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Partnering to Prepare Teachers for Urban Indigenous Communities St. Kateri Center of Chicago Partnering with Teaching, Learning, & Leading with Schools & Communities

Anna Lees, Amy J. Heineke, Ann Marie Ryan, & Georgina Roy

Introduction Whereas the Midwestern portion of sities must consider the needs of tribally the U.S. (i.e., Midwest) is home to numer- diverse urban Indigenous children when Improving the quality of education for 1 ous tribes with Indigenous lands and studying promising practices for preparing Indigenous students in the United States communities, university and community teachers. (U.S.) requires meaningful and purpose- partnerships for teacher preparation in Chicago, Illinois, is a recognized urban ful collaboration between stakeholders that region have not been deeply explored hub of the Midwest, and Indigenous popu- in schools, communities, and universities in the scholarly literature. Stachowski lations have historically relocated from (Clare & Sampsel, 2013; National Center and Mahan (1998) describe one Midwest tribal lands to Chicago seeking employment for Educational Statistics, NCES, 2012b). university program that prepares teachers and improved opportunities (Burt, 1986). However, scant literature addresses for diverse student populations through As of 2010 census data, 27,000 Indigenous collaboration between Indigenous orga- experiences with southwestern Indigenous people reside in Chicago (U.S. Census Bu- nizations and university-based teacher communities, placing teacher candidates reau, 2010) with about 1,600 Chicago Public preparation. at Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) public School (CPS) students identifying as Indig- Existing partnerships include tribal schools located across the Navajo Nation enous (Chicago Public Schools, 2012). organizations located on reservation lands, and reporting positive results in preparing As Chicago Indigenous students strug- mainly in the Southwest or Plains regions teachers for diverse students and commu- gle to meet academic expectations with of the U.S. (Belgarde, Mitchell, & Arquero, nity collaboration. Eurocentric measures of achievement 2002; Castagno, 2012; Jacobs et al., 2001; Subsequent studies concur that uni- (Dehyle & Swisher, 1997), teachers must Stachowski, & Mahan, 1998; White, Bedo- versity and community collaboration understand and meet the needs of urban nie, de Groat, Lockard, & Honani, 2007) positively impact candidates’ readiness Indigenous populations to overcome the and several programs that focus on prepar- for diverse classrooms (McDonald et al., divide between Indigenous communities ing Indigenous teachers for Indigenous 2011; Murrell, 2000), but intracultural and public schools (Castagno, 2012; Zeich- students. diversity among Indigenous tribes is ner, 2010). Extant literature finds common themes complex. Future teachers of Midwestern Seeking to fill a gap in the literature among partnerships, including enhancing Indigenous children must have experi- and share innovative practice from the community voice and parental involve- ences within those specific communities, field, we focus this conceptual piece on im- ment, supporting native language develop- so that they may better understand the proving education for Indigenous students ment, implementing culturally responsive particular needs of Indigenous children through the development and implementa- teaching methods and curricula, and and families tion of culturally responsive curricula for encountering difficulties securing steady By spending time within these com- teacher preparation (Castagno & Brayboy, funding (Belgarde et al., 2002; Jacobs et al., munities, candidates become familiar with 2008; Gay, 2010; Pewewardy & Hammer, 2001; Stachowski, & Mahan, 1998; White community ways of teaching and learning 2003; Reyhner, 1993). We discuss Loyola et al., 2007). and the backgrounds and experiences of University Chicago’s teacher preparation Indigenous students. Authentic experi- program that acknowledges the histori- Anna Lees is an assistant professor ences and relationships with Indigenous cal complexities of Indigenous education in the Department of Early Childhood Education communities work to break the cycle of and incorporates promising practices to of the Woodring College of Education teachers as agents of assimilation (Adams, prepare teachers through community col- at Western Washington University, 1995; Brayboy & Maughan, 2009) and laboration in the city of Chicago. Bellingham, Washington. foster educators as allies in improving Acknowledging the level of complexity Amy J. Heineke is an associate professor Indigenous education. present in teaching and learning relation- in the Department of Bilingual/Bicultural Education The importance of preparing Midwest- ships (Cochran-Smith & Fries, 2005), we and Ann Marie Ryan is an associate professor ern teachers to positively interact with describe how university-based teacher in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, Indigenous children and communities runs educators work in and with an urban In- both in the School of Education deeper than a general desire of multicul- digenous community-based organization. at Loyola University Chicago, turalism. With 60% of the U.S. Indigenous Ultimately, our collaborative goals center Chicago, Illinois. population living off reservation lands, around the preparation of candidates to Georgina Roy is director often in urban areas (U.S. Department of implement culturally responsive teach- of St. Kateri Center of Chicago, Health and Human Services, 2012), univer- ing strategies with Indigenous children Chicago, Illinois.

