Wrapping Up Foundations of American Education

Good day!

We are quickly approaching the last week of class and I want to make sure that everyone is aware of upcoming assignment deadlines.

1.)  School Board meeting report and agenda are due at the end of the month - April 30th.

http://www.bradfordvts.co.uk/images/goal.jpg

2.)  The Educational Innovator presentations dates are as follows:

Wednesday, April 28th
Loreli - Horace Mann
Memoree - John Dewey
Kara - Booker T. Washington

Friday, April 30th
Ro - Catherine Beecher
Yvonne - Linda Brown Thompson
Shyanne - Jose Angel Gutierrez
Nevada - Deborah Meier

3.)  Extra Credit: School Board Member Interview - Due May 5th, 5:00 p.m.

5th Posting: Tribal Dissolution: Oklahoma & Catholic Outposts: The Ojibwa and Sioux

As Native tribes began to disband in the late 1800s John Benedict, a Muskogee leader, was appointed as the first U.S. superintendent of schools in Indian Territory.  His leadership was not as well received as one would have assumed.  He pointed out the short comings of the boarding, day and neighborhood schools, including the education offered in orphanages.  He highlighted the defects in supervision, financial management, poor attendance, and the lack of English in the curriculum.  He pointed blame to the tribal leaders stating that the schools hired unqualified teachers.  After five years and guided reinforcements Benedict reported that improvements had been made.  A general understanding and trust surfaced between Benedict and the tribal leaders as schools for teachers were developed (Normal Schools) and school attendance increased.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3573/3334325424_6d33ae89c1.jpg

Although education improved and teacher requirements increased not all schools had the financial viability to stay open.  Orphanages in Indian Territory became stricter in taking in orphans and become diverse within them.  There were four types of orphanages in existence – African-Indian and black home (Taft), state orphan home (Whitaker), denominational (Murrow, Goodland) and federally supported (Sequoyah, Wheelock). 

The first recorded Native American child to enter a denomination orphanage was Navajo child named Mary Carleton. The child was given her christened name by the Sisters of Mercy in Sante Fe with her last name given for General Carleton who found the infant on a battlefield in New Mexico in 1865. The focus of this orphanage was not to take in Native orphans but that of Anglo and Mexican heritage. Catholic orphanages in the Northern Plains focused upon tribal orphans particularly in the Dakotas and Minnesota.
Unlike the Five Civilized Tribes’ state run orphanages who received federal and state monies, the initial denominational orphanages of the Plains were supported through whatever meager donations could be scoured up through charity. Many missionaries learned the languages of the Plains Indians in order to preach and teach. The patience practice of language learning built trust between the people and the missionaries and small numbers began to convert to the religion brought by the missionaries. Once converted, they were expected to convert others. The orphanages’ curriculum stressed religious practices, English, and vocational training (agricultural - males, domestic operations- females).

http://www.franciscans-stella-niagara.org/SD%20Indian%20Mission.jpg

The experience to learn more about the creation of orphanages in the United States to house children from all aspects of ethnic lives leaves me in a somber mood. Although the orphanages had their place in history; to care for children by providing food, shelter, and an education I am saddened to learn of the circumstances of child placement, misuse, and abandonment. Yet, there were positive aspects of the institution as well – they were located on reservations which allowed the children to maintain contact with their tribal group, education was offered, and basic needs were provided. As in all circumstances, consequences are balanced through both positive and negative outcomes for those who make the decisions and for those who live out the decisions that have been made for them.

#4: Chickasaw, Choctaw & Creek

The call for orphanages for the Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek paralleled the stories of the Seneca and Cherokee – Civil War, forced removal, and disease.  Each nation, considered members of the Five Civilized Tribes, found that they were not immune to the government’s compulsory removal from their native lands.  Determined as a nation, each tribe made it their business to tend to their own orphaned children.  If a family member could not care for the orphaned, half-orphaned, or destitute child the institutional orphanages would. 
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                           http://www.therestorationmovement.com/images/Askew01.JPG

The nature of the orphanages were the same as most others in the nation during that time.  The curriculum focused on an English speaking emphasis that supported reading, writing, arithmetic, sciences and vocational trades.  Most children, if not adopted or taken in by a family member “graduated” from the orphanages.  Girls left at the age of 16 and boys left at the age of 18. 

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/fed-indian-policy/images/application-page-03.gif

Through the Dawes Act individuals who were eligible for the allocation of property were awarded land, this included orphaned children.   Allotment rolls were made public, and for the shysters, they turned their attention to find the orphaned children and then become their court-appointed guardian. Most of these children did get the opportunity to be equal owners of their estates, in most events; the children were seen as a link to a valuable commodity leading to financial gain rather than be cared for by a loving adult.   

