This blog has been created to be used in conjunction with a class I am taking through WMCSPD. The course is: HeartLines: Engaging Students with Tribal Materials and Common Core Skills. I am excited to be taking this class as it centers on educating students while using resources which are tribally approved. I am trying to carefully design my Indian Education for All units. This class will help me achieve my goals.  

Week One:  This week we explored two different resources: Remembering the Songs, and The Gift of the Bitterroot.

Remembering the Songs had a video in which three members of different tribes spoke of their memories regarding different songs. I found the video to be very powerful and thought provoking.

I enjoyed listening to Fernando Cellicion talk about the Zuni pueblos. This portion would fit well in my classroom as they have a section in our required text on the Anasazi. I am always somewhat uncomfortable when I teach this, as I have no idea if the article is approved tribally or not. I always discuss that with my third graders and we go over primary sources. They learn about the Kiva, which Mr. Cellicion talks about, and they are fascinated by the cliff dwellings. This could easily be tied into the video, which has beautiful footage of their pueblos in New Mexico.

The second segment, in which Paul Thompson talks about his childhood experience with the flute, was touching to me. I am impressed with how he went on to make flutes. I enjoyed hearing the song his mother used to hum, which his ancestors sang on their walk when forced from their home. It is so nice to have explanations go with the songs. You really get a better feel for the music and its importance.

I identified most with the third part on Jerome Vanderburg. I teach in the Bitterroot Valley, where the Salish originally lived before being relocated. Listening to his daughter, Lucy, talk about her parents and their relationship was very emotional for me. The pictures of her parents brought them to life in my mind. This piece could easily be used in my classroom when the students learn about Victor’s history and its Salish ancestors.

I have so many ideas for using The Gift of the Bitterroot as told by Johnny Arlee in my classroom. We study the bitterroot as our state flower. Many of the students have bitterroots growing on their property and are already curious about this native plant. The story, along with its striking illustrations (done by Antoine Sandoval), beautifully explains the importance of this flower to Indian Culture.

The songs (Heart of the Bitterroot) are both beautiful and haunting to me. I got a little confused the first time I went through the resources and thought the songs went with Remembering the Songs. I think I have it all figured out now, phew! I have listened to them many times and am still thinking of exactly how to use them in my classroom. I would like to play them for our music teacher and see if he would be interested in working with me on this. I appreciate Anna Baldwin for letting us know that there are guidelines for using the songs, as we don’t have the book in which this information is printed. It is a good reminder to me to always check with the tribe before using its stories and songs.

I had a good time going through the week one resources. I think we are off to a good start.