WINTER 2016 13 Feature through a mutually beneficial partnership education through mission schools to civi- proved difficult to sustain, but represent (Kruger et al., 2009). lize and Christianize Indigenous children the desire of Indigenous peoples to have As teacher educators engaged in the (EchoHawk, 1997). The settlers believed a voice in the education of their children community-university partnership to pre- that Indigenous children and their par- both on and off reservation lands (U.S. pare candidates for Indigenous children, ents were developmentally, morally, and Department of Education, 2012). we highlight the role of this partnership spiritually inadequate (EchoHawk, 1997; Issues around off reservation education in the redesign of our teacher preparation Lomawaima, 1999; Palladino, 1922). in U.S. public schools became pertinent program, spearheaded by the first author Church and school leaders stripped with the onset of Operation Relocation, who is an Odawa descendant and an ac- Indigenous children of their cultures and when the BIA recruited 30,000 Native tive member of the Indigenous community languages by forbidding the practice of Americans to migrate to urban areas dur- organization. traditional ceremonies and rituals and ing the 1950s and tripled those numbers in We begin with a brief history of In- replacing the use of Indigenous lan- the 1960s and 1970s (Burt, 1986). During digenous education, acknowledging that guages with forced silence and discipline, this time, Chicago became a common des- past policies and practices impact the preventing any communication of basic tination for relocation among Midwestern current educational landscape. We then needs until children mastered the English tribes and Indigenous families enrolled address the struggles of Indigenous language (Lomawaima, 1999; Lomawaima their children in CPS (Laukaitis, 2005). children in U.S. public schools to identify & McCarty, 2006). The forced assimilation With estimated dropout rates of 90%, a gap between teacher preparation and and detachment from tribal communities community based organizations developed the realities of classroom practices. In re- led children enrolled in mission schools educational programming to support the sponse to these challenges, we share how to suffer sickness, malnutrition, severe needs of Indigenous children navigating an one university bridges the gap between homesickness, and abuse (Bull, 1991). unfamiliar urban setting and work to im- teacher preparation and community needs After the U.S. federal government prove their academic outcomes (Laukaitis, through university, school, and community ceased funding religious education in 2005). While federal funding ceased in the collaboration—showcasing the develop- 1917, BIA boarding schools became the 1970s, Chicago’s Indigenous community mental phases of a sustainable, mutually preferred method for Indigenous educa- organizations continue to serve Indigenous beneficial partnership between an urban tion. This dire period in Indigenous edu- children’s educational needs in an effort Indigenous community organization and a cational history occurred in the mid to late to provide equal opportunities denied by university. We close with recommendations 19th and early 20th century and followed mainstream schooling (U.S. Department for community-university partnerships the same assimilation model as Christian of Education, 2012). to prepare teachers for urban Indigenous mission schools. Both systems were det- students. rimental to the physical, emotional, and Present Day Schooling of Indigenous Children academic wellness of Indigenous children Today, approximately 90% of Indig- The State of Indigenous Education (Adams, 1995). enous students attend U.S. public schools U.S. and Canadian governments have History of Indigenous Schooling and 7% are enrolled in schools operated since apologized for the mistreatment by the BIA. About 20% of these students Indigenous populations have experi- and miseducation of Indigenous children reside in urban areas, have little contact enced multiple forms of education, from and offered varying degrees of reparation with teachers of Indigenous descent or un- tribal teachings grounded in culture and (Buchanan, 2008; Dorrell, 2009). However, derstanding of Indigenous cultures, and at- tradition passed on from one generation to scholars debate the authenticity of the tend schools that have higher poverty rates the next to today’s public school immersion apologies (Dorrell, 2009) and transgenera- than their White counterparts (Alliance for where they have and continue to experi- tional trauma is ever present in Indigenous Excellent Education, 2008). Public schools serving Indigenous students continue to promote a climate of assimilation, utilizing In response to educational traumas, Indigenous communities curricula that emphasizes Anglo history, have offered their children positive educational experiences values, economics, language, religion, and through continued efforts of self-education. dress, which are ineffective for Indigenous students (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008; Pewewardy & Hammer, 2003) as demon- strated by state and national achievement ence a mismatch between community and communities, with past harms continuing measures (Beck, 2000; Dehyle & Swisher, school expectations, the latter resulting in to impact the experiences and quality of 1997; NCES, 2012b). a cultural disconnect and poor school per- life of today’s Indigenous children and formance (Beck, 2000; Dehyle & Swisher, families (EchoHawk, 1997; Lomawaima, Student Achievement and Education 1997; Watras, 2004). 