College of Menominee Nation’s (CMN) Sacred Little One’s project hosts an early childhood teacher institute on their campus in the Community Technology Center. Twenty-two lead teachers from the Menominee Nation’s Head Start programs are spending a day with a Scholastic trainer to be introduced to their new pre-K curriculum, Big Day in Pre-K. The Scholastic Big Day in Pre-K curriculum – a literacy based program – was selected by the Menominee Nation’s Head Start policy council with input from families and CMN faculty. Early childhood education faculty from CMN will work closely with the Menominee Nation’s Head Start to implement the Big Day in Pre-K curriculum. The second day of the teacher institute will focus on integrating the recently developed literacy book kits (developed by CMN early childhood students), with the goal of infusing Menominee culture and language into early childhood education instruction and align cultural curriculum with the scientifically-based chosen curriculum, Big Day in Pre-K.
Vicki Besaw – A Dissertation Story
Vicki Besaw, a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Lake Superior Ojibwe Tribe, pursued her doctorate at age 54 to help students heal from trauma through storytelling. Working at the College of Menominee Nation, she used Indigenous story methodology to create a safe space for students to explore their life stories and understand the impact of trauma. Her research not only supported her students but also sparked intergenerational healing within her own family. Vicki aims to integrate her findings into the curriculum and publish her stories to reach a broader audience.
