Summer 2017 A-CHILL Teacher Cultural Pre-Survey

1.Recognize the validity and integrity of the traditional knowledge system

Level 1 - Educator acknowledges simple cultural activities

EXAMPLE: Educator recognizes local cultural values by displaying cultural posters on classroom walls, Educator participates with parents, Elders, and students in developing school rules and curriculum

Level 2 - Educator includes students’ prior knowledge and skills through cultural activities

EXAMPLE: Educator includes cultural and traditional knowledge in curriculum to promote learning, Educator explains how school and classroom rules reflect and illustrate local cultural values, Educator provides opportunities to learn local cultural values through

Level 3 - Educator links students’ prior knowledge and skills through cultural activities, language, ways of life, the arts, and traditional knowledge system

EXAMPLE: Educator designs lesson plans that routinely refer to traditional knowledge systems, Educator routinely is involved in learning about the local culture

Level 4 - Educator integrates students’ prior knowledge and skills through cultural activities, language, ways of life, the arts, and traditional knowledge system

EXAMPLE: Educator routinely greets and addresses students in a similar manner as do parents and older community members, Educator delivers all classroom activities, both behavior and content, through local, traditional values

2.Utilize Elders’ expertise in multiple ways in their teaching

Level 1 - Educator recognizes value of Elders sharing expertise as guest speakers in the classroom

EXAMPLE: Educator prepares the students to be respectful of Elder visitors, Educator remains attentive while Elder teaches

Level 2 - Educator asks Elders to share expertise as guest speakers in the classroom and connects Elders’ expertise with academic learning

EXAMPLE: Educator understands and adheres to local protocol for inviting Elders into the classroom, Educator commits to professional development and continuous education about traditional culture of school community

Level 3 - Educator facilitates Elder interactions with students drawing upon the Elders’ individual areas of expertise as a bridge to academic learning

EXAMPLE: Educator’s lesson plans demonstrate collaboration with Elders to teach traditional knowledge in the classroom, Educator uses information gained from Elders and Culture Bearers to provide developmentally appropriate cultural activities

level 4 - Educator co-constructs academic learning with Elders based on Elders’ expertise

EXAMPLE: Educator confers with and involves Elders and Culture Bearers when developing and implementing lessons in all curricular areas, Educator shares knowledge gained from Elders and Culture Bearers

3.Provide opportunities and time for students to learn in settings where local cultural knowledge and skills are naturally relevant- such as but not limited to the mushing program

Level 1 - Educator recognizes and acknowledges local community events in the classroom

EXAMPLE: Educator acknowledges traditional knowledge that students bring with them, Educator identifies a list of cultural activities with students, Educator participates with students in local harvesting activities such as berry picking

Level 2 - Educator describes local community events and identifies classroom lessons and activities that intersect with these events

EXAMPLE: Educator uses “Place” as a laboratory (e.g., tundra, rain forest, wetlands, community events, and culture camps), Educator displays student work that reflects local cultural knowledge and ways of life

Level 3 - Educator incorporates local community events and relevant community members into classroom lessons and activities

EXAMPLE: Educator develops and/or adapts curriculum that incorporates the values of the culture of the community, Educator ties lessons to relevant, seasonal cultural events and implements them in cooperation with the community

Level 4 - Educator integrates student learning in the community’s natural cycle of people, ceremonies, and place into classroom lessons and activities

EXAMPLE: Educator takes students to seasonal camps in fall, winter, and summer with community members and Elders and creates lesson plans that reflect their experiences, Educator takes students out into the field and engages in cultural activities that are embedded with academic content and are meaningful to the local community

4.Provide opportunities for students to learn through observation and hands-on demonstration of cultural knowledge and skills including but not limited to the mushing program

Level 1 - Educator occasionally provides opportunities for students to observe Elders and other local residents demonstrate their cultural knowledge

EXAMPLE: Educator and students identify Elders or local experts to be guest speakers for lessons in the content areas of math, science, social studies, and writing; Educator incorporates traditional knowledge in present-day contexts