1999; Lomawaima & McCarty, 2006). Debt. The lack of educational quality In the mid 16th century with European In response to educational traumas, available to Indigenous children is re- settlers colonizing what is now known as Indigenous communities have offered their flected in the achievement disparities the United States (U.S.) and believing that children positive educational experiences between Indigenous students and their Indigenous communities lacked structures through continued efforts of self-education White counterparts (NCES, 2012b) ac- of a civilized society and educational (e.g., Family and Child Education program, cording to Anglocentric measures (Dehyle systems (Lomawaima & McCarty, 2006), BIE, 2009; Little Big Horn, Laukaitis, & Swisher, 1997). In 2007, the National Roman Catholic and Protestant groups ini- 2005; Rough Rock Demonstration School, Assessment of Educational Progress tiated European-American led Indigenous McCarty & Bia, 2002). These efforts have (NAEP) reported that all ethnic groups

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION 14 Feature had increased reading scores except for whom they serve (Cochran-Smith & Fries, stand the socio-historical practices leading American Indian. Additionally, the Na- 2005). As is typical of marginalized groups to inequalities in educational services pro- tional Indian Education Study (NCES, in any educational institution, culturally vided to Indigenous children compared to 2012b) conducted by NAEP showed no and linguistically diverse student achieve- their White peers. significant change in reading scores of ment relies even heavier on the classroom American Indian or Alaska Native stu- teacher (Gandara & Maxwell-Jolly, 2006). Bridging the Gaps: dents from 2005 to 2009. Although the low achievement and dismal Preparing Educators In this report, American Indian 4th grade high school completion rates for Indig- for Indigenous Learners students scored an average of 19 points lower enous students is of great concern for in reading than non-Indigenous students Indigenous communities, teachers do not St. Kateri Center of Chicago and only 47% of American Indian 4th graders enter classrooms adequately prepared for Intending to serve Chicago’s Indigenous tested at or above the Basic level in reading. the unique needs of this small, but strug- community, St. Kateri Center of Chicago Math scores for American Indian students gling cultural group (Reyhner, 1993). (Kateri) first opened its doors in the Up- reported by NCES were similarly low with Zeichner (2010) describes promising town neighborhood on Chicago’s north side a greater achievement gap in 2009 than was approaches to preparing teachers for di- as the Anawim Center in 1982 and changed present in 2005. The academic disparities for verse students through integrated field it’s name in 2012 to reflect the importance Indigenous students, as measured by schools experiences in schools and communities, of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, daughter of a and achievement tests, extends to alarming developing what he refers to as a third Mohawk chief and Algonquin mother, as dropout rates for high school students, who space where candidates gain both uni- the first Indigenous person to be named are reported by the NCES (2012a) as having versity resources and teaching and learn- a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. the highest dropout rate of any ethnic group ing contexts. Zeichner’s examples depict The Kateri community recognized and con- in the nation. teacher preparation programs partnered templated the wrongdoings of the Catholic A significant cause of this stark dispar- with school and community organizations Church in its relations with Indigenous ity between Indigenous students and their to support the existing university methods communities and in an effort to continue mainstream peers is the detachment from courses (Zeichner, 2010). While these ex- developing relations of trust between In- their culture of mainstream tests. In short, periences expose candidates to authentic digenous peoples and the Church, resolved Anglo-driven assessments are not aimed to practices of teaching and learning with to accept the canonization of St. Kateri as a measure Indigenous learning and achieve- diverse student populations, we recognize symbol of recognition, respect, and repara- ment (Deyhle & Swisher, 1997). Dehyle that mutually beneficial relationships tion (G. Roy, personal communication, July and Swisher’s (1997) review of Indigenous must