From the beginning, preservation and continuity of tribal histories and cultures have been at the center of the strategic vision for tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) (Bordeaux, 1989). TCUs have developed the infrastructure and networks to support the revitalization, preservation, and teaching of Indigenous languages and cultures. But while…

The espoused foundation of U.S. society, "E pluribus unum" (out of many, one), is based on the belief that this nation should simultaneously support pluralism and promote unity. The road to making this ideal a reality, however, has not always been smooth. The ever-widening achievement gap highlights how this discordance plays out in our…

It has long been a matter of concern that Indigenous students, as a group, do less well educationally than their non-Indigenous counterparts. Despite the evidence to support the fact that if students and their cultures are not acknowledged, they tend to be less engaged in schooling than those students whose cultures are presented as the norm.…

With local lumber mills shutting down, Robert Kenning, an instructor at Salish Kootenai College in western Montana, and the tribe's forestry director, came up with an idea. Kenning landed a $200,000 Department of Agriculture grant in 2010 to explore the possibility of turning logging scraps and smaller trees into chips or pellets that could be…

In the year 1999, OPI [Montana Office of Public Instruction] brought together representatives from all the tribes in Montana and created 7 Essential Understandings. These are some of the major issues all tribes have in common. They form the basis for all of our curriculum efforts and initiatives. There is great diversity among the 12 tribal…

In Montana, less than 3% of K-12 teachers are American Indian (Montana Office of Public Instruction, 2009). The lack of Indian teachers, which was the problem identified for this dissertation, is of great concern to educational leaders. The shortage of Native American teachers can be correlated to problems in the education of K-12 students…

The Montana Indian Education For All Act may be setting an audacious national precedent for America's primary and secondary schools. The law requires all Montana schools to include curricula about the history, culture and contemporary status of the state's American Indian population. The new constitutional mandate has eyes throughout Native…

This guide contains information and suggestions intended for the teacher planning an Indian unit or American Indian Heritage Day activities. The first five chapters describe American Indian contributions and influences in foods, design, language, government, pharmaceuticals, art, and sports. The sixth chapter contains 24 sources for these…

This guide provides information and suggestions for teachers planning an American Indian study unit or American Indian Day activities. The first section lists contributions of American Indians in the form of foods, words, art, music, law, government, and traditional values. The second section provides ideas for classroom discussions concerning…

The report describes, in the form of transcribed interviews, cross-cultural programs in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Montana, New Mexico and Arizona identified in a May, 1973, study-tour of cross-cultural education focusing upon people of Indian ancestry. The primary goal of these visits was to identify promising procedures and accomplishments in…

This guide presents 11 American Indian study units developed by Montana teachers. Nine units are intended for intermediate or middle-school grades; two are suitable for prekindergarten through primary grades. The units contain information about various American Indian tribes, but focus on tribes of Montana. Many lessons include writing and…