Disclaimer: Not calling anyone specific out on this post. I humbly write this as no expert - but always a student - with some observations and venting for this snowy Saturday morning.
A text that I received from a former classmate has me thinking this weekend. Here's a bit of context - the assignment is to design a Native American unit plan. Maybe an initial response could be, "Great! They're finally emphasizing Native American representation in lesson planning". But, it didn't take long for the idea to strike a nerve.
Which brings me to my first, and maybe only question here:
What the hell is a Native American unit, even?
A box to check off in the name of inclusivity? I may be biased here, but indigenous representation should happen in ALL units of study.
Oftentimes, I feel if it is only left to one unit plan, there is a higher chance of misrepresentation. Hear me out.
Let's say that a well-meaning middle school teacher decides to do a unit on the Indian Boarding School era. Now, this is an extremely important subject to learn about, but this lesson plan still sticks Indigenous peoples as people of the past. I think that is a huge problem since there are still instances that arise of people not understanding Indigenous people are still here - and not living in teepees. Maybe I'm off here, but my personal opinion is: I believe that you can't do one unit, one time, in one subject - and say that you're being inclusive.
A more extreme example that I think of is the plan of "design your own Indian" to share with the class in a 5th grade classroom. This has happened in the last three years, I'm not kidding even a little bit. And for the love of all that is out there - do not send out a "color by number" Indian and pilgrim in November and call it good. Yes, having a whole unit (whatever that means) will consist of more than just one worksheet or story, but I caution you with doing just that, too. It may seem like enough, I promise you - it's not.
Even growing up in a district that had majority of Native American students, I hardly saw representation in the curriculum (with the exception of a few teachers) or in the books we read (mentioned in one of my previous blog posts). Growing up a few miles off the rez - I struggled with my identity. Yes, I had gone to pow wows, I had taken Ojibwe language throughout school, and my skin seemed a few shades darker than Romeo and Juliet's. I believe I wasn't able to embrace or even begin to understand my background while I was growing up because of, perhaps, a whole list of reasons (colonization, historical trauma, misrepresentation/lack of representation) and I know that I wasn't alone in this. I will keep screaming that only seeing representation in mascots and butter commercials is extremely damaging to Indigenous outsider and self-image. Please don't do your part to perpetuate these stereotypes in the classroom and life in general.
We seemed invisible because that's what they wanted. Assimilation. Blood quantum, restrictions, banning language and culture are all part of this. I am also going to state then when you think or teach this - you should also teach of resilience and strength. Acknowledge the hardships of the past and the system that was (in many ways, still is) determined to break down a whole people, but also recognize how our ancestors fought and how we are here still fighting.
So what's the answer?
I definitely do not have one right answer, but here's a few recommendations to start:
Find Indigenous representation in books, make sure your library is stocked with BIPOC authors - and don't put them out for one month out of the school year.
Don't appropriate! Be wary of "Native lesson planning", especially if it includes any traditional teachings that may not be yours to share.
Instead of an assignment to have aspiring teachers create a unit plan on Native Americans, have them incorporate Native American literature and representation into any unit, any time of the year. And then talk about doing more specific units, depending on the subject and age - such as "Indian Removal Act", "Indian Boarding School Era", "Code Talkers", reading fiction, as well as nonfiction books written by Indigenous authors
It may seem like a thin line between don't ignore - don't appropriate, but if you have questions or concerns, I urge you to research and ask. I'm no where near an expert on any of this - I just am speaking through personal experience and feelings as I navigate through all these systems. I am only one person with my own opinion, so as always, if you have any thoughts on this subject - send me a message and I'd love to converse. Miigwech for reading!
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