exist between the university, schools, 1, 2014). research in education reveals that Indig- community organizations, and candidates Kateri aims to be a welcoming site for enous children performed well on visually where all participant voices are valued to Indigenous peoples from diverse tribal af- cued assessments, but that Anglo-normed create sustainable relationships (Kruger et filiations disconnected from their tribes and tests, emphasizing verbal and auditory al., 2009) and each stakeholder has a role lands to join together and create a united skills, resulted in lower achievement. in preparing all teachers for all students. community of support in urban Chicago. The results of these widely accepted Thus, partnerships between universi- Kateri serves Chicago’s Indigenous com- testing measures reiterate the disconnec- ties and urban Indigenous community munity from St. Benedict’s parish campus tion between Anglocentric curricula and organizations provide a unique context with the support of Chicago’s Archdiocese the needs of Indigenous students. Curricu- to prepare candidates to understand and and the Sinsinawa Dominican sisters. lum content and pedagogy fail to address address the particular needs of urban Kateri’s vision is to provide spiritual Indigenous cultures and teaching and Indigenous children and their families by guidance, scholarships for Catholic edu- learning styles (McCarty, 2009) resulting in providing them with authentic experiences cation, Indigenous culture and heritage an education debt due to lack of historical, interacting with and learning from com- studies, and opportunities to continue economic, and sociopolitical opportunities munity leaders. ancestral wisdom and oral history (Kateri, (Ladson-Billings, 2006), as opposed to an Recognizing a disconnect between 2013). Kateri is supported as a ministry achievement gap due to academic ability. teachers and their Indigenous students of the Archdiocese of Chicago and serves Schools focus on assimilation rather and agreeing that “culturally appropriate the Indigenous community through faith than the specific, culturally responsive education is both a basic human right and formation and traditional prayer; equally learning needs of Indigenous children, and good educational practice” (Reyhner, 2012), blending deeply rooted Indigenous tradi- thus Indigenous students fail to succeed we propose collaborative partnerships that tions and spirituality with Catholic liturgy when tested by Anglo standards (Castagno connect teacher preparation programs and during Sunday services and community & Brayboy, 2008; Dehyle & Swisher, 1997). Indigenous community organizations. gatherings to address the holistic social, Our collaborative approach to teacher In the next section, we build on the spiritual, and emotional needs of urban preparation aims to move beyond dialogue history and current state and struggle of Indigenous community members (G. Roy, around academic achievement to address Indigenous students and their underpre- personal communication, July 1, 2014). the education debt present in Indigenous pared teachers (Melnick & Zeichner, 1998). Acting as a meeting place for Chicago’s education. We describe our current efforts to bridge the urban Indigenous population, Kateri hosts teacher preparation gap through efforts to such events as Sunday worship services, Teacher Preparation Gap. As the number address the education debt (Ladson-Bill- one in-school factor impacting student elder luncheons, American Indian Speak- ings, 2006) owed to Indigenous students by ers Bureau, prayer circles, powwows, and achievement, teachers need ample prepa- embedding candidates in urban Indigenous ration for the unique groups of students informal gatherings to uphold a sense community settings where they may under- of kinship for the Indigenous population

WINTER 2016 15 Feature removed from their tribal communities. In cio-historical inequities impacting today’s dispositions attained over the course of these gatherings, Indigenous community school experiences. the program. members enjoy friendships, sharing of com- To achieve this goal, candidates engage With collaboration between candidates, munity resources, and connections to tra- in authentic and effective teaching prac- teachers, teacher educators, and school and ditional customs including language, food, tices across their programs of study with community colleagues (Kruger et al., 2009), ceremonies, healing methods, music, dance, support from university faculty and prac- partnerships provide the sociocultural and crafts as well as a shared faith. ticing professionals, simultaneously sup- contexts for the field-based apprentice- Apart from these activities, Kateri staff porting preparation for rigorous classroom ship grounded in authentic teaching and and leaders participate in wider commu- instruction that demonstrates positive learning practices (Rogoff, 2003). By part- nity activities and events to support Indig- enous peoples and Indigenous causes in Chicagoland and beyond. Announcements By partnering and collaborating with Chicago’s tribally