Ken Bigby, Sixth Grade teacher at Harlem Elementary.
By Dr. Arlene Bigby, Early Childhood Education and Education Instructor, ANC
2023-2024 Ihduwiyayapi: Advancing Indigenous Early Childhood Education Grant Program
Aaniiih Nakoda College (ANC) is located on the Fort Belknap Reservation in north central Montana. It serves the Aaniiinen and Nakoda peoples as well as the surrounding communities. The first general education goal of ANC is, “Students will sustain the identity of the ʔɔʔɔɔɔniiénnɔh (Aaniiih) and Nakoda peoples of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation to ensure their success in the ʔɔʔɔɔɔniiénnɔh, Nakoda, and western Worlds.”
Dr. Arlene Bigby has been working at ANC for a year as a full-time early childhood education and education instructor after working as an educator and administrator in public schools for over thirty years. The early childhood/education instructor position was vacant for over two years. It has been challenging and rewarding to revitalize the education programs at ANC, and Dr. Bigby is committed to continuing this work into the future.
Language is the foundation of any culture’s identity, and ANC has made teaching language and culture an essential part of its focus. Aaniiih and Nakoda language/culture classes are required for completion of programs and an associate’s degree is offered in both languages. The White Clay Immersion School has also been operating at ANC since 2003.
Nakoda language wall in Mr. Bigby’s sixth grade classroom.
The best time to learn any language is when you are young, preferably from birth. Children can learn more than one language at a time if given the chance. A Montessori academy article on the benefits of learning a second language states, “There are a lot of benefits to learning a second language as a child. These include better memory skills, improved ability to focus, increased vocabulary, and more. Developing these skills will help your child overcome the challenges they face in school and allow them to grow into confident learners.”
ANC was able to offer a Language Integration Class this past spring. It was taught by Terry Brockie and Kenneth “Tuffy” Helgeson. Mr. Brockie is an Aaniiih language/culture bearer and serves as an adjunct instructor for the Aaniiih Language/Culture/History course. Mr. Helgeson is a Nakoda Language/Culture Bearer and serves as an adjunct instructor for the Nakoda Language/Culture/History course. Together they taught a two-day class to twelve local educators, including instructors and paraprofessionals from K-12, on basic Aaniiih and Nakoda language usage and discussed how to integrate it into their classrooms. Students were provided two textbooks, one for Aaniiih and one for Nakoda. The books provide lessons for classroom use. Educators were also given other resources by the instructors. This is just the first of many opportunities we hope to offer here at ANC on integrating Native languages into early childhood.
The American Indian College Fund has made it possible for ANC to integrate the Aaniiih and Nakoda languages into their Early Childhood (EDEC) curriculum. The Ihduwiyayapi IECE grant funds have allowed the EDEC program to acquire materials, develop curriculum, and work with local culture bearers to have quality language instruction included in EDEC classes. This will help future educators gain the skills and confidence they need to be able to include Aaniiih and Nakoda language and culture into their lessons and classrooms.
Two textbooks received by students who attended the ANC Language Integration Class this past spring.