Level 2 - Educator provides several opportunities for students to observe Elders and other local residents demonstrate their cultural knowledge

EXAMPLE: Educator invites Elders or other local experts to share their cultural expertise, Educator uses traditional practices as an integral part of the day (e.g., in morning meetings, traditional greetings, and departures)

Level 3 - Educator regularly utilizes Elders and other local residents in and outside the classroom to demonstrate cultural knowledge for students

EXAMPLE: Educator integrates indigenous language throughout the curriculum, Educator provides experiences and materials that encourage learners to adapt and use cultural and traditional knowledge

Level 4 - Educator consistently integrates Elders and other local residents into classroom activities to demonstrate cultural knowledge for students

EXAMPLE: Educator provides engaging and stimulating culturally-relevant learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom

5.Adhere to the cultural and intellectual property rights that pertain to all aspects of the local knowledge they are addressing

Level 1 - Educator recognizes that the local community and members have cultural and intellectual property rights

EXAMPLE: Educator works with local Elders and Culture Bearers to learn about the traditional practices and artifacts, Educator cites original works by various Native artists

Level 2 - Educator acts in accordance with the cultural and intellectual property rights of the community and its members

EXAMPLE: Educator is aware that traditional stories and ceremonies belong to members of the community, Educator finds information through the Alaska Native Knowledge Network website (e.g., HAIL book reviews listed by Alaska Natives on Alaska Children’s Literature)

Level 3 - Educator actively teaches students about cultural and intellectual property rights that exist in the community

EXAMPLE: Educator requests permission and guidance to include traditional songs, stories, and dances in the curriculum, Educator uses traditional stories as the basis for student-written stories about their cultural experiences

Level 4 - Educator integrates the concepts of cultural and intellectual property rights into classroom activities

EXAMPLE: Educator uses skills gained from Elders and Culture Bearers only for personal use, recognizing that the sale of traditional arts may be their only source of income, Educator develops curriculum that reinforces the integrity of local culture

6.Continually involve themselves in learning about the local culture

Level 1 - Educator identifies the important aspects of the local culture

EXAMPLE: Educator participates in local events and cultural activities, Educator displays local cultural resources (e.g., seasonal calendars, Native values posters, cultural standards posters, etc.)

Level 2 - Educator demonstrates knowledge of the local culture by participating in community events

EXAMPLE: Educator takes appropriate classes in cultural values and participates in local cultural activities, Educator identifies cultural activities and values that can be integrated into the curriculum

Level 3 - Educator participates in community events and incorporates learning about the values, norms, and perspectives of the local culture into classroom activities

EXAMPLE: Educator incorporates local culture and heritage and regularly refers to them in lessons throughout the school year, Educator applies cultural values and integrates examples and activities through student assignments

Level 4 - Educator is fully integrated in the community and is seen by the community as a valued and contributing member

EXAMPLE: Educator is “adopted” into the community, Educator gives back to the community through participation in local activities and groups

7.Regularly engage students in appropriate projects and experiential learning activities in the surrounding environment including but not limited to the mushing program

Level 1 - Educator observes the surrounding environment and local culture through community interaction

EXAMPLE: Educator names local cultural festivals celebrated in the surrounding environment, Educator attends community events (e.g., visiting, berry picking, fishing, and walk around), Educator is aware of the seasonal hunts in the environment

Level 2 - Educator asks students, families, paraprofessionals, and other community members about seasonal activities and discusses these in class

EXAMPLE: Educator learns about the upcoming harvesting and gathering season and uses it to prompt students to write a story of their experiences, Educator accesses or creates a seasonal activities time line for the community

Level 3 - Educator links seasonal activities in and out of the classroom to content-area requirements

EXAMPLE: Educator relates field trips to seasonal activities such as the blueberry harvest in fall and follows up with activities integrated into reading, writing, math, science, social studies, health, etc., Educator designs an elementary science unit on food and nutrition to include information about native plants, their uses, gathering location, and seasons

Level 4 - Educator integrates seasonal cultural projects and experiential learning activities across content areas on a daily basis

