Helping Native American Students Succeed In Today

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Helping Native American Students Succeed In
Todays College Environment As They Walk In Two
Worlds Presented By April Campbell, Sonya
Moody-Jurado, Trinity Minahan
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Presenter Introductions
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Session Objectives

• 1. Give a brief history of Indian Education in
  the U.S. including issues of sovereignty.
• 2. Show some political, social, and cultural
  barriers Native American students face on a daily
  basis.
• 3. Provide tools, resources and strategies for
  advising, teaching, and retaining Native American
  Students.

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Brief history of Indian Education

• 1783 US Government enters into treaties with
  Indian Nations. Funded by Government carried
  out by missionaries.
• 1802 Congress appropriates funds to civilize
  educate native peoples.
• 1879 Indian boarding schools established.
• 1898 Curtis Act dissolves tribal government and
  outlaws tribal schools.
• 1934 Indian Reorganization Act passes restores
  tribal government (but with limitations).
• 1953 US Congress passed the termination
  resolution.
• 1975 Indian Education Act passed providing
  support to Indian students.
• 1972 Indian Education Act passed providing
  support to Indian student in public schools
  required parental involvement.
• 1980s Many tribes received restoration of
  tribal governments.
• 1992 US government focuses on Indian Education
  implementing a task force to outline a course of
  action for Indian Education.
• 2010 President issues mandatory efforts to
  increase Tribal Consultation with both the US
  Government and State Governments.

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Indian Education legislation is unique in the
following ways

• It recognizes that American Indians have unique,
  educational and culturally related academic needs
  and distinct language and cultural needs
• It is the only comprehensive Federal Indian
  Education legislation, that deals with American
  Indian education from pre-school to
  graduate-level education and reflects the
  diversity of government involvement in Indian
  education
• It focuses national attention on the educational
  needs of American Indian learners, reaffirming
  the Federal governments special responsibility
  related to the education of American Indians and
  Alaska Natives and
• It provides services to American Indians and
  Alaska Natives that are not provided by the
  Bureau of Indian Affairs.

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Sovereignty

• Tribal sovereignty refers to the fact that tribes
  in the U.S. have independent power and a right to
  self-government.
• In the U.S., persons of Native American descent
  occupy a unique legal position. On the one hand,
  they are U.S. citizens and are entitled to the
  same legal rights and protections under the
  Constitution that all other U.S. citizens enjoy.
• On the other hand, they are members of
  self-governing tribes whose existence far
  predates the arrival of Europeans on American
  shores. They are the descendants of peoples who
  had their own inherent rightsrights that
  required no validation or legitimation from the
  newcomers who found their way onto their soil.
• These combined, and in many ways conflicting,
  legal positions have resulted in a complex
  relationship between Native American tribes and
  the federal government.

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Tribal Sovereignty

• Sovereign Nations have the right to
• Form their own government,
• Determine membership or citizenship,
• Make/enforce laws,
• Regulate trade w/in borders,
• Form alliances w/other nations,
• and more.

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Tribes and the Government

• Native Students vs. other Minority Students
• Sovereign Government
• Ties to State and Federal Government
• Some states including Oregon have an American
  Indian/Alaskan Native Education Plan
• Title VII
• Johnson OMalley

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Objective 2Political, social, and cultural
barriers Native American students face on a daily
basis

• Maintaining cultural traditions (language
  revitalization, spiritual practices, regalia
  making, pow-wows, round dances, basket weaving,
  beading, drum making, gathering, hunting,
  honoring elders, etc.)

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Walking In Two Worlds

• Living, working, or going to college in
  mainstream society, then returning home to the
  reservation and expected to act in a different
  manner.
• With some tribes there is an expectation that
  they will return home to work for their tribe
  after completing their education.

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Rethinking Time

• Tell me and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not
  remember. Involve me, and I'll understand.
  Native American saying
• Traditional views of time
• Pressure
• Feeling of failure

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First Generation

• A large majority of Native American college
  students are first generation.
• Have trouble navigating the higher education and
  financial aid systems
• Find it difficult to balance home and school
  obligations.
• Low-income, first-generation students are four
  times more likely than other students to drop out
  of college in their first year, according to the
  National Center for Education Statistics

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Transportation

• To and from the reservation students drive on
  average 45 minutes to get to the college campus
• Having a reliable vehicle
• Weather conditions in the winter/early spring can
  make driving conditions difficult for students

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Unaware of how to advocate

• Most Native American students do not know how to
  advocate for themselves
• This includes seeking out networks and resources
  such as tutoring, writing centers, career
  counselors, community resources, scholarship
  opportunities, etc.
• Unaware that they may have a learning disability
  or need academic support.

