The readings from this week were enlightening, as they allowed me to further think about Native American cultural beliefs and practices and how I can approach incorporating multicultural teaching practices into my classroom. The Way to Rainy Mountain, by N. Scott Momaday, and From Borders to Bridges: Making Cross-Cultural Connections through Multicultural Literature, by Ruth McKoy Lowery & Donna Sabis-Burns, each brought forward useful information for me as an educator to consider when building aspects of my curriculum.
In the book The Way to Rainy Mountain, there are a few instances in which Native American belief systems are evident. On page 8, after reading the story of Devils Tower and the Big Dipper, I notice a strong emphasis on the Native American belief systems regarding the formation of various landforms. In the story, Momaday (1969) describes 7 sisters and a brother playing, when the brother turned into a bear. The sisters climbed a tree stump and it “began to rise into the air” (Momaday, 1969, p. 8). This formed Devils Tower, and the sisters “...were borne into the sky, and they became known as the Big Dipper.” (Momaday, 1969, p. 8). While the stump rose, the bear “...reared against the tree and scored the bark all around with its claws.” (Momaday, 1969, p. 8).
This story outlines how Devils Tower and the Big Dipper were formed. In thinking about how to incorporate this into my teaching, I would describe that there are many examples of how Native Americans believe things are formed and that this is a prime example of this. As a classroom activity, I would compare and contrast with my students this belief and compare it to a more scientifically-based reasoning of these formations.
In the article From Borders to Bridges: Making Cross-Cultural Connections through Multicultural Literature, a heavy emphasis is placed on the importance of incorporating multicultural teaching into the classroom. Lower & Sabis-Burns (2007) state, “The definition of multicultural education serves as a guide for teachers but it should not be regarded as a ‘magic pill’ that will solve all education problems.” (p. 50). Too often, teachers may rely on their curriculum to be the sole provider of instruction and materials. However, in recent months in my career, I have found that no curriculum is perfect and having supplements to its teachings enhances student learning.
Having a multicultural education allows students to gain exposure to a variety of cultures amongst them. Lower & Sabis-Burns (2007) state “It cultivates an educated awareness to other cultural customs and values, promotes communication with people from other countries, and enhances experiences involving theirs and others’ cultures. Through literature, readers explore lands and cultural mores that they would otherwise not experience.” (p. 50). Keeping this in mind, having multiple activities throughout the year that compare cultures to one another will allow students to have a better understanding of the world around them. For example, in my kindergarten classroom, we have a large unit devoted to how various areas of the world celebrate the holidays. We discuss Christmas, and how this may look different in countries such as Italy, Australia, India, various countries in South America, and more. Each lesson has a different craft or activity that helps students to be more aware of other cultures. Without exposure, students’ perceptions of the world and cultures around them are based off of the stereotypes in their classroom or home environment.
In the article, Lower & Sabis-Burns (2007) reference a study in which preservice teachers were asked to reflect on and share about their culture and race/ethnicity to their class. Students in a middle school classroom could also do this. This might take the form of a multi-part project:
Research and write about your own culture, identities, and belief systems.
Research and write about how this might differ from a different culture.
Compare and contrast 1 and 2.
Make a presentation of some sort (Power Point, poster, graphic organizer, etc.) to share with the class.
Lowery & Sabis-Burns urge, “Multicultural literature brings about a multitude of opportunities to conduct personal reflection, examine other cultures, and consider sensitive issues of race, prejudice, discrimination, and the ability to challenge stereotypes within the context of various subject areas.” (p. 53). The project described above would require students to consider and think critically about the items listed in this quote.
References
McKoy Lowery, R. & Sabis-Burns, D. 2007. From borders to bridges: making cross-cultural connections through multicultural literature. Multicultural Education. https://moodle.morningside.edu/pluginfile.php/1430696/mod_resource/content/2/From%20Borders%20to%20Bridges.pdf
Momaday, N. S.(1969). The way to rainy mountain b̀y N. Scott Momaday. University of New Mexico Press.
I commend you on your approach to sharing ideas through a multicultural lens, but as a parent who spent many of the formative years looking to share stories from as many of my children's cultural backgrounds as possible, I feel there should be some caution in your verbiage. The 'legends' are historically relevant to each Nation's belief system. One Nation's belief system is tied to a different purpose than another Nation's, so the legends are generally about diverse concepts. To lump all Native Americans under that same generalization is tantamount to genocide for all Nations' cultures. It is how parts of each culture were already lost. If true multiculturalism is to be taught, more investigations by educators must happen before its attempt.
ReplyDeleteTake for example the (Tsingali)Cherokee story about the first fire. It is said that many animals attempted to seek out fire from the sun; the vulture (this is how it became bald), the crow (this is how he was blackened), and then Grandmother Spider (who was smarter and used her webbing). When the others failed, she succeeded. However, someone of Lakota descent would tell you that the (Iktomi) a spider was a trickster who brought humans from underground to find a life full of turmoil. These two tales bring something monumental to each Nation, and to strip it apart in one generalization is robbing the next generation of their history.
On a side note, do you feel like students, in the middle grades, definitively understand what culture means? Deep in my gut, there is this voice that says part of the reason American students are not participating in the conversation-- is simply because parents have failed to impart the traditional transference of culture.
Pemberton, J. (2010). Myths and Legends From Cherokee Dances to Voodoo Trances. Omnipress Limited.