EXAMPLE: Educator creates a holistic learning cycle to teach science that combines cultural context and history with observing, measuring, interpreting, experimenting, model building, and predicting, Educator designs classroom projects and activities to promote an understanding of place; connecting with nature and climate change issues; revitalizing traditional and indigenous knowledge; and learning from Elders

8.Regularly engage students in appropriate projects and experiential learning activities in the surrounding environment including but not limited to the mushing program

9.Utilize traditional settings such as; camps and dog mushing, as learning environments for transmitting both cultural and academic knowledge and skills

Level 1 - Educator observes traditional settings and cultural activities where knowledge and skills are learned

EXAMPLE: Educator participates in local orientation course as available, Educator displays posters and artwork in the classroom related to traditional cultural activities

Level 2 - Educator acquires the knowledge and skills that are learned in traditional seasonal and cultural activities that are practiced by the community

EXAMPLE: Educator uses artifacts such as traditional and contemporary tools, foods, etc., related to traditional cultural activities in the classroom

Level 3 - Educator links traditional settings and/or creates replicas, practicing activities for cultural and academic learning

EXAMPLE: Educators asks clarifying questions about traditional seasonal and cultural activities, Educator invites students to share their own stories and is heard retelling a story accurately, Educator links respect for nature to recycling and finds ways to recycle

Level 4 - Educator integrates curriculum for seasonal traditional activities, bridging cultural and academic components

EXAMPLE: Educator fully incorporates indigenous science principles (flora and fauna, meteorology, physics, chemistry, earth science, astronomy, botany, pharmacology, psychology, and the sacred) when in camp, Educator has students bring in the seasonal catch to the classroom to be used for dissecting, identifying organs, using medical/scientific terms, local language terms, and common English terms

10.Provide integrated learning activities organized around themes of local significance and across subject areas

Level 1 - Educator observes themes of local significance to the community

EXAMPLE: Educator observes seasonal activities time line when planning units of study, Educator prominently displays cultural calendar highlighting the themes for the current month, Educator uses indigenous calendar reflecting themes of seasonal activities, Educator displays student art and writing that highlight themes for current month

Level 2 - Educator inquires about local themes in the classroom organized thematically by seasonal activities

EXAMPLE: Educator utilizes the seasonal activities time line to plan yearlong thematic units of study, Educator creates cultural time line for the year with the class by adding highlighted monthly cultural events

Level 3 - Educator supports student participation in local cultural activities, and applies those activities to content learning areas

EXAMPLE: Educator designs lessons that reflect the seasonal activities as content learning opportunities (e.g., harvesting, AFN, traditional dance performances, etc.)

Level 4 - Educator integrates local cultural knowledge across the subject areas

EXAMPLE: Educator develops place-based science projects in cooperation with Culture Bearers, Educator integrates nutrition of local food into study of food pyramid

11.Are knowledgeable in those areas of local history and cultural traditions that may have bearing on their work, such as; the mushing program and also understand the appropriate times for certain knowledge to be taught:

Level 1 - Educator learns significant local history and cultural traditions from Culture Bearer

EXAMPLE: Educator visits local community members, participates in community-wide activities, Educator is present in the community

Level 2 - Educator inquiries about local history and cultural traditions guided by Culture Bearer

EXAMPLE: Educator points to posters, artwork, and artifacts to explain local history, traditions, and ceremonies, Educator partners with a Culture Bearer to complete a cultural activity

Level 3 - Educator links the history of the local community, including historical time lines and stories of the people

EXAMPLE: Educator integrates Elders and other local experts as a regular part of the classroom or school community

Level 4 - Educator mentors other educators on local history and cultural traditions, and utilizes the expertise of the Culture Bearers

EXAMPLE: Educator shares what has been learned from Culture Bearers and experience and gives credit to those sources, Educator invites Culture Bearers to share their knowledge about local history, (e.g., “how our village came to be”)

12.Seek to ground all teaching in a constructive process built on a local cultural foundation

Level 1 - Educator learns about the cultural values of the community

EXAMPLE: Educator brings cultural values into the classroom through prominently displayed posters, artifacts, and books, Educator displays pictures of families and community life in the classroom

