Cultivated Ground: Effective
Teaching Practices for Native
Students in a Public High
School
National Indian Education Association
Anna Fetter and Brittany Dorer
Project Request
Dr. Dawn Mackety, Director of Research, Data, and Policy at the National
Indian Education Association submitted a request for this project to the
Harvard University Native American Program.
The purpose of this project was to do one or more case studies on public high
schools effectively serving American Indian/Alaskan Native students and to
identify which teaching practices were effective in these schools.
What are the effective teaching practices being
utilized in public schools that are successfully
serving their Native students?
http://www.niea.org
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What are Effective Teaching Practices
for American Indian Students?
Culturally Based Education (CBE)
Culturally Responsive Schooling (CRS)
Surveys of teachers and students
Qualitative Research
Gap in literature on effective teaching practices that are used in
public schools effectively serving Native students
Brayboy, B.M.J. & Castagno, A.E. (2009). Self-determination through self-education: Culturally
responsive schooling for Indigenous students in the USA. Teaching Education, 20(1), 31-53
Demmert, W. G., Jr. (2001). Improving academic performance among Native American students: A review of the literature. Charleston,
WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools.
Native Students in Public Education
Today
In 2011, 378,000 AI/AN students enrolled in the U.S.
public school system, or .7% of students enrolled
31% of these students attended a high-poverty school
[compared to 6% of White students]
Only 16% of teachers in public schools serving native
students are Native themselves.
In 2009, AI/AN students had an 82% graduation rate
[compared to 94% of White students]
Niea.org. (2013). National Indian Education Association. Retrieved February 2013 from http://www.niea.org
Mount Edgecumbe High
School
"To provide a challenging, unique education in a residential setting that values
rich cultural diversities and traditions, inspiring Alaskan students to become
successful, responsible, global citizens."
Methodology for MEHS
~ Phone Interview
~ Spoke With
Two Teachers
Two Students
Two Administrators
http://www.alaskapublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mtedgecumbehs-300x225.jpg
Portrait of Mt. Edgecumbe
High School (MEHS)
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Public boarding school in Sitka, Alaska
Between 400 -500 students
77% Native, 1% African American,
.8% Asian, 1,5% Hispanic, 10.8%
two or more races, 5% White
Student/teacher ratio is 17:5
54% eligible for free/reduced lunch
Comprehensive admissions process
tuition of $250/year
Graduation rate is 98.4%
Dropout rate is 0.5%
Located next to the University of Alaska Southeast
Percent Proficient/Advanced of AI/AN students:
86% in Language Arts, 76% in Math
110 communities represented
Mt. Edgecumbe High School. (2013). Mt. Edgecumbe High School. Retrieved March 2013
from https://sites.google.com/a/mehs.us/home/
MEHS Phone Interview
“Mt. Edgecumbe is my family... these students are like my children.”
Teacher
“If you could narrow it down to one word.. it’s all about relationships.”
Academic Principal
“I'm always looking for different ways students can participate...”
Teacher
“I feel comfortable being myself in her class”
Student
“People [at home] encourage me to stick it out here . . . I think of the pride I'll
have at my graduation, I think of the endless opportunities here.”
Student
“Everybody has bought into the culture of family [At Mt. Edgecumbe]”
Teacher
MEHS Themes
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Supportive Family
Atmosphere
Relationships
Pride
Cultural Respect
Trust
Responsive Teaching
Family, Community,
& Tribal Support
Partnership with nearby state college
Disciplinary latitude
Case Study: Early College High School of
Robeson County, North Carolina
"To educate all students by building a foundation for learning in an
ever-changing global society."
http://www.robeson.k12.nc.us/Page/15420
Methodology for RECHS
~ Site visit
~ Locations Visited
District Offices
~ Met with...
RECHS Offices/Campus
Two Assistant Superintendents Four Classrooms
RECHS Principal
Youth Development Specialist http://www.robeson.k12.nc.us/cms/lib6/NC010003
07/Centricity/Domain/1/New%20Picture.png
Guidance Counselor
Seven Students
Three Teachers
Community Member
Portrait of Early College High
School at Robeson (ECHS)
* 4-5 year public high school located on RCC campus with selective admission
process of first-generation high school students
* Classes are held in three mobile units and one permanent building
* ECHS is located on the campus of Robeson County Community College
* 2012 National Blue Ribbon School
* Part of North Carolina New Schools Project
* 200 Students and 9 Teachers
* 40% native students, 14% African American, 31% white, 13% Hispanic
* 76.4% qualify free or reduced priced lunch
* Robeson County is the largest and poorest district in the state
* Median income of Robeson is $30,000, 30.6% below poverty level
The Public Schools of Robeson County. (2013). Early College High School. Retrieved March 2013 from
http://www.robeson.k12.nc.us/Page/15420
United States Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts (2013). Robeson County Quick Facts from the US Census Bureau. Retrieved from
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37155.html
ECHS Interviews
"The whole key would be the relationships those teachers form with those
children.”
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction
“It’s most important to build their [teachers] relationships with the students…
so they believe there’s someone who can give them the right advice.”
Guidance Counselor
“Our people have always put a big emphasis on education”
Assistant Director of the Indian Education Resource Center
“It’s the culture, the environment.”
Teacher
“It's like we are our own little family"
Student
ECHS Themes
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School Culture
Family Relationships
Acceptance
Cultural Respect and
Inclusion
High Expectations
High Standards
Responsive Teaching
Family/Community
support
Partnership with nearby
community college
Best Practices That Emerged
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Culturally Responsive Teaching Themes
o High expectations & high standards
o Acceptance
o Culturally relevant pedagogy
o Teacher-student relationships
- trust, respect, involvement, pride
o Family/community Support and engagement
Structural Themes
Thank You! Nia:wen!
Dr. Mackety!
Adrienne!
Dennis!
& our A-102 classmates!