At the heart of Iḷisaġvik College’s Restorative Teachings project is the desire to nurture and support meaningful connections between early childhood students, their families, and the community as a whole. It is through these connections that knowledge of language and culture, love, respect, and compassion are passed from one generation to the next.
At Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College (KBOCC) traditional Ojibwe teachings which portray the family as a part of the framework that honors the individual and the collective groups to which the individual belongs. Throughout the year, Migiziinsag (Little Eagles), an early childhood program for four-year-old children, engages by incorporating aspects of indigenous early learning, Anishinaabe language, cultural ceremonies, nutrition and physical activities. The “Family Fun Event Planning Framework” embraces four areas:
A new guide for educators titled Teacher Education Across Minority-Serving Institutions: Programs, Policies, and Social Justice, edited by Emery Petchauuer and Lynnette Mawhinney (Rutgers University Press, 2017) shares successful teaching practices and teacher education programs from minority-serving institutions (MSIs) across the country.
On a blustery and bitterly cold December night Northwest Indian College (NWIC) Early Learning Center (ELC) welcomed families and community members to celebrate traditional plants and foods of the Coast Salish culture. In spite of the winter’s chill, the event was an amazing success, with nine enrolled ELC families and eight families from the Lummi community represented.
Tarajean Yazzie-Mintz, Co-Director of the American Indian College Fund’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and Senior Program Officer of Tribal College and University Early Childhood Education Initiatives, shared that cell phones are no longer merely communications devices, but are tools to access and exchange multiple sources of information. Parents must consider these factors while strategically monitoring and guiding children’s use of these tools.
Boozhoo (hello) from all of us here at the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College (KBOCC). Fall is upon us and as the leaves begin to change colors we are making some changes in our early childhood education programs as well. KBOCC has teamed up with our on-site Migiziinsag (Little Eagles) Great Start to Readiness Program to launch our Restorative Teachings Initiative entitled Abinoojiinh Waakaa’igan (A Child’s House).
Children read better and more when they have access to culturally relevant books. The College of Menominee Nation participated in the Wakanyeja “Sacred Little Ones” ECE Initiative from 2011-15, and during that time developed a series of Menominee-based informational books to strengthen the approach to engaging children in early literacy practices.
The Lakhól’iyapi Wahóhpi (Lakota Language Nest) is a 100% Lakota language immersion preschool located at Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates, North Dakota. The Language nest has expanded in the past few years to include Wichákini Owáyawa – a Kindergarten, first grade...
The American Indian College Fund’s (College Fund) Tribal College and Universities (TCU) Early Childhood Education (ECE) Initiatives launched a new project called Restorative Teachings TCU ECE Initiative, a health and wellness initiative funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. The program is geared to build the physical and emotional health, strength, and well-being of early childhood learners. This initiative engages four TCUs in programming which includes partnerships with local ECE centers and tribal education partners.
On August 4th, members of the Restorative Teachings Early Childhood Education Initiative Coordinating Team visited Northwest Indian College’s (NWIC) Swinomish Extended Campus Site to research and learn more about their widely acclaimed and highly renowned native plants garden.
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