are frequently made regarding families’ diverse community, we aim to better prepare teachers needs and achievements, political rallies to ultimately improve the educational achievement regarding Indigenous or other minority and experiences of Indigenous children. group causes, and invitations to attend benefits of Kateri-supported events. Kateri also participates in cross-cul- tural experiences, such as sharing Indig- impacts on the social, emotional, cultural, nering with urban Indigenous community enous cultures with non-Indigenous and linguistic, and academic achievement of organizations in Phase 1 of the program to visiting cultural centers in the Chicago all students (Heineke, Coleman, Ferrell, prepare teachers for this unique student area to become familiar with diverse & Kersemeier, 2012; Wrigley, 2000). population, Indigenous community part- cultures and religious practices. Kateri’s Seeking to respond to the needs of ners have a voice in preparing teachers dedication to serving and supporting schools and communities in urban settings, to serve the needs of their children. We people from all backgrounds and beliefs teacher educators ensure that candidates provide candidates rich and first-hand led to the partnership with an urban have ample knowledge, skills, and dispo- experiences with community leaders to teacher preparation program. sitions to provide culturally responsive participate in teaching and learning in practice (Gay, 2010) to support English urban Indigenous communities. Teaching, Learning, and Leading learners (ELs), students with special Through purposeful planning and with Schools and Communities needs, students living in poverty, and stu- implementation of field-based experiences, candidates employ traditional Indigenous Teaching, Learning, and Leading with dents considered as part of marginalized teachings, such as valuing Indigenous Schools and Communities (TLLSC) utilizes or vulnerable groups. cultures and languages, fostering collabo- a field-based approach to preparing teach- TLLSC utilizes a field-based appren- ration instead of competition, providing ers through collaboration with co-teacher ticeship (Rogoff, 1994) approach to initial 2 time for reflection, valuing oral storytelling educators in schools and community teacher preparation Designed around as a literary form, and emphasizing the organizations. With some 56 school and beginning, developing, and mastering importance of curriculum content as part community partnerships, TLLSC is housed phases of teacher development, TLLSC in- of greater societal needs as opposed to pre- in diverse classrooms, schools, and com- cludes sequences, not courses, which span cise skill building activities (Cajete, 2005; munities. the length of a semester with modules of Chavez, Ke, & Herrera, 2012; Pewewardy School and community partners have experiences occurring in classrooms and & Hammer, 2003; Reyhner, 1993). been directly engaged with university communities (see Figure 1). By partnering and collaborating with faculty at each stage of TLLSC develop- Candidates in Phase 1 of TLLSC Chicago’s tribally diverse community, we ment, having input and responsibilities participate in three sequences exploring aim to better prepare teachers to ultimate- in designing the program’s structure and the complexity of teaching and learning ly improve the educational achievement content. Partnerships continue to develop in diverse settings with content focused and experiences of Indigenous children. during TLLSC program implementation, on developmental learning theories, To illustrate our collaborative work, we as school and community leaders collab- teaching for social justice, culturally use the next sub-section to describe our oratively reflect upon and identify where responsive teaching, educational policy, partnership with one Indigenous com- and how they might best support both and the distinct needs of children with munity organization, Kateri, exemplifying candidates and the goals of their schools special needs and ELs. Candidates then how we build and sustain mutually ben- and community organizations. A detailed select a professional concentration (i.e., eficial relationships to serve the needs of description of the process for developing early childhood, elementary, secondary, students, communities, candidates, teach- the Kateri-TLLSC partnership featured in bilingual/bicultural, or special education) ers, and faculty. this article is provided in a later section. before entering Phase 2, where targeted This program aims to prepare all school-based apprenticeship hones in Community-University Partnership: teachers for all students, specifically on teaching and learning, language and Teacher Preparation recognizing the need for all candidates literacy, assessment, and instructional for Indigenous Communities to be prepared to serve the culturally and planning within specialty areas. TLLSC linguistically diverse student population concludes with Phase 3, where candidates To sustain a mutually beneficial part- in Chicago and across the nation (Gay, engage in a one-year internship, assum- nership (Kruger et al., 2009), community 2000, 2010; Lucas, Villegas, & Freedson- ing the role of a full-time teacher and and university stakeholders must spend Gonzalez, 2008) with an awareness of so- implementing the knowledge, skills, and

