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Tribal Nations Documents Special Topics in Service Learning

12-21-1995

SI-YUU-DZE * :Service Learning in Native Schools

McLellan Hall

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Recommended Citation Hall, McLellan, "SI-YUU-DZE * :Service Learning in Native Schools" (1995). Tribal Nations Documents. 8. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slcetribalnations/8

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For centuries, Native Americans have practiced brain-friendly education that incorporates active learning, the natural world, extended family, and mentorship. The author highlights essential educational issues facing Native learners and the importance of reclaiming service learning.

Background When Europeans first came ashore in North America in the early 1500s. Native communities had an orga­ nized system for educating young people. A learn­ ing-by-doing process, usually under the mentorship of relatives and elders, was well developed. Cus­ toms, skills, spiritual practices. and languages were transmitted effectively according to locally deter­ mined priorities. The family. clan, and larger com­ munity provided a safety net for children. These indigenous people belonged to 300 language groups that had sophisticated interpretations of the Creation. viewing their role as caretakers of the continent.

The extended family provides the prototype for mod­ els of service in contemporary Native communities. As schooling of Native people came increasingly under the control of the federal government, educa­ tion became more of a formal, foreign process, con­ trolled by outsiders. Where once the natural world served as the learning environment, an abrupt shift to a regimented, classroom atmosphere took place Tra­ ditionally, the worst form of punishment imaginable was banishment; and education became a new form of banishment, tearing young people away from their homes and families, thrusting them into an alien "learning" environment.

Vine Deloria, Jr. ( 1991 ), the Lakota educator and au­ Art by Joe Garcia, a tenth-grade student at Harper Alternative thor, shares important insights into the conflict be­ School, Houston, Texas. tween the Euro-American model that has been imposed on Native Americans and the traditional ap­ proach. He states, "The old ways of educating af-

* Si-\'Uu-d:e is a lt'rm in the Keres lanRua1-:e. spoken ar Acoma Puehlo. 1-rhich is translated br Acoma resident Harold Chino. as "nerrbod.1· ·., work. " It refers to the reciprocal naturt· of life in the p11eblo.

34 AJEB-P firmed the basic principle that the Act (Public Law 93-638) was passed tive people transmitted knowledge human personality was derived from into law in 1973. This legislation of- and culture in their own communi- accepting the responsibility to be a fered Native people some measure of ties. Yet, this was never accepted contributing member of a society. Kin­ control over education programs serv- as a legitimate way of transmission ship and clan were built upon the idea ing Native children. Progress, although of knowledge in this country. So that individuals owed each other cer­ difficult to quantify, has been made on Native people's views often con- tain kinds of behaviors. and that if several fronts-increased numbers of flicted with those of higher educa- each individual performed his or her Native teachers and administrators in tion or public school people about task properly, society would function." the schools; "contract" and "grant" how knowledge should be trans- Deloria goes on to say, "Education in schools, where communities contract mitted from one generation to the the traditional setting occurs by exam­ with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to next. It's good to see that you are ple and not as a process of indoctrina­ run their own schools; creation of trib- beginning to come around to our tion." He summarizes by stating, "The al colleges on reservatio=n~s~;~1'""n~c""'lu""'"'s'"""1"""0""'"n----p-o...:;1;:..n..,.t-o""""f,..::..v.,..ie-w-a~b;-o-u-t:-:-h.;..o_w.;.._;y_o_u_ng final ingredient of traditional tribal ed­ of Native culture and language in the people should learn. ucation is that accomplishments are re­ curriculum, etc. garded as the accomplishments of the In the Keres language, spoken at group or family, not the individual." Potentially the most important trend is Acoma and Laguna pueblos, the term, one that did not require specific legis­ si-yuu-dze, refers to the many commu­ The Quality Education for Minorities lation. Work done by the National In­ nal projects that are done in the pueb- ( 1990) report identified the following dian Youth Leadership Project 1o s as part of the ceremonial or factors as keys to the failure of educa­ (NIYLP) over several years recognizes agricultural cycle. In the Zuni lan­ tion programs aimed at Native people that traditional values still exist within guage, the term yanse-lihanna, de­ in America: Native cultures, that these can form the scribes the same concept. There are basis for significant educational numerous other examples. The process and goals of education change, that learning has always been were defined by the dominant rooted in the culture of Native people The goal of NIYLP is to gain an un­ group. and is an organic part of life, and that derstanding of the connections be­ • The language and culture of the Native cultures have concepts and tween these traditional concepts and people were not valued. terms for what is now being called ser­ the learning process. Through our The needs and goals of the Native vice learning which still is actively work with seven Native schools in communities were not considered. practiced in many communities. New Mexico, as part of the Education programs failed to ac­ Kellogg/DeWitt Wallace Reader's Di­ knowledge tribal sovereignty. Recent dropout studies done on the gest-funded National Service Learning Education systems assumed a non­ Navajo reservation also confirm that Initiative, we have seen several cre­ existent homogeneity among Native students who are well-ground­ ative approaches that are grounded in tribes. ed in their Native traditions are more the traditions of the community. likely to do well in the school system It is against this historical/cultural and go on to higher education (Platero, EXAMPLES OF SERVICE backdrop that the essential issues fac­ 1986). Schools that build on the LEARNING PROJECTS ing Native people in the education strengths of the Native culture and in­ arena come into focus: tegrate traditional concepts, such as Acoma Pueblo Outside control vs. community service, will better prepare their stu­ Sky City Community School has de­ control dents to succeed in the larger society. veloped a program they call "Buddy Indoctrination vs. "organic" learn­ Works," where eighth-graders tutor ing Much of our work in Native communi­ kindergarten students. Prior to any for­ Individuality vs. group identity ties over a period of years points to the mal contact between the two groups, Competition vs. cooperation potential effectiveness of what now is the eighth-graders develop their lesson Acquisition (of material things) vs. called service learning. Roger Buffalo plans, taking into consideration the value placed on giving away (the Head, a Ponca educator, said at the specific developmental needs of their most valuable things) National Service Learning Conference younger students. Learning goals are Secular, "scientific" orientation to in 1991: identified and strategies planned. The the natural world vs. spiritual ori­ program has had some interesting re­ entation One of the things that has interest­ sults. Principal Charlotte Garcia re­ ed me over the years in terms of ports that attendance, for both the \ shift in official policy occurred Native education, what you now eighth-graders and the kindergarten ·•hen the Indian Self-Determination call Service Learning, is how Na- "buddies." improved on Fridays, the

