Syllabus for: EDUC 4381 sec. 500
Teaching Indigenous Students (2 credits)
Online January 19 – December 7, 2010.
Class meeting room & time:
Instructor:
Priscilla Fairbanks, PhD
Office Location:
EduE 120
Office hours and Office
phone number:
Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday 9:30am -11:30am ; Office phone: 218726-8413
e-mail:
pafairba@d.umn.edu
Class alias:
Instructor Website:
Course Description: Please read carefully.
This course is an online course using the UMD course management system Moodle.
Survey of contemporary American Indian* education; evaluation of one's attitudes toward Native American
Students; thoughtful reflection about interaction with American Indian parents and students; development of
culturally sensitive teaching plans regarding Indigenous Americans.
* The terms American Indian, Native American, First Nations and Indigenous Americans are all used
interchangeably to describe the people who are members of a tribal nation or descendents of those aboriginal
people of the Americas.
Course Overview:
This course is designed to help students: develop a repertoire of basic teaching models, strategies and skills in
their context of diverse learning environments; understand the emotional and intellectual complexities of
teaching , both inside and outside the classroom; develop an awareness and appreciation of the knowledge base
which supports current practices in teaching, observation and reflection of teaching.
This course also introduces students to issues related to diverse students with an emphasis on American Indian
education and American Indian Curriculum Frameworks developed by the American Indian Education
Committee, Minnesota Dept. of Education. As such, students will understand and be able to apply the concepts
and processes of American Indian history, language and culture to their classrooms.
Required Texts / Readings:
Cleary, L. & Peacock, T. (1998) Collected Wisdom: American Indian Education. Needham Heights,
MN: Allyn and Bacon.
LaFlesche, F. (1978) The Middle Five: Schoolboys of the Omaha Tribe. Lincoln, NE: University of
Nebraska Press
Also, two journal articles will be provided as required reading.
INTASC Standards/MN Standards of Effective Practice
Conceptual Framework Themes

Standard 1: Subject Matter

Standard 2: Student Learning

Standard 3: Diverse Learners

Standard 4: Instructional Strategies

Social Justice (S)

Standard 5: Learning Environment

Reflection (R)

Standard 6: Communication

Empowerment (E)

Standard 7: Planning Instruction

Collaboration (C)

Standard 8: Assessment

Technology (T)