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION 16 Feature significant time building the relationship; Building relationships. In spring of Kateri curriculum project that would forging a sense of trust between stakehold- 2012, wishing to continue their efforts address the needs of both parties. Kateri ers is a foundational component of partner- of advancing self-determination through gained a set of teachings about St. Kateri ships that demands time and commitment. self-education with community led In- that emphasized important happenings in While developing partnerships, community digenous education programs and the her life leading to sainthood, based in both and university stakeholders must take magnitude of St. Kateri as the first recog- traditional and modern methods of teach- time to learn about each stakeholder’s past nized Indigenous saint, Kateri partnered ing. The Kateri community aimed to ensure experiences and commonalities to inform with Loyola University Chicago School of sharing of St. Kateri’s story with the wider and advance the partnership structure. Education faculty. At this time, university Catholic community through Indigenous Kateri stakeholders engaged in work with faculty engaged in the early stages of the perspectives and looked for support in the university before, during, and after the redesign project that would ultimately be transferring community knowledge about design of the TLLSC program. named TLLSC. Both Kateri and TLLSC her history and significance through more Upon reflection we have identified four faculty participated in initial discussions structured teaching materials. phases of partnership development and to develop a partnership grounded in trust, To support the organization’s goals, implementation involving active participa- mutuality, and reciprocity (Kruger et al., teacher educators and candidates engaged tion of university and Kateri community 2009), where both parties had equal voice in Kateri activities. They first collaborated leaders. In this section, we describe each in the structure and goals of the partner- with Indigenous elders to understand phase as they were experienced by those ship. In this process, Kateri leaders and varying tribal methods of teaching and involved: (a) building relationships, (b) university faculty outlined the needs of learning and to become aware of commu- expanding responsibilities, (c) implement- their respective institutions to uphold the nity member experiences as Indigenous ing shared activities, and (d) reflecting on tenet of reciprocity. peoples in urban Chicago. In these inter- experiences. In summer 2012, Kateri leaders and actions, candidates became familiar with TLLSC faculty agreed to focus on a St. the tribal diversity of Chicago’s Indigenous

Figure 1

WINTER 2016 17 Feature community in order to account for diverse hosting field-based modules to expand the the Kateri community and identify new cultures and traditions in developing the mutually beneficial partnership and their resources through the development of a St. Kateri curriculum project. role in improving education for Chicago’s community asset map. Guided by the uni- While Chicago’s Indigenous commu- Indigenous youth. versity teacher educator and neighborhood nity includes representation from tribal All partners committed to continue col- co-teacher educator on site at Kateri in Nations throughout the U.S. and Canada, laboration as a means to afford Indigenous the North Center community of Chicago, a large population of Kateri community community members curriculum materials candidates collaborated in small groups members identify with the Three Fires and educational experiences relevant to and partnered with community mentors to Confederacy as citizens of the Ojibwe, their needs, candidates authentic exposure support the development of a community Odawa, and Potawatomi tribes. In the to diverse means of teaching and learning, asset map. development of the St. Kateri curriculum and university faculty access to community Together, 18 participants engaged in project, candidates drew mainly from the organizations for program development the field-based experiences, 11 candidates, cultures and traditions of the People of the and research endeavors. six Indigenous community members, and Three Fires. Once the plan was in place, Kateri and TLLSC faculty began a university teacher educator. Candidates, stakeholders reviewed the outline of the refining a module entitled Community who brought varying degrees of classroom partnership and assigned roles and respon- Immersion to meet the needs of the part- experience and little to no previous inter- sibilities to ensure mutuality; all agreed to nership for summer 2014. TLLSC faculty actions in Indigenous settings, completed the mutually beneficial outcomes with each explained the