Level 2 - Educator describes and lists the local cultural values and illustrates how they apply to everyday living

EXAMPLE: Educator chooses a value as a theme for a day, a week, or a month and has students illustrate examples of values in action in their community

Level 3 - Educator links teaching and learning to local values

EXAMPLE: Educator includes a reflection/study of a cultural value in a daily journal, Educator utilizes local resources in a discussion of values

Level 4 - Educator integrates cultural values into the curriculum

EXAMPLE: Educator integrates values into daily behavior, attitudes, perspectives, teaching and lesson planning, Educator shares what has been learned from Culture Bearers and experience and gives credit to those sources, Educator invites Culture Bearers to share their knowledge about traditional values

13.Become active members of the community in which they teach and make positive and culturally-appropriate contributions to the well-being of that community

Level 1 - Educator observes and participates in the local community with guidance

EXAMPLE: Educator actively seeks a local member of the community to explore cultural activities, Educator is an observer at local community events/activities (e.g., feasts, local dances, festivals, church services, etc.)

Level 2 - Educator identifies local activities and participates in multiple, cultural events

EXAMPLE: Educator is a participant at local community events/activities, (e.g., feasts, local dances, festivals, church services, etc.)

Level 3 - Educator regularly participates in a variety of community activities and is seen as an active, contributing, and valued member of his or her community

EXAMPLE: Educator hosts community members for celebrations such as birthdays, etc., Educator actively participates in and contributes to community events

Level 4 - Educator routinely mentors new educators to make positive and culturally-appropriate contributions to the well-being of the community

EXAMPLE: Educator mentors new school personnel towards greater awareness of cultural values

14.Promote extensive community and parental interaction and involvement in their children’s education

Level 1 - Educator acknowledges the value of communicating with students’ parents/guardians

EXAMPLE: Educator uses a variety of written communications to inform parents about student, classroom, and school news, Educator writes and distributes a newsletter to announce upcoming classroom and school community events

Level 2 - Educator establishes direct contact with the parents/ guardians of all their students

EXAMPLE: Educator uses phone calls to open positive and pro-active channels of communication with parents/guardians, Educator makes home visits to establish direct contact with parents/guardians

Level 3 - Educator supports ongoing contact with the parents/ guardians of all their students to build and foster collaborative relationships

EXAMPLE:Educator uses multiple ways to get input from families and community about academic plans, Educator uses conversation and dialogue to build collaborative relationships and foster involvement of families and community

Level 4 - Educator routinely integrates multiple opportunities to engage parents/guardians in planning and implementation of educational programs

EXAMPLE: Educator uses his or her community participation as a means to engage families and community members in the planning of educational programs in and out of the school setting, Educator integrates families and community members in the implementation of educational programs in and out of the school setting

15.Involve Elders, parents, and local leaders in all aspects of instructional planning and implementation

Level 1 - Educator recognizes that there are local cultural protocols for connecting with diverse community members

EXAMPLE: Educator identifies the appropriate protocols for connecting with diverse community members

Level 2 - Educator identifies diverse community members and uses local cultural protocols to establish relationships with them

EXAMPLE: Educator identifies appropriate community members to be involved in instructional planning and implementation, Educator uses local protocols to invite diverse community members to discuss potential involvement in instructional planning and implementation

Level 3 - Educator actively promotes involvement of local Elders, Culture Bearers, and parents in planning and implementation of curriculum and instruction

EXAMPLE: Educator meets with Elders, parents, and local leaders to collaborate in planning classroom lessons or activities

Level 4 - Educator routinely mentors other educators in use of local cultural protocols to integrate entire school community in all aspects of curriculum, instructional planning, and implementation

EXAMPLE: Educator embeds curriculum designed by Elders, parents, and local leaders into daily lesson plans, Educator incorporates Elders, parents, and local leaders as educators in the classroom or school

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Summer 2017 A-CHILL Teacher Cultural Pre-Survey

A-CHILL Teacher Cultural Pre- Survey