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Objective 3

• Providing tools, resources and strategies for
  advising, teaching, and retaining Native American
  Students.

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Positive Learning Environments

• Think about Learning in a Global way
• Small Groups
• Your Classroom
• Your School
• Your Community
• Local Resources
• Give students a reason to come to college
• Show them that you care and that you value their
  culture
• Expect the success from native students

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Know Your Native Students

• Family Units
• Reach out to your students community
• Find their interests
• Appreciate their culture
• Be aware of their road blocks/barriers to
  success

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Teaching Styles

• The Talking Head
• Hands-on Learning
• Art as a Tool
• Story telling
• Small Groups
• Project based Learning

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Connect/Refer Native Students to Resources on
Campus

• Native American Student Coordinator
• Native American Club/Center
• Tutoring Center/Educational Opportunity or
  Success Center
• TRIO Support Services

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Help Them Identify Barriers

• Transportation
• Child Care
• Time Constraints (Explain 21 Study Ratio for
  every 1 hour in class a study should spend 2-3
  hours outside of class studying or doing
  assignments)

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Spend a little extra time building a schedule

• Help students design a schedule rather than
  rubber stamping a schedule
• First term students Assist them with
  registering for a study skills course/college
  success course, a subject area they are
  interested in, and possibly some reading or
  writing instead of -math, lab science, writing,
  and reading all in the same term (even though
  they may need those remedial classes) the first
  term is key to retaining them

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Take more of a holistic approach to advising -
build a relationship with the student

• It takes time.
• Try to make it a conversation rather than an
  interrogation.
• Sometimes, its important to just listen or
  prompt them for questions about if they are
  working or not, have children or not, in order to
  help them build a schedule/degree program.

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Making your office or space inviting

• Have some coloring books or toys in case the
  student brings their children in with them.
• Have food (candy, mints, etc.)
• Any kind of native newspapers, magazines,
  artwork, posters, calendars, blankets, or
  materials is a plus
• Circular meeting area/format
• Ask your local native community for resources
  Research your local native community

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Incorporate Curriculum into Classrooms

• Indians in Oregon Today
• Culturally sensitive
• Historically accurate
• Age appropriate
• Supported by tribe
• Encourage family participation

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You are not alone there is support for Indian
Education

• Federal
• State
• Tribal
• Private
• Public

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Ask a Tribal Elder to come to a training or just
come in and share
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Embrace the Native Culture
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Serving as a Comprehensive Resource for Native
Students

• Serve as a resource for the student for general
  questions on financial aid, campus resources,
  etc.
• Try to point them to a person rather than a
  department.

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Michael WilsonMasters Degree in Business
AdministrationPortland State University
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Angelina AhedoMasters Degree in Public
HealthUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa
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Resources

• Handout on books/videos/newspapers about Native
  Americans in Oregon
• National Indian Education Association
• www.niea.org
• ? Oregon Dept. of Education webpage (Indian
  Education Resources not just on Oregon) This
  has a link to the Indians In Oregon Today
  Curriculum
• http//www.ode.state.or.us/
• Type in Indian in the search box
• ?Most Tribes have a website and newspaper you
  can usually Google the name of the tribe and it
  will come up you can also call the tribe and
  get on their mailing list for their tribal
  newspaper

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Resources Continued

• Oregon Indian Coalition on Postsecondary
  Education Chairwoman Jackie Leno-Grant -
  jgrant_at_eou.edu meetings are held quarterly
• Native Friendly Campus Document
• Oregon Indian Education Association
• http//oiea.org/
• The OUS Native American Resource Guide
• http//www.ous.edu/stucoun/counres/

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Pathways for Native Students A Report on
Washington State Colleges and Universities

• http//www.evergreen.edu/nativeprograms/reports/pa
  thways/docs/pathwaysreport.pdf

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Case Studies
What strategies can you use to help this student
find success? What hurdles will this student
have to jump to succeed? Where can you look for
help?
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Contact Information

• April Campbell
• Education Division Manager
• Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
• Education Division
• 1-800-422-0232 Ext. 2284
• April.Campbell_at_grandronde.org

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Contact Information

• Sonya Moody-Jurado
• Education Specialist
• Confederated Tribes of Siletz
• 503-390-9494
• sonyamj_at_ctsi.nsn.us

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Contact Information

• Trinity Minahan
• Academic Advisor
• Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
• Education Division
• 1-800-422-0232 Ext. 1478
• Trinity.Minahan_at_grandronde.org

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Thank you for participating!