In order to understand how the cultures and languages of the indigenous peoples from across the globe can be implemented into our classrooms, it is first vital to understand how the first people were treated in regards to their own education. This website provides the necessary insight into the United State’s troubled past in regards to the overall treatment of the native people. In the early decades of the United States, if the natives were not fighting against the federal government, they were being removed from their homes and sent westwards. However, the federal government attempted to “Americanize” many native children, who were forced to learn that their own cultures and history was not up to standard with the American way of life. The native children were moved into boarding schools in which they were subjected to harsh treatment and living conditions. Still to this date, education for Native Americans has been almost nonexistent, and certainly not up to par with what it should be. Due to lack of funding, lack of teachers, and issues within the curriculum, because of these roadblocks, the first people are last in regards to progressing with their education. 

How can this be fixed? Some of the solutions that are suggested are Language Revitalization, Representation and Policy, and Native Events. Language Revitalization is something that, as a class, we have learned about already. Inside of the classrooms, Native Americans are not taught about their own histories and cultures. Even non-natives are not taught these things. It is imperative that the history of the indigenous peoples from the U.S. and around the world are taught to non-natives as to ensure that these people are not forgotten. It is up to those who are representatives of the wider American population to change how history should be taught. Native Americans deserve the same opportunities inside of the classroom as non-natives, and they deserve to have their legacies be remembered as strong willed people who, despite the odds, have survived and will continue on. 

Throughout my time in primary and secondary education, I was not opened up to the history of the native peoples that have occupied these lands for thousands of years. In primary school, the most I “learned” about the Native Americans was from a field trip when I was 6 years old. Do I remember anything from that trip? Not at all. Even in high school, the most that we were taught about the native peoples was that of the Trail of Tears and the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Both of which were taught in AP U.S. History, so only a small portion of students from my high school had the opportunity to learn about these things. How can children and young adults be taught the proper history? In this Smithsonian Magazine article, it covers just that. The strategy in question is that of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, “Native Knowledge 360 Degrees (NK360°),” in which Native American history and culture is taught in a more conducive manner, as to ensure that the history is not forgotten and children are able to learn the proper history. 

NK360° itself creates many different ways that certain histories and cultures can be taught to young students. For example, they create their own lesson plans, such as “The Trail of Tears: A Story of Cherokee Removal.” It offers educators and students the most historically accurate depiction of what occurred during that time. Some ways that educators have gone about teaching the cultures and histories of Native Americans are going to influence my own decisions in regards to the topic. As a future educator, I would make it a priority to incorporate NK360° lesson plans into my own lesson plans. It is vital that students learn what really happened, as opposed to the sugarcoated history that I was taught when I was younger. I don't blame my former teachers for teaching this way. The blame is placed on those who force a certain narrative in order to achieve monetary and political goals. 

In the modern age, many people do not know that there are more than just the 5 civilized tribes. Such as the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and the Seminole. And some don’t even know those tribes. From an article on Chalkbeat.org, there is a story on a former high school student named Jaylyn Suppah, who questioned the way in which the history and culture of Native Americans was taught in her classroom. In reference to her challenge of the norm the article states, “Why were their lessons on Native Americans about tribes from the Midwest, with no mention of regional tribes like hers, the Warm Springs, Wasco, Shoshone-Bannock, and Yakama? Why did the textbook only spend a few pages on their history…Arguing with her teacher, Suppah recalls, getting kicked out of class, (Belsha).” In order to make change, this article is advocating for students, teachers, and others involved in education to challenge the norms set by an inaccurate view of history. 

I fully agree with this notion, and in my classroom. I would want to challenge my students to therefore challenge me in regards to the curriculum. If there was something that they felt was necessary to be taught, and we, as teachers, weren’t doing enough, then change would need to be made. In the article, it goes into how when students challenge the authority of those who make the curriculum, change happens. As with this particular case, the state of Oregon “has developed lessons, and has provided tribes with funding to develop their own specific materials, (Belsha).” The strategy of challenging improper authority is what can lead to changes across not only Native American history and education, but for all areas of education.

This particular source comes from outside the United States. It is from Australia and discusses how indigenous cultures can be taught in those classrooms. With this source, it highlights the important concept that the mistreatment of indigenous peoples has occurred in almost every corner of the world. Mainly due to imperialism and colonization. From some research that I have done in my own free time, I came to the conclusion that the two nations of Australia and New Zealand have done a great deal to heal the relationship between the non-natives and the natives of those lands. I think that rebuilding relationships between the indigenous peoples and the government (of any land) is crucial to allowing for the proper education of these histories and cultures. It is also true that the two go hand in hand. Without the proper education, there can be no coordination. This website, which is an official Australian government website, offers the foundations for the teachings of certain cultures, and as it is called specifically, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture. 

With my other sources, I have gone over how it is necessary to teach about indigenous cultures within the United States, because well obviously. But there is the need to teach about how other nations are working towards giving their own indigenous peoples the respect they deserve not only inside of the classroom but also outside of it as well. In order to understand the ways of history, one must study all of its aspects. The mistreatment of native peoples is not solely an issue within the United States. It happened everywhere, and still happens to this day in some places around the world. Hence, with this source, the strategy I am taking away here is that all aspects of indigenous culture has to be taught whether it is American or not. Students will be able to take away that this is not just an American problem, but that the suffering of indigenous people occurs/occurred all over the world.

A problem that tends to arise is that many tend to lump all the different Native American tribes under one name. However, there are many different tribes with different respected histories. I believe that this speaks for itself, as the federal government made it their goal to get rid of all traces of Native American culture and heritage. The wider public is quite ignorant in regards to knowing that there are many different tribes located within the United States. Things within American culture are named after indigenous tribes and people fail to recognize this. It is very important that the vast Native American tribes are not put into one specific lens of study. In an article from Crosscut.com, author Manola Secaira dives into this idea and more. She says, “Other studies have found that the general U.S. population sees Native people as historical, as part of the past, and knows little of what they look like today. In effect it makes native communities feel invisible. It makes sense, then, that Native people frequently find themselves misrepresented in or completely absent from all forms of American pop culture and media, (Secaira).” This excerpt from the article brings up multiple great points that can be used in the classroom. 

It is crucial to understand that the modern day Native American tribes are still not where they need to be in regards to political, economic, and social status. That is why when I am an educator, I plan on making contacts with whatever indigenous tribes are willing to communicate and help my future students learn about their own history and culture. These people feel invisible and are afraid to do something about it, and they do not want to face potential backlash. So it is the jobs and responsibilities of future educators to help these people find status again. My strategy is that as a teacher, I plan on teaching in the present and future, while also looking back at the past to ensure that we do not make the same mistakes again. Which will increase the likelihood that young people will understand what happened in the past, in order to prevent such things from occurring again. Through the actual voices of indigenous people, future students will need to learn that no one should be forced to remain quiet ever again.