Presents a biographical sketch of Wanda Belgarde, a Native American (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) science teacher and mentor to minority teachers in Clark County School District, Nevada. Discusses her family, athletic and academic experiences in high school, exchange student experience to Norway during college, and multifaceted teaching experiences.…

Inquires about the moral dimensions of high school students' understanding of two films' representations of the past. The film "Dances with Wolves" was viewed as a transparent window on the 19th-century West, but no moral frame was examined. "The Searchers" was viewed as a deeply flawed product of the 1950s. (GLR)

Describes a program intended to help students reflect on, discuss, and evaluate their reading and their accomplishments related to reading. Notes that the program uses a set of materials and procedures based on a Native American winter count (an animal hide or cloth on which the Yankton Sioux recorded important events). (SR)

Discusses effects of disease on the Atlantic basin after Christopher Columbus established contact between the hemispheres. Emphasizes the decimation of the native populations of the Americas when exposed to illnesses common in Eurasia and Africa. Relates the epidemics to the development of the slave trade and the rise of the middle class in…

Claims that American Indians are being discriminated against by such unfair provincial statutes as the Education Acts and Municipal Election Acts. Advocates equal representation of American Indians on school boards in Canada and policy reforms to allow school board voter eligibility for members of a First Nation that buys services through a…

Advocates for multiculturalism in the curriculum see the melting pot idea as a form of cultural totalitarianism that has systematically excluded people of color and women. This article reviews scholarly research on pre-Columbian African presence in the Americas and advocates a more inclusive treatment of U.S. history that recognizes contributions…

Reports on the writer's experiences at the public schools in Magdalena, New Mexico. Attempts to identify several linguistic and social traits of Southwest Indian children and to recommend appropriate instructional practices for addressing these students' reading needs. (MG)

Examines the relationship between gender, ethnicity, and self-esteem, based on responses to two questionnaires completed by nearly all seventh to twelfth graders in Colorado Springs. Findings are contradictory across groups but indicate overall that institutional racism and sexism result in lower self-esteem among minorities and females. (DM)

Examines risk factors for adolescent suicide among Navajos by comparing survey responses of students having attempted suicide with those of other students. A history of mental health problems, alienation from family and community, and having a friend commit suicide put students at a higher risk for suicide. (CJS)

Advances graduate-level social-work curriculum model, designed to meet diverse training needs of rural communities. Emphasizes value of "advanced generalists," social workers who work in many roles with all community segments. Describes model's coursework, including research, field practicum, and specific focus on American Indians. (TES)

Noting an increase in the incidence of diabetes among Native Americans, Mexican Americans, and Pacific Islanders, this article discusses traditional cultural beliefs and their implications for the provision of services to these people. (DB)

Project GREEN (Global Rivers Environmental Education Network) is an international environmental education program empowering students to use science to improve and protect the quality of watersheds. As an integral part of the Yakima School District Environmental Awareness Program, Project GREEN provides educational benefits for both American…

Reviews the sparse literature concerning the mental health of American Indian and Alaska Native women. Suggests research into various sources of stress experienced by Native women and related to drug and alcohol abuse. Discusses coping mechanisms and the particular stress factors affecting professional Native women. (SV)

Contends that there is a general lack of sensitivity to the issue of cultural bias as exemplified in the names of sports teams and ethnic stereotypes. Reviews four options for European-American educators as they seek to cope with this issue. Concludes that cultural liberationism is the approach that will lead to full participation while…

Describes the benefits found by five tribal colleges, in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, that collaborated to achieve a more culturally aware accreditation assessment. Contends that colleges must have measurable objectives and outcomes and that they should use data to encourage student success. (VWC)