Healing Our Children... A new life skills curriculum told through the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Worldview
About This Session
Friday, November 17
4:10 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: Prairie B
Description
Join us to learn about a new culturally based life skills curriculum being implemented in over 35 schools throughout the State of South Dakota, that will help give our children a healthy cultural identity and the necessary tools to live a healthy life, free from the traumas of the past. This presentation starts with an overview of historical trauma, the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Epigenetics, how to take our children from a brain in stress and trauma to a learning brain, the impact of "What Happened to You," which will all lay the foundation for why your students and schools will benefit from Life Skills for the Young Lakota/Dakota and Wolakota/Wodakota - Life Skills for Teens. The foundation of this curriculum comes from Oceti Wakan who was founded by 37th & 38th Generation Lakota Medicine Men from Pine Ridge, SD. Through this culturally based curriculum, students learn about trauma healing exercises and the great impact they are having on schools from coast to coast. This is a daily curriculum based on a medicine wheel approach to health and healing. For 2nd through 8th grade students there are 56 unique lessons focused on our Physical, Emotional, Spiritual and Mental bodies. And for High Schools there are 32 weekly lessons that also include art therapy projects. 95% of all lessons are also matched with over 400 ancestor stories. We hope you will come and learn more about this curriculum that is changing students and schools throughout our state.
Currently the Life Skills curriculum fulfills over 60% of the Oceti Sakowin standards.
These workshops are having a transformative impact and is helping everyone understand not only where we have been but also where we can go with healing!
Healing our Children through Health and Wellness
A systematic cultural approach
A K - 12 Curriculum,
Oceti Wakan
• Elfreda Cottier (Lakota; Oglala Sioux Tribe)
• Faith Holmes
Session Presenter(s)
Faith Holmes
Faith Holmes has worked in the field of race relations for over 35yrs. She was outraged when she went off to college and learned how miseducated she had been and therefore pursued a double major in African American History and Psychology, believing this country must understand our true history and the psychological impact it has had on us all! Therefore, she has dedicated a greater portion of her life to work towards social justice.
Faith is one of the co-founders of Oneness, a national non-profit organization whose mission was to fight racism and promote oneness, her next endeavor was entrepreneurship having created Faithfully Sweet and Love ‘n Faith Community Cafe. Most recently, she has embarked on a new chapter that includes training and development work with Oceti Wakan who is serving the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Nation. Holmes is also a certified consultant with Dr. Joe Dispenza’s business Neuro Change Solutions, where she is facilitating workshops on Change Your Mind… Create New Results and a certified trainer for the HeartMath Institute.
Her purpose is to elevate the human experience, to create oneness in the world, to shine light in the world and help teachers, students, businesses, and organizations know that they can change their reality and create the life they want to live instead of settling for the life they have.
Elfreda Cottier
Oglala Lakota Educational Consultant
Oglala Lakota Educational Consultant
Currently working with Oceti Wakan on implementating South Dakota and Oceti Sakowin standards to the curriculum for Life Skills for the young Lakota, and my 2nd Masters degree.
I have been in Education for 30+ years as a teacher for both general education and special education, data coordinator, assistant to the Principal, registar, and curriculum director.
I value education as a way for our people to move forward and to teach our children the values of the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota culture and language.
When I am not taking a class or working I love spending time with my Adult children and grand-children. I love reading and old school rock and roll music.
I was raised with my mom, grandma and grandpa.
One of the teachings my grandma told me was to get my education and to have my own home.