Issue of culture

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Issue of culture

• and its importance in the education of American
  Indian Children

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Culture

• The totality of socially transmitted behavior
  patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all
  other products of human work and thought.
• American Heritage English Dictionary

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How many sheep will it hold?

• Illustrates how world view colors perception
• The need to refer back to what is familiar or
  understandable
• The size of a sheep corralsize of the herd
• In the classroom, making a linkage between the
  known and unknown
• Bilingual education
• A model at Rock Point School on Navajo
  reservation
• Kindergarten and first graders taught
  predominately in Navajo
• Thought that if the children can grasp important
  concepts in Navajo, they can later translate
  these into the English language and comprehension

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Complexity of cultures in the classroom

• Teachers culture
• Personal background
• Socialization as a teacher
• Childrens multiple cultures
• Personal ethnic, race, socioeconomic, etc
• Childhood culture
• The classroom culture
• Age, gender, peers, etc.
• The overall schools culture
• Ethos, location, reputation, philosophy, etc.

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Culture and Native American students

• Not homogeneous
• Diverse, over 500 cultures/languages
• Varying degree of acculturation or urbanization
• Significant numbers are economically
  disenfranchised
• Ambivalent about education
• Because of historical experiences
• Poor academic preparationMany do not do well
  academically
• High dropout rates

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School age population

• 3-400,000 American Indians/Alaska Natives
• 80-90 in public schools
• Remaining numbers are enrolled in school operated
  or funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs
• A few private or mission schools

Source BIA annual report, 2002
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Community controlled schools

• Relatively new
• As one way to integrate native language and
  culture into the curriculum
• Benefits when such schools serve one-two tribes
• Integration of native language
• Controversy regarding bilingual education
• Less controversy over tribal history, traditions,
  etc.

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Un-doing the harm

• Policy of education was based on forced
  assimilationcivilization
• Assimilation required placing children in schools
  far from home
• To discourage family or tribal interference
• Prohibit the use of Indian languages
• Various forms of punishment
• Devalued culture or cultural traditions
• No tribal history taught, etc.

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Forced into boarding schools
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(No Transcript)
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Serving Indian children

• With special needs

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Issue of culture in the world of childhood
disability

• Poses some special problems
• In the classroom, their disability, not their
  culture can be the overriding concern
• At home, the concerns is on the disability, it is
  visible
• Navajo study
• Visible disabilities
• Trapped in the sick role
• Invisible disabilities
• Problem created by the school
• Can function at home

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Is the child disabled?

• A comparison of children with visible and
  invisible disabilities
• Perception of the disability
• the concern is to search for a cure
• Since the child was once normal and then got
  sick
• Schooling not always seen as appropriate place
• If the disability is seen as sickness.

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Cultural notion

• About acquired and non-acquired handicapping
  conditions
• Congenitalis it visible?
• Are all the body parts there?
• a child born with mental retardation
• Children born with cleft lip/palate
• Visible
• The need for repair
• Problem of abandonment
• Bringing shame on the family
• Changing medical practices to intervene earlier

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Data on the prevalence of disabilities

• Not well documented
• Language delays/bilingual issues
• Use different definition
• Rely on data on children/youth enrolled in
  special education programs
• Child find, Head Start, Schools
• Those enrolled in rehabilitation programs

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Major types of disability in 2001

• Specific learning disability62
• Speech/language impairment16
• Emotional difficulties7
• Mental retardation6
• Multiple disabilities3
• Developmental disabilities3
• Other health impairments2
• Other1
• N8571

Source BIA annual report, 2002
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Average percent in special education

• Average is 22 compared to 10 for the general
  U.S. all races
• Percentage vary from school to school
• Between 8 and 70
• Major concern that there disproportionate number
  of Indian children/youth in special ed.

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What makes up learning disabilities?

• Bureaus definition
• Perceptional disabilities
• Brain injury
• Brain dysfunction
• Dyslexia
• Developmental aphasia

Source BIA annual report, 2002
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Learning disabilities does not include

• Cognitive impairment
• Emotional difficulties
• Visual
• Hearing or motor disabilities
• Disability attributed to factors such as
  environment, culture or poverty

Source BIA annual report, 2002
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Age distribution and disabilities

• 6-11 years speech/language
• 6-11 years specific learning disabilities
• 12-21 years emotional difficulties
• 12-21 years specific learning disabilities
• 12-21 years mental retardation
• Birth to preschooldevelopmental disabilities

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Are children with disabilities

• Types of disability may mean joining a different
  culture group
• Largely determined by the type of disability
• The blind
• Separate culture
• Sign language
• Problem with native speakers
• Identification with the deaf culture
• Mobility and use of wheel chairs
• Other assistive technology

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Culturally Competent Educational process

• has to prepare those with special needs to
  survive in the appropriate culture
• Choices often depend on the type and severity of
  the disability
• Adequate resources
• Supportive environment
• Foster independence
• Choices made by family or the individual with the
  disability