Restorative Teachings
2016 – 2018
About The Program
The Restorative Teachings Early Childhood Education Initiative was a Tribal College and University (TCU) collaborative to strengthen systems of care and learning with Native families and children. The American Indian College Fund (College Fund), in collaboration with TCUs, implemented this $1.5 million dollar early childhood education (ECE) initiative in 2016 to 2018 that drew upon the child development knowledge from within Native communities, melded with the best practices identified in the field of ECE. This community-based ECE initiative used a multi-phase approach to developing long-term commitment and shared responsibility for the development of high-quality ECE opportunities for Native children and their families, by aiming to design culturally-responsive and adapted ECE systems, build stronger family engagement programs, and support Native family economic security directly through partnerships and access to higher education. Through local and national partnerships, tribal communities can benefit from restored access to systems, knowledge, approaches, networks, and strategies that contribute to sustained engagement resulting in improved early learning opportunities and health benefits for Native families and their children.
Program Gallery
Grantees
College of Menominee Nation
Ilisagvik College
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College
Northwest Indian College
Salish Kootenai College
Sitting Bull College
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
Related Blogs
Informational Texts Connect!
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.
Empowering Young Lakota Learners Through Restorative Teachings
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...
Sitting Bull College Kicks Off Restorative Teachings Project
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.
Community Supports Northwest Indian College Garden Curriculum
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.