of Native American people has upon their education, careers, relationships, and physical and mental health, and offers suggestions about how counselors can help Native Americans improve their lives. The structure of the paper includes a brief history of some of the critical incidents in Native American history, current challenges among the Native American population, counseling implications associated with these challenges, and suggestions counselors can use to increase their cross-cultural skills in counseling, consulting, and agency development.
• We Are Still Here: Learning about Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
  Describes a year-long study of the indigenous peoples of the Americas conducted by an intern at a Montessori school, focusing on the Pueblo people and emphasizing contemporary indigenous people. Highlights introducing the study to students, creating materials that capture the essence of a Montessori lesson, structuring lessons through an examination of fundamental needs of indigenous nations/tribes, and reading books about contemporary indigenous children.
• Why the Need for the Indian Child Welfare Act?
  Explores two historical periods that preceded the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978: the boarding and mission school era (1880s-1950s) and the Indian adoption era (1950s-70s). The assimilationist social welfare policy of those two eras led to the eventual need for special legislation that protects tribal self-determination, heritage, and family preservation.