Presented are three short stories describing the ways a community of Native youth, families, and educators in an urban Indigenous education program collectively generated three Native feminist texts--a T-shirt design for a youth group, a design embedded into the floor of a Native Youth Center, and the walls of the center. This article illustrates…

According to the most recent census, there are five million Native Americans in the United States. Of these, there are at least 500,000 Native Americans attending public schools. However, the educational system does not fully serve this population and in fact often ignores them. More importantly, each tribe and clan has its own distinct cultural…

Provides an account of a class discussion of the poem, "Grace" by the Native American writer Joy Harjo. Describes how students systematically investigated the meaning of the title. Asks teachers to use Native American poetry more and provides sources of such works. (HB)

Focuses on American Indian and Afro-American oral tradition to explore the substance and potential pedagogic value of American oral literature. Stresses the literary value of modern folk literature, including popular songs and rhetoric. (Author/JB)

The irrefutable reason for including Indian culture in the curriculum is the error which our traditional study of history and American literature is perpetuating. In an effort to rectify this, works by Indian authors, Indian poetry and legends, and works about Indians are suggested. (Author/RB)

A teacher's manual for a program in American Indian culture is condemned as inaccurate and misleading.

Suggests a careful study of the cultural values and poetics of early Native American songs and poetry can help students better understand these speakers and writers as people and artists. Describes a variety of classroom activities that explore such songs and poetry. Notes that the language is symbolic, making early Native American songs and…

Describes how one English teacher uses Leslie Marmon Silko's novel "Ceremony" as in introduction to Native American culture and as a complex example of narrative and storytelling. Shows how the book's difficulties are enhanced by the large differences between mainstream American and Native American cultures. (HB)

Two high school teachers advocate teaching high school students to investigate and transform their worlds with the help of the American literature. "Behind the Veil: American Literature and Culture of the 1950s" and "The Visible and the Invisible: Literary and Cultural Representations of the Native American", are the two literature units used to…

Discusses "Smoke Signals" (a 1998 award-winning film) and "The Owl's Song" (a 1974 novel), both of which feature young adult American Indian protagonists. Suggests instructional strategies for teaching these works in tandem. Argues that teaching these works informs students about relevant literary, historical, social, and cultural topics in ways…