structure, goals, assess- the module. Of the Kateri community organization benefiting from the partner- ments, and experiences embedded in the members who participated in the module, ship and moved forward in developing the module to begin collaborative dialog about each held tribal citizenship with the First curriculum. products that would be useful to the Kat- Nations Ojibwe, Odawa, or Chippewa Na- At the end of the summer, teacher eri community. After determining that the tions, with three identifying as elders in educators and candidates organized a scope and sequence of the module held for the community. workshop for a summer school program two weeks at Kateri, stakeholders planned The module began with the university serving urban youth from diverse back- out the collaboration between candidates teacher educator and candidates taking a grounds in Chicago who were exploring and Kateri community members, tweak- community walk around the Kateri neigh- universities throughout the city. For the ing the assessments and experiences to borhood to identify potential resources workshop, candidates included lessons meet the goals of both partners. relevant to the community asset map. from the St. Kateri curriculum and invited Together, we re-envisioned the culminat- Following the community walk, a Kateri Kateri community members to attend ing module assessment, the development of community member provided a presenta- the session. Kateri community members a community asset map to highlight the as- tion depicting issues of Indigenous repre- provided feedback regarding the content sets and needs of a community (Beaulieu, sentation in the media. of the lessons and the appropriateness 2002), to focus specifically on Chicago’s The presentation provided a detailed of teaching methods for tribally diverse Indigenous community across the city. introduction to the historical and cur- urban Indigenous children who would Instead of using a neighborhood walk as rent issues around misrepresentation eventually participate in the St. Kateri the primary source for gaining information and cultural appropriation of Indigenous curriculum activities. about the community, candidates would be peoples, providing the candidates with an The community members took time paired with Kateri community members to awareness of macro-level issues in Indig- during the session to answer questions learn about the complex urban Indigenous enous communities before examining the about Indigenous cultures from youth setting through insider perspectives. more focused local, Chicago community. participants. In this way, we upheld the After we determined that the module Candidates then met and began working tenets of mutuality and reciprocity by en- goals, assessments, and experiences ben- with community mentors, arranging flex- suring that all stakeholders benefited from efited and met the needs of all stakehold- ible times to meet to discuss the resources shared experiences and that Indigenous ers, Kateri leadership and TLLSC faculty and needs of Chicago’s diverse Indigenous community members had opportunities to gained the support of community members community, as well as the community voice their experiences residing in Chicago to serve as mentors for the candidates. We members’ school experiences and recom- as Indigenous peoples and their beliefs planned that Kateri community members mendations for serving today’s urban around Indigenous education. would be introduced to candidates to ar- Indigenous youth. range meeting times to begin to share The small groups of candidates used Expanding responsibilities. Our collabora- their knowledge and experiences as urban the information gained through the com- tion continued to evolve as we worked on Indigenous peoples in Chicago. We dis- munity walk and time spent engaging with the initial project with Kateri described cussed other preliminary plans and needed community mentors to develop a Kateri above. During the spring of 2012, the sec- details to streamline and prepare for the asset map. The groups each presented their ond phase of our partnership emerged, uni- implementation phase. asset map projects at Kateri to a diverse versity faculty engaged in shifting teacher audience of their community mentors and preparation from a static course-based to a Implementing shared activities. With a teacher educator, fellow candidates, and dynamic and flexible field-based program curricular framework in place and partici- university faculty involved in the partner- embedded in schools and community-based pants confident in their roles, the TLLSC ship. In their presentations, they shared organizations. Based on our previous col- module Community Immersion was held information they gained during their laborative experiences, Kateri representa- at Kateri in the summer of 2014. TLLSC time with the community and also other tives offered feedback on program plans graduate-level candidates partnered resources that would prove beneficial to the and drafts. Kateri expressed interest in with community members to understand needs of Chicago’s Indigenous peoples.

