Essay On Native American Education

Today a K-8 school located in Franklin, Wisconsin is offered to all Native students and provides a free tuition education to more than 350 students from all different tribes. As a future teacher, I will take in the knowledge shown about Native tribes and use it in my classroom. As a teacher if I come across having a Native American student in my class, I will do whatever it takes to help Native American students succeed. According to a recent study done in South Dakota and Montana “data reveals that the dropout rate among Native American students is high and high school graduation rate for Native American youth the lowest among various minorities” (Sorkness & Kelting-Gibson, 2006, p. 2). In order to see success in Native American students, it is

By incorporating the Native heritage into the curriculum teachers can accomplish all four of these to help build up self-esteem. Teachers can help Native American students by focusing on Native American literature, art, culture, and values and letting their Native students take pride in their people and heritage. Another way that teachers can help Native American students be successful is by being familiar with their beliefs and customs. Native Americans focus on group centered culture, cooperation, and sharing: all of which are important values they cherish (Sorkness & Kelting-Gibson, 2006). Native American students may also not look at the teacher when he or she is speaking to them. Teachers may find this rude and disrespectful. However, in the Native American culture the avoidances of eye contact is a sign of respect. Another custom that teachers need to be familiar with is that Native American students do not like to be “spotlighted” even in a positive way (Sorkness & Kelting-Gibson,