Childhood

1. Childhood • Native American children have a lower reading and math level than other ethnic groups. • There is more of an emphasis on family rather than education. • Have a significantly fewer number of books and read much less than white families.

2. Why Should We try to Learn from native Americans?

3. Native Americans Function Well as a Group. • Historically they have lived in tribes. • If we understand this and work around this we can do a better job of intergrating them into society.

4. Native Americans have provided several important contributions. • Pemmican • Moccasins

5. If we communicate with them better then they will fit in better. • We have to recognize the differences in culture in order to facilitate assimilation. • We need to stop with our preconceived notions to prevent the from feeling like outsiders.

6. Family Lives • Native Americans have the lowest family income. • Poverty is greater in Native Americans than any other ethnic group. • Highest number of Children in families. • Lowest level of two family homes. • Native American children have statistically worse developmental characteristics.

7. The Seminoles Present: An Inside Look on Native Americans

8. Percentage of Native Americans In The United States??

9. 0.8%

10. The total Native American student population is much smaller than the African American, Hispanic, or disadvantage white populations. • Native Americans also appear to have the largest proportion of individuals from mixed racial/ ethnic backgrounds.

11. Identifying With Teachers

12. Non-Native educators, influenced by biased portrayals of American Indians in their own schooling and in the media, often view Native Americans as exotic, quaint, and even mythological. • Teachers have two ways of presenting Native Americans: • Approach 1. "dead-and-buried culture approach," which portrays Native Americans as being extinct. • For example: "Indians lived in tipis, they grew corn and hunted buffalo, they were very athletic, they lived in harmony with the land," • Approach 2: "tourist approach," where students "visit" a different culture. • Both approaches teach simplistic generalizations about other peoples and lead to stereotyping, rather than to understanding Native Americans ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools Charleston WV.

13. Trouble In Colorado

14. A professor at For Lewis College, in Colorado, published a scholarly article on teaching Native American students. • The Article was titled “The Kokopelli Conundrum: Lessons Learned From Teaching Native American Students” • The Professor stated that Native American Students were: “well groomed”, “shy”, and “quiet”. • He also claims they are slow to speak up and reticent to challenge professors. • Students found this article highly offensive, as did some faculty.

15. Degree Percentages • High School drop out- 22.8% • High School diploma- 35.2% • Some College- 22.2% • Associate - 7.3% • Bachelor’s - 9% • Graduate- 3.6% • Masters- 2.7% • Doctoral- .9%

16. Overview on Degrees • In 2004-2005 1.4 million students graduated with Bachelor’s degrees about 10,000 of these were received my Native Americans. • From 1995 that the number of these degree has increased at a average rate of 4.5% • Master’s degrees 42% are in human services and 23% in business programs. • Doctorates they showed highest numbers in human services followed by sciences, technology, engineering, and math.

17. Why to accept people of other cultures • It makes you more cultured • Makes things more diversified allowing different opinions to be viewed • Creates tolerance in society so that people wont always be judge from the outside

18. Stereotypes of Native Americans • Lazy • Savage • No sense of humor • Soft spoken • Little education • All have ‘Indian Names’ • Live in past • Wear Feathers • Worship Nature

19. Stereotypes of us • Back-Stabbing • Materialistic • Greedy • Self-centered • Narrow minded • No respect • Evasive

20. Native Americans in College • Native Americans have the lowest level of college completion. • Most Native American children don’t go to college they go tribal colleges. • The Native American graduation rate is 9.3%.

21. Reasons for this… • The Native Americans spend more time on their families than they do schooling. • Native Americans live together on reservation sites usually, so they go to school there. • Once they are done with school the Native Americans go to school to learn how to be in the tribe not to go out into the work force.

22. American Indians Support in College • In Fall 2006, only 186 Indian American Students enrolled at UCF out of 46, 907.

23. American Indians Support in College • Harvard: HUNAP-Harvard University Native American Program • Established in 1970 • Designed to research, teach, outreach and advanced well being of Native Americans • Services: Scholarships, Support to Native American Students, Teaching, Outreach to tribes, Executive Education for tribe leaders

24. American Indians Support in College • Cornell: ‘Akwe:kon’ (a-gway-go) means “all of us” • First Residence house dedicated to Native American Culture • 35 of its residents are Native American • Designed by help of Iroquois people • Services: Student Community Center, Activity Center relating to all Activities with Native American Studies or emphasis

25. American Indians Support in College • Evergreen State College: Tribal Governance Concentration • Masters of Public Administration • For future Tribal leaders or those working with native law • 2 year program • Highlights of Program: health, housing, education, youth, welfare, land use, law enforcement, fiscal policy and economic development

26. American Indians Support in College • Fraternity: Epsilon Chi Nu • Established January 1, 1996 • Native American Predominance, however it is not a requirement to become a member • Chapters in East Carolina University, NC Statue University, University of North Carolina at Pembroke • First Native American Fraternity in Nation

27. American Indians Support in College • University of Arizona: Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program • “Prepare Lawyers to meet the unique and difficult challenges pertaining to indigenous peoples’ rights” • “Center for innovation in research training and advocacy in Indian Law”

28. American Indians Support in College • NABI- Native American Basketball Invitational • 5 years old • Opening opportunities for college coaches to see Native American basketball players • 2004-2005, 28 American Indian men and 23 American Indian women played Division 1 basketball • Reservation locations make it difficult for Native American players to get exposed

29. American Indians Support in College • ANSLAMP- All Nations Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation • Goal: Double the number of Native American Students earning Bachelors degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics • Founded by the National Science Foundation • Services: Mentoring, skill development, academic enrichment, and summer camps • Supported in 12 states in Pacific Coast, Southwest, and Midwest Regions