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION 18 Feature

Kateri community members shared children. To have a meaningful impact on partnership goals so that candidates’ ex- their ideas around what resources identi- the candidates’ future teaching practices, periences with Indigenous communities fied by candidates would be useful to the community members suggested that the are embedded throughout their teacher needs of the community. For example, one experiences needed to be increased in preparation program. The next com- group listed area park districts and ser- breadth and depth, recommending that munity-university collaboration around vices available to children and families as candidates spend more time at the cen- field-based teacher preparation will a potential resource and the Kateri com- ter to gain a richer understanding of the reflect changes discussed during formal munity discussed the possibility of hosting complexity of a tribally diverse, urban and informal reflections. In this way, the events at the local parks instead of renting Indigenous context. implementation and reflection phases of space from area organizations. Partners collaboratively brainstormed our partnership framework will continue The community members also provided ideas to improve both the Community to ensure a partnership of trust, mutuality, feedback regarding aspects of the asset Immersion module and beyond. Within and reciprocity (Kruger et al., 2009). maps that did not address community the Community Immersion module, com- needs. An example being the inclusion munity members asked for time at the Recommendations for the Field of the North Center neighborhood demo- beginning of the module for candidates to The community-university partner- graphics in candidate presentations as introduce themselves to the community, ship between Kateri and TLLSC provides a reflection of gentrification rather than sharing their own life experiences and a unique lens on teacher preparation for representative of Chicago’s Indigenous reasons for pursuing a career in teaching. Indigenous students, families, and com- households. TLLSC faculty provided Kat- Ideas included hosting a luncheon where munities. Housed in the Midwestern and eri with copies of each group’s asset map all stakeholders bring a dish to pass, be- urban context of Chicago, we have priori- to gain access to the resources identified by lieving that sharing a meal is an important candidates that were not being utilized by the Indigenous community, and communi- We recommend that educational stakeholders ty members requested that the candidates consider the importance of authentic collaboration provide a list with contact information for each of the resources they included in their with Indigenous community based organizations presentations. In this, candidates were to improve Indigenous education. able to gain a sense of the complexity of an urban Indigenous community spread throughout the city of Chicago and Kateri aspect of learning about each other. tized the preparation of all teachers from community members gained access to lo- Beyond the Community Immersion early childhood to secondary education cal resources that they had not previously module, partners considered broader pro- as allies of Indigenous peoples who are considered as supports. grammatic facets to deepen the partner- aware of the distinct needs of a tribally ship: (a) Kateri hosting modules through- Reflecting on experiences. Reflection diverse community, and socio-historical out the TLLSC continuum so candidates has been a central part of the iterative factors impacting the education of today’s may revisit experiences with Indigenous design and implementation process in the Indigenous children. peoples as they continue developing their Kateri-TLLSC partnership. To uphold the Using the TLLSC program as an professional understandings, and (b) In- tenets of trust, mutuality, and reciproc- example of a collaboration between an digenous community members hosting ity (Kruger et al., 2009), all stakeholders Indigenous community organization and candidates in their homes to form authen- must be responsive to the needs of others a university-based teacher preparation tic relationships with Indigenous peoples and willing to make changes and adapta- program to prepare future teachers, we and gain an awareness of what it means tions in partnership activities. In this way, utilize this section to first make recommen- to be Indigenous in present day Chicago. Kateri and TLLSC stakeholders designed dations for others engaged in the work of We documented reflections and ideas for formal opportunities for reflection and preparing teachers for Indigenous children future use in adapting the specific module feedback on the progression of the partner- and then share our next steps to continue and the broader program. ship in meeting the desired goals. After the evolving our program through community As we continue to work as a team with Community Immersion module concluded, partnerships. Kateri community members and TLLSC Kateri community members and TLLSC We recommend that educational stake- teacher educators, we will continue the faculty discussed the successes and chal- holders consider the importance of au- iterative phases of mutually beneficial lenges of the experience to inform and thentic collaboration with Indigenous partnership (Kruger et al., 2009), repeat- advance the collaboration. community based organizations to improve ing the design, implementation, and Community and university partners Indigenous education. Increasing the voice reflection—always learning from our shared experiences and observations, of Indigenous communities in teacher experiences and success in reaching our coming to the consensus that embedding preparation holds the potential to better outcomes for candidate learning and the candidates in urban Indigenous com- prepare teachers as allies of Indigenous advancement of the Indigenous community munities better prepared them to serve peoples ready to advance efforts of self- in Chicago. the needs of urban Indigenous children. determination through self-education and Looking forward, Kateri and TLLSC The Kateri community agreed to continue the overall school success of Indigenous stakeholders will work together to revise hosting candidates, due to the benefit of children. In these collaborations, we em- and expand the Community Immersion Kateri and the potential for improving phasize the importance of trust, mutuality, module and other field-based modules, the future educational experiences of their and reciprocity (Kruger et al., 2009) where considering how experiences can support

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