Meeting Pattern

Description

A book study of current fictional Young Adult Literature (YAL) and middle-grade (MG) literature to help you increase your knowledge of Native American literature, Indigenous culture, and how it can be incorporated into your classroom. Upon completing this course, you will have reached a deeper emotional intelligence surrounding issues of the diversity within Native American communities that will lead you to foster more inclusive and culturally aware classrooms and will lead you to a selection of diverse and impactful literature to foreground belonging for all of your students. 

Though this course is asynchronous, participants are encouraged to engage in discussion with others through discussion boards as well as sharing final projects.

Syllabus, Objectives, and Outcomes

Objectives:

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

·       Recognize the need for diverse Native American literature

·       Identify quality, high-interest Native American literature

·       Apply knowledge from this course to their own teaching practices

·       Combine information from this course with their own teaching philosophy

·       Design their own list of resources to continue their learning after the course

·       Recognize the harm colonization has done to Native American youth

·       Analyze and evaluate texts for authenticity, accurate representation, and bias

·       Synthesize knowledge into an organized project

·       Familiarize themselves with Native American culture, heritage, and language

Course Texts: (Choose 5 of the 6 that interest you the most)

·       Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

·       I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day

·       Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith

·       The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

·       Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

·      Sisters of the Neversea by Cynthia Leitich Smity

Note: Books may be read in whatever format works best for you: purchased, from the library, e-book, and audiobook all work.

Testimonials:

"I ENJOYED THE DIVERSITY OF INFORMATION THAT WAS PRESENTED THROUGH DIFFERENT BOOKS. THE CONTENT WASN'T ABOUT THE SAME TOPICS IN THE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE."

"GOOD SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL, ENGAGING NOVELS."

"THE BOOKS THEMSELVES, I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE AND PRACTICES."

"IT WAS A FUN CLASS TO TAKE AND GIVES ME A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON NATIVE AMERICANS."

"THE ASSIGNMENTS WERE WORTHWHILE, THE BOOKS WERE ALL VERY GOOD, AND I OVERALL ENJOYED THE COURSE."

"THE READING MATERIALS, BOTH THE NOVELS AND THE ADDITIONAL/SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS WERE GREAT. THE WEBSITES THAT WERE PART OF THE SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS WERE INTERESTING. I ALSO ENJOYED READING THROUGH THE POSTS THAT EVERYONE DID, SO MANY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES."

"THE MATERIALS AND THE PURPOSE, ALL WAS VERY MEANINGFUL AND REALLY STRUCK SOMETHING IN ME."

"GREAT BOOK CHOICES AND GIVES MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE."

"THIS COURSE ALLOWED ME TO WORK AT MY PACE TO COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENTS."

"I TOOK THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE COURSE AND APPRECIATED HOW THE BOOKS BUILT ON ONE ANOTHER."