Uses examples from pen-pal letters written in English to unknown Navajo peers by elementary and secondary Athabaskan students to argue that even in written English, the Athabaskan sense of place is evident, and it is an integral part of the construction of self and the world. (SM)

Describes a course for teachers of American-Indian students that focuses on the development of culturally relevant activities as part of the science and mathematics curricula. Activities were embedded in a holistic approach to the curriculum and linked the informal science and mathematics of the culture with traditional school science and…

Research on Navajo youth lives and choices examines the messages conveyed through their breakdancing and heavy-metal music. Central to the messages is resistance to assimilation into mainstream culture and maintenance of their cultural identity in a racially divided community. (MMU)

Modified school years in First Nation schools contextualize the learning process by allowing student participation in traditional, seasonal, outdoor activities. Two case studies in which Hudson Bay area school officials unilaterally reintroduced the conventional calendar illustrate the important roles that First Nations education authorities can…

Interviews with 106 Apache Native American youth (including 52 who received special education services) who had exited high school between 1988 and 1992 found that 14 special education and 19 general education students were employed. Results are discussed in light of curriculum, cultural implications of employment, and federally mandated…

Discusses the feelings of displacement and alienation suffered by members of aboriginal groups who must leave their communities to attend institutions of higher education. Notes specific problems encountered by these individuals and suggests some solutions that can ameliorate the lack of cultural support in urban areas. (DSK)

In an effort to examine the transition status of Apache Native American school leavers, a 38-item survey collected information from 48 former students with and without learning disabilities. Results indicated the students with learning disabilities had higher rates of unemployment and substance abuse and were less likely to live independently or…

Educational reforms in Mexico to preserve indigenous linguistic and cultural rights often originate in Mexico City and lack grassroots support. Although native language instruction improves literacy development and preserves culture, Native parents may reject it because Spanish is the language of status. However, some indigenous communities in…

Examines ways of learning and knowing among the Yupiaq people of Alaska. Discusses traditional Yupiaq lifeways based on connection to nature, and the consequences of acculturation. Outlines suggestions for seasonal camps in which elders would teach Native language, culture, environmental knowledge, and subsistence skills, as well as the means of…

Describes how multicultural teacher education can preserve familiar institutional and ideological mechanisms that validate social inequalities, analyzing student discourse collected during activities concerning recent conflict between Native American groups and groups opposed to the exercise of their treaty rights to fish on nonreservation lakes.…

Describes the "Circle of Learning" project, which establishes collaborative relationships and is aimed at addressing issues that often prevent American-Indian students from attaining success in secondary and post-secondary education. Discusses the necessary steps for the project's implementation and the activities involved in the project. (YKH)

Interviews with 76 Navajo grandmothers, midlife mothers, and young mothers examined their life course patterns in cultural and historical contexts. In their educational, work, marriage, and childbearing patterns, these women confronted challenges posed by historical events with culturally constructed courses of action arising from persistent…

Authenticity as a biracial individual means presenting oneself as a whole individual of multiple racial origins. This author recounts his experiences of being biracial. Looking white, he has experienced both discrimination and preference from both class and racial memberships or lack of it. (EMK)

Addresses the challenge faced by North Dakota tribal colleges in incorporating tribal culture into distance-education courses. Contends that these colleges should seek guidance from local spiritual tribal leaders when researching the history, language, and culture of individual tribes. (VWC)

Based on the Elders' vision that indigenous people have the responsibility to care for Mother Earth using both ancestral and Western knowledge, a Canadian nonprofit, charitable organization is committed to developing environmental education programs, research, and technical resources for First Nations communities. An example of their work is a…