In this article, the author shares his experiences as a teacher in Dine College, a tribal American Indian college. He recalls how teaching there for seventeen years has brought him joy and frustration. He relates that a teaching approach he discovered over the years has helped him become an effective teacher. He also discovered that some of the…

Describes the peacemaker system employed by Navajo communities. Suggests that, unlike the European-derived legal system, it utilizes a healing ceremony in which instigators are surrounded by family and friends. Discusses the role of the "naat'aanii" ("one who speaks wisely and well"), who uses persuasive powers to restore harmony and peace. (AJL)

The Navajo calendar is a means of educating people to thrive in their surroundings, realize their individual potentials, and perpetuate their society. Describes in Navajo and English: the Navajo calendar, ceremonies and activities appropriate to each month, the moccasin game and string game (played in winter), and the significance of the number…

Reports on an investigation that used the Process Model of Parenting Competence to explore factors posited as predicting parenting competence among adult and adolescent populations. Results revealed expected associations, suggesting that the variables suggested by the model, such as maternal competence, are congruent with several hypotheses of…

The Ohio University Kennedy Museum of Art has a collection of textiles depicting the religious icons of Navajo sandpaintings, which are used in healing ceremonies. Controversy within the Navajo Nation regarding the appropriateness of displaying sacred images resulted in museum-tribal consultation and cooperation concerning appropriate exhibition…

This discussion of the impact of culture and cultural differences on school and work and the importance of enhancing multicultural awareness also reports on a study that evaluated the experience of 22 Navajo Native Americans high school graduates in transition. Findings stress the importance of students' significant relationships, limited…

The first tribally controlled college in the nation was established by the Navajo Nation in 1968 and served 300 students. Today there are 35 tribal colleges serving more than 30,000 students from more than 250 federally recognized tribes across the United States and Canada. Although tribal colleges make up less than one percent of the…

Despite increasing prevalence of asthma among American Indians and/or Alaska Natives, little is known about their use of traditional healing in its management. A convenience sample of 24 Navajo families with asthmatic members (n=35) was interviewed between June 1997 and September 1998. While 46% of families had previously used traditional healing,…

A study examined media coverage of hantavirus in three Southwestern regional newspapers, including interviews with journalists and sources involved in the coverage, and implications of the media's portrayal of Navajo culture. Content review of regional coverage--67 articles in three regional newspapers were reviewed in the first year of a new…

Interviews were conducted with 32 American Indians with disabilities in Cibola, McKinley, and San Juan counties, New Mexico. The study sought to identify the needs of northwest New Mexico American Indians with disabilities with regard to independently carrying out daily living activities. With an average age of 49, interviewees frequently reported…

Examines the effect of strategic reading instruction in conditions not previously studied: two third-grade classrooms of Navajo learners. Notes that one class received instruction designed to foster the use of reading strategies and the second class did not. Suggests that strategy instruction positively affected the behavior of the students in the…

Explores how interaction within an organization facilitates or hinders creation of "communities of difference." Examines how constructing a sense of "we" or "they" may be rigid or exclusive, thus hindering community building. Offers examples from school settings and recommendations for promoting inclusion of…

This study compared 204 Navajo men and women for alcohol dependence and domestic violence as sequelae of abuse and conduct disorders in childhood. Both physical and sexual abuse were risk factors for conduct disorder. Physical abuse and conduct disorder were risk factors for alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence and physical abuse were…

Summarizes a study of two principals' efforts to restructure schools serving predominantly Native American populations as learning communities. Presents an empirically based conceptualization of community for cross-cultural settings and identifies implications for school leaders. Although consensus can't always be achieved, learning communities…

The American Indian Reservation Project trains and places student teachers in Navajo schools. Student teachers' efforts to promote pupils' self-esteem include using culturally relevant materials, positive reinforcement, empowerment, exploration of identity, alternative assessment, and a sense of community. (SK)