Connections

As an "Outsider", as my students call me, I have so much to learn about the ways of the people in my village.  I am saddened to see much of their culture lost by the influx of the Russians to the Kodiak Island.  Many of the natives families are plagued by cycle of alcohol abuse so their native traditions and values are not honored.   We live in the Kodiak Wildlife Refuge with the incredible Kodiak Bears.  The bears are throughout the region and often wander into the villages.  It breaks my heart to hear the students on a quest to "kill the bear".  They are not being taught how to live in harmony with the bears instead the bears are seen as a nuisance. Their actions do not support the Alutiiq values of the Elders. 

Substance was a way of life on Kodiak Island and you still see a lot of the substance lifestyles among the villagers.  Fishing and hunting are common past times and  an economic means within the village.  Many of my students spend their summers fishing or at their families fish camp.  When it comes to knowing the land and the best fishing spots, the students can lead you right to them.  I often see the students hiking up the hillside on a clear day or out to the culvert for fishing.  Smoke houses and drying racks are seen throughout our village.  I found it interesting when I tried to create a local food web students were unable to identify local flora or fauna.  I expected this to be an easy activity for my students instead we all had to research the local species.  I wonder if I changed this activity to ocean species would I  find the same stuggles?

While teaching the biological sciences, I found a lot of connections to the local environment.  The students enjoyed studying a plot of land to see the changes the occur throughout the year.  They were able to identify tracks through the plot and changes created by the landslide.  Yet, when they were asked to sketch what they saw I was met with a lot of reluctance and refusal to draw what they saw.  As I continue to work with my students in science, I need to find ways to pull my students into the class by making it more relevant to their lives. 

Village Science

Culturally Responsible Science Curriculum

Each year our school district sponsors a science fair.  This is the perfect importunity to incorporate  native science into the western science classroom.  This is a difficult process for teachers who are not familiar with native practices.  So by bringing elders into the classroom and looking at the science behind native traditions students can teach the teachers. 

 Cultural Sceince Fairs

This lesson made me think about what my students brought into the classroom.  Through the incorporation of native ways and the local environment we can engage our students.  The Venn diagram about Native Science and Western Science gave me a perspective on how to unify them within the classroom.  I enjoyed the view clips in this module because they showed me life in other parts of Alaska.  It is difficult for me to find people within my village to help me understand the Alutiiq culture and values as an "Outsider."  Seeing other cultures helps me think about alternatives to finding understanding the culture of my students.  After completing this module, I will be encouraging students to consider a native topic for their science fair projects. 

I explored Ms. Keul's blog.  She offers reflection questions for all teachers to think about.

Tyler's blog really made me think about the value of the student success over test scores.

Tommy's blog makes you question the advances of today and how the traditional ways may help us improve the world we live in.