Standard 9: Reflection and Professional
Development

Standard 10: Collaboration, Ethics, and
Relationships
Conceptual Framework: Learner-Sensitive Teacher
Course Outcomes:
Outcome
INTASC
1. Compare and contrast differing points of view regarding American Indian
education issues and synthesize information presented.
4.10,
4.12,3.35
2. Describe examples of the experience connected with the course which
heightened sensitivity toward, and action regarding American Indians.
3.14,
SEP Themes
4D
1C
4D
S, R, E,
C
3. Understand barriers, both societal and personal, which can limit people in
their attempts to meet their needs and achieve their potential and make
suggestions for elimination of barriers.
6.32
4. Group projects to enhance the knowledge of the American Indian culture.
1.33,1.35,
10
S, C, E,T
5. Understand your own cultural heritage and position as a teacher in
relationship to American Indian students.
9.12
2.32
9B
2F
R,
6. Understand the relationship of Alcohol on the unborn fetus
8.35,7.34
10 E S
Dispositions:
1C
S, R, T
4D
S, R, E,
C
1. Knowledgeable, authentic, creative, cooperative, compassionate, open minded, inclusive,
problem solver, reflective, respectful, sensitive, sense of humor, responsible, organized, and lifelong learner.
Instructional Strategies:
1. Online course management through moodle, online postings, individual lesson plan
development, videos, and websites.
Diversity:
1. Text, readings, online discussions, Native cultural activities.
Course Requirements/Expectations:
Timely participation/posting/uploading on moodle is required. Late participation will earn point reductions
and may result in a lower grade.
Academic Honesty. It is the University policy that misrepresenting the written work of others as one's own
(plagiarism) may be punished by failure of this course and may result in dismissal from a department or
program and/or expulsion from the University.
Assessment: Tentative
1. Chapter Reflections (CR): Students will reflect on assigned readings.
Reflections will capture the student’s thoughts about the readings. Reflections may include: Jump
start questions, surprises and insights.
(less than 1 page). 8 (CR) @ 25 points each.
Please upload to moodle on due date (see schedule). Late reflections will
automatically lose 15 of 25 possible points.
2. “Getting to Know You” activities . Complete “Getting to Know You” activity and brainstorm
benefits of using the activity. Suggest additions/deletions/revisions to the activity based on your
particular grade level and/or discipline. Post to moodle. 25 points
3. Curriculum Review: American Indian K-12 Curriculum Frameworks. Can be found at:
http://education.state.mn.us/mde/Academic_Excellence/Indian_Education.k12_Curriculum/
On the right side of the webpage, under “Academic Excellence”, select “Indian Education”.
Then, select “K-12 Curriculum Frameworks.”
Navigate around the website of “K-12 Curriculum Frameworks.” Review website. Select a
curriculum resource of interest to you. Write a review of the K-12 Curriculum Frameworks and
suggest ways in which you might utilize the resources available on the website. Post to moodle.
50 points
4. Boarding School Photo Gallery: Go to
http://english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/a_f/erdrich/boarding/gallery.htm Or, you may google
“American Indian boarding school photos.” Print one picture you find interesting. Post your
thoughts of the photo on moodle. 25 points
5.
PBS Boarding School Movie “In the White Man’s Image”: 1 page reflection of video.
Upload reflection to moodle. 25 points
6. Boarding School “survivor” interview reflection. Visit the website
http://www.richheape.com/boarding-school.htm, view the Andrew Windyboy Interview and the
movie trailer on American Indian Boarding Schools. Write a reflection of the interview and the
movie trailer. Upload to moodle. 25 points
7. Journal Article. Locate a journal article on any issue related to American Indian Education.
Write a reflection less than 1 page. 25 points
8. Individual lesson plan. Use the UBD lesson plan format if you are familiar with UBD,
otherwise use a lesson plan format of your choice. Develop a lesson plan appropriate for
your licensure area (elementary, secondary language arts, etc) using an idea from American
Indian Curriculum Frameworks (see #3 above) Upload to moodle. 50 points.
9. Comparison of educational experiences. Compare the educational experiences portrayed in
the movie, “In the White Man’s Image,” with the educational experiences portrayed in the book
“The Middle Five.” How are the experiences the same and different? What are possible
reasons for the differences portrayed in the two educational experiences? 50 points
10. Movie Reflection/Course Reflection: View “Edge of America”. Write your thoughts about
the movie. How might this movie and this course prepare you to work more effectively with
students from diverse cultures, particularly students of Native American communities? One
page, 50 points
11. Enhancement Activity: Choose one or two from the following list of activities, and write a
reflection of the experience(s). 50 points
Attend a pow-wow. 50 points
View Lewis and Clark exhibition, location to be announced. 25 points
Watch the movie “Smoke Signals.” 25 points
Check-out and view the video “With Reservations” from the Duluth Public Library. The
video features local author Jim Northrup of the Fond du Lac Reservation. 25 points
You may propose an activity for this requirement. Email or see instructor for
approval.
Grading: Your total points earned will be converted into a percentage of total possible points.
A=93-100%
A-= 90-92%
B+=87-89%
B=83-86%
B-=80-82%
C+=77-79%
C=73-76%
C-=70-72%
D=60-69
F=<60
Tentative Schedule for summer semester: subject to change
Date
Topic
Reading
Assignment
Jan. 18
Semest Review Syllabus;
er
“Getting to Know You” activity. (optional f2f – making dream catchers) Syllabus
Begins Red Suite EduE 122
Complete
“Getting to
Know You”
activity. Post
to moodle.
Jan. 21 Introduction to Collected Wisdom (CW) Teachers as Learners; Cultural
Chapters 1
Difference
Jan. 28
& 2 (CW)
Film “In the White Man’s Image”; (I will have the movie online by Feb.
Feb. 4 4)
Boarding School Photos;
Boarding School Survivor (Andrew Windyboy) interview,
and movie trailer online http://www.richheape.com/boarding-school.htm
Chapter 1
reflection –
upload to
moodle;
Chapter 2
reflection –
upload to
moodle.
“In the White
Man’s
Image”
reflection,
Boarding
School Photo
reflection
Windyboy
interview and
online movie
trailer
reflections.
Upload to
moodle.
Chapter 3
reflection,
upload to
moodle
Oppression (CW)
Chapter 3
(CW)
Feb. 11
Being Indian in a Non-Indian World (CW)
Feb. 18
Curriculum Frameworks
Feb. 25 http://education.state.mn.us/mde/Academic_Excellence/Indian_Education
.k12_Curriculum/
Mar. 4
Mar 11
Issues of Native Language
containers)
(optional f2f- making birch bark
Ways of Learning
Chapter 4
(CW)
Curriculum
Frameworks
assignment,
upload to
moodle./post
to moodle
Chapter 5
(CW)
Chapter 6
(CW)
Mar 18
Spring
Break
Literature Circles / American Indian Stereotypes / Incorporating Native
Mar 25
Culture in Curriculum
Chapter 4
reflection,
upload to
moodle
Journal
Articles
Provided
by
instructor
Chapter 5
reflection,
upload to
moodle
Chapter 6
reflection,
upload to
moodle
Journal
Article
reflection,
upload to
moodle
Chapter 7
reflection,
upload to
moodle
April 1
April 8
April
15
Literacy, Thought, and Empowerment
Student Motivation
Omaha School Boys Boarding School Experience
Chapter 7 Chapter 8
(CW)
reflection,
upload to
Chapter 8 moodle
(CW)
Comparison
The Middle of boarding
school
Five
experiences
between In
the White
Man’s Image,
and The
Middle Five.
Upload to
moodle.
Lesson Plan,
post to
moodle.
April
22
April
29
Lesson Plan development using backwards design (UBD)
Movie: The Edge of America
Enhancement Activity
May 6
Understand
ing by
Design
(UBD)
lesson plan
format and
content
See
Syllabus
Movie
reflection/Co
urse
reflection,
post to
moodle.
Enhancement
Activity
reflection due
May 6
IMPORTANT: I INVITE ANY OF YOU, WHO HAVE ANY DISABILITY, EITHER PERMANENT OR
TEMPORARY, OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MIGHT AFFECT YOUR
ABILITY TO PERFORM IN THIS CLASS, TO INFORM ME SO THAT TOGETHER WE CAN ADAPT
METHODS, MATERIALS, OR ASSIGNMENTS AS NEEDED TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE
PARTICIPATION.