shaneassignment10


 * //__Communicating with Native American students and their families. __//**

**//__ General strategies __//** **//__ Avoiding Bias __//** Source: American Indian Science and Engineering Society Multicultural Educational Reform Programs (AISES) [|http://www.as.wvu.edu/~equity/natvorg.html]
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 * To be an effective teacher, it is important to understand how the backgrounds of native students can affect their relationships with both teachers and their classmates.
 * Share the value of the broad and varied sets of experiences that native students bring to class, not as liabilities, but rather as valued resources.
 * Intervene immediately should a fellow student disparage native student's culture or language.
 * Realize that every American is a product of his or her culture, and a tolerance and understanding of language differences must exist in such a diverse society.
 * Do not criticize American-Indian students who choose to wear traditional clothing or braids; these may help keep their identity and do not harm the learning environment.
 * There exists congruencies between a student's learning style and the teacher's teaching style.
 * Recognize and discuss with American-Indian students potential conflicts between school-based expectations and their cultural background.
 * To be an effective teacher, it is important to understand how the backgrounds of American-Indian students can affect their relationships with both teachers and their classmates.
 * //__ Discussion/Interaction __//**
 * Do not persistently look directly at Native American students when speaking to them, or expect them to look directly at you. This is seen as a sign of defiance and hostility in many native cultures. Often Native Americans will look off in the same direction, not at each other, when speaking.
 * Observe and ask questions that show genuine caring and concern.
 * Develop the student's self-concept. Curriculum of the typical school is designed for the middle class white students and Native Americans may not get any positive reinforcement from such a curriculum.
 * Promote relaxed communication, native students need to be able to ask questions without hesitation and feel that they can discuss problems freely and without emotional upset. Many students have been taught that they should not express an opinion and that they should not make a statement unless they are sure that they are correct.
 * Make learning more of an interpersonal activity than goal oriented and impersonal.
 * Bring the native student's cultural heritage and values into discussions in every subject whenever possible. Show them that you value and respect their heritage.
 * Be aware of proximity and other nonverbal preferences.
 * Use a whole language, integrated approach that emphasizes the words and experiences of the native students.
 * Emphasize cooperation and sharing. In Native cultures, status is gained by generosity and cooperation, not thrift and competition.
 * Do not try to motivate students by competition. In many native groups, a person who shows himself/herself to be superior (as opposed to an equal and cooperating member of the group) is ostracized and belittled. Do we want adults who are aggressively competitive, or adults who work well with others.
 * Emphasize the improvement of each student rather than competition for grades.
 * Use the oral and story telling traditions as the basis for creative writing, reading skills, speaking, listening, and dramatics.