WINTER 1995 A 35 day the tutoring sessions occurred. In all hours of the day and night, year Summary addition, Buddy Works led to the de­ round, to search for lost hunters, hikers, An Iroquois prophecy tells us that the velopment of Parentworks, which in­ and victims of plane crashes in remote youth of today, especially those born volves these same eighth-graders with areas. They also may be called to pro­ in the last 15-20 years, are the old Na­ the parents of their kindergarten stu­ vide assistance with any natural disas­ tive leaders returning. A Native dents. The approaches are shared with ters that may occur in the region. leader must be a servant of the peo­ the parents to reinforce the practice of ple, and we must use the "best of both reading to youngsters. An arrangement has been worked out,· worlds" to help young people. We in Zuni, whereby students receive must look to Native communities for Zufii Pueblo elective credit and can be released strengths to build on, refusing to Sixth-grade students at Zuni Mid from school in the event of a call. The focus strictly on the deficits that may School decided they wanted to clean Zuni schools were the first in the state be apparent. We must focus on posi­ up Eustace Lake, a small lake within of New Mexico to offer credit for tive alternatives for Native youth and walking distance of the school. They community service through the SAR provide opportunities to develop the hauled trash from the water. built program. Since 1992, when the Zuni skills that will help them become the trails, planted trees, and took water SAR was formed, the teams have been leaders of tomorrow. With this in samples. Their goal was to restock the on numerous searches, most of which mind, the NIYLP has been trying to lake with fish. The adjoining recre­ resulted in the subjects being found improve the educational experience ational area was littered with trash, and alive. Feedback from agencies active for Native youth. Its programs com­ picnic areas had been vandalized. Stu­ in SAR indicated that these students bine the experiential activities, out­ dents set out to revitalize the recre­ often are better trained than the adults door adventure, community service. ational area. The students used a who take part in SAR (NIYLP, 1992). national leadership camps, and surveyor's transit to survey and map school-based programs, including the area, learning all the necessary TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES training for school personnel, to re­ skills as part of the project. The project connect Native education with the is ongoing, and a sign that says "Zuni. The NIYLP has conducted national communities and cultures of the peo­ Mid School Service Learning Project" leadership camps for 12 years. The ple. As Native people. we all have a now marks the area. Police and other camps serve fifth- through eighth­ responsibility to give something back. community agencies now monitor the graders and draw participants from the area, and it is a source of pride for United States and Canada. Key roles at McClellan Hall (Cherokee and ZMS students and faculty. camp are filled by high school students, Pawnee) is founder and director of the many of whom are former camp partici- National Indian Youth Leadership National Indian Youth pants, who offer their services in big Project, Gallup, New Mexico. He has Search & Rescue brother/sister roles. Adults who are in- been active in work with Native Ameri- No model of service learning for young terested in learning more about the can youth for 20 years as a teacher. people is more dramatic than the Na­ model must attend a camp session in a counselor, administrator, and director tional Indian Youth Search & Rescue volunteer staff role. NIYLP provides to two tribal alternative schools. For program. The NIYSAR program is the training and technical assistance to Na- further infonnation, contact Mr. Hall only state-sanctioned SAR program in tive communities that want to start a at National Indian Youth Leadership the United States that is staffed by Na­ program. NIYLP offers a well-thought- Project, 605 Vandenbosch Parkway. tive American high school students. out model that can be adapted to the Gallup, NM 87301. Students from Zuni, Acoma, Laguna, culture of the community. This model is'------~ Pine Hill, Ft. Wingate; and Navajo, described in detail in the manual Some­ REFERENCES New Mexico, (the program continues to thing Shining Like Gold, But Better. spread into other Native communities) Deloria. V. (1991 ). Indian education in America: Ii es­ must complete more than 110 hours of Service Learning Institutes says. Boulder. CO: American Indian Science & EnFi· neering Society. training in such areas as First Aid/CPR, NIYLP offered the first Native Ameri­ NIYLP (19921. The national Indian youth leadership map and compass skills, tracking, and can Service Leaming Institute in Janu­ project's Zuni search & rescue team program: Combin­ wilderness survival. They must become ary 1995 in Zuni. The three-day ing challenge/adventure with meaningful service. Pro· ceedings Manual. Alberta. Canada: Association for thoroughly competent in the use of so­ institute covered the roots of service in Experiential Educarion Conference. phisticated navigational equipment and Native traditions, the key elements of Platero. P. (1986). Narajo students at risk: Final re· radios. A mock search with the state service learning. examples of projects port for the Nam;o area student dropout studr. Win­ SAR personnel and state patrol, where developed by Native teachers, hands­ dow Rock. AZ: Navajo Area Student Dropout Study. Platero Paperwork. all competencies are demonstrated, is on practice in an actual project, to Quality Education for Minorities Project. ( 1990). Edu­ the final exam. After successful com­ name a few. Further regional training cation that works: An acrion plan for the education (~t pletion, the team may be called out at will be offered in the Spring of 1995. minorities. Cambridge. MA: Institute of Technology.

36 &JEB-P