                                                     http://redriverhistorian.com/sitebuilder/images/wheelock_unknown_soul-420x309.jpg

It would be hard pressed to not admit the sadness that I felt as I read the accounts of orphaned children being used by adults for monetary gain.  The children, relying so heavily upon those around them – to care and to love them, but instead finding themselves being neglected and in some cases treated as indentured servants upon their own property.

Foundations: Announcements

There are several announcements to be shared:

1.)  There we be NO CLASS on April 12th since we watch the 3rd School video in its entirety on Friday.  If you did not attend class the video can be accessed from either Jenn DeCoteau or Rhonda Breuer.  The note sheet and video are on my desk.  Please do not remove the movie from the Education Building - it may be watched in the Teacher Education lab.  Please have this made up by Wednesday (April 14th).

2.) School Board meeting report and agenda are due at the end of the month - April 30th.

Image from http://www.languageconnections.com/newsletter_content/October_2009/thumbnails/Announcements_clip_image002.gif
3.)  The Educational Innovator presentations dates are as follows:

Wednesday, April 28th
Loreli - Horace Mann
Memoree - John Dewey
Kara - Booker T. Washington

Friday, April 30th
Ro - Catherine Beecher
Yvonne - Linda Brown Thompson
Shyanne - Jose Angel Gutierrez
Nevada - Deborah Meier

Lastly, everyone should be working on their fourth personal posting of their Native American boarding school blog.  When we get back together as a class next week Wednesday we will again share through our book talk conversations.  Please check in with the UTTC librarian regarding your library book, some of you may need to renew.

Have a great weekend and see you all on Wednesday!

Third Posting - Orphans Among Us: Cherokee

In 1871 the Cherokee Orphan Asylum was funded with $4,000 appropriated by the National Council of the Cherokee. A building was provided but the materials and necessities of its inhabitants were few and of poor quality. The educational system was undeveloped and learning a second language (English) determined if you “graduated” from the institution – although it was not a boarding school.
The institution was headed by William Ross, principal chief, who pushed for the education of the orphanage’s children. The institution was overseen by the Cherokee Board of Education. The board handled established schools within the nation; day or neighborhood schools, boarding schools, and the orphan asylum. The board, in its duties, hired and fired teachers and administrators, organized the school districts, and evaluated the schools.

Image to the right was found at picasaweb.google.com/.../ARu_IwrP1dE_vEGHSNkmgw

The orphanage was the first of its kind in the Cherokee Nation. As one of the Five Civilized Tribes, the Cherokee realized that through their years of contact with whites, the removal from tribal homelands, rebuilding in a new geographical region, illnesses, and the American Civil War that orphanages were the best solution to ensure that their children were to be cared for by their people. Therefore, they adopted and implemented the educational, political, and religious ways of the white culture and brought these practices forth into the orphanage system.

Unique to other institutions of its kind during that time the children of Cherokee Orphan Asylum were able to retain their cultural identity. Only Cherokee children were permitted to reside within its walls and youngsters were not placed in white homes to work and live. In addition, the children were not indentured to white adults as laborers or apprentices. Their teachers and administrators for the most part where Cherokee. In fact, it may have been rare for a child to see a “white face” during a days’ time.
In the early 1900s tribal disbanding and the General Allotment Act (Dawes Act) meant that educational systems that were ran by the Five Civilized Tribes were being slowly taking apart. The federal government held the fate of how monies were to be spent to educate Native children. Doors began to permanently close. However; the Cherokee orphanage held strong and placed the institution under the jurisdiction of the Indian Bureau.

Image above from picasaweb.google.com/.../PY4fuQtcOGNzu6CzuRfAng

The First Solution: Seneca

The Thomas Asylum for Orphan and Destitute Indian Children was the first of its kind in the nation as it housed Indian-only orphans.  Construction of the first building began in 1855 and its walls became filled with children and personnel within the year.  The 100 acres that would house the facility was located on the Cattaraugus Reservation in the far western side of the state of New York.  

The need for the orphanage sprang from the death of one man – a man who in his passing left a large family with a great deal of extreme need.  Supported by missionaries, philanthropists, the state of New York and Senecas the institution adopted the common school agenda.  The agenda, itself, meant that there would be education for all with the goal in mind of creating a national identify.  With this in mind, the notion set forth that through these diverse backgrounds had to develop a shared set of attitudes and values – to be Americanized!

A myth sprung to the forefront – immigrants wanted to be Americanized.  This, as the book explains, is far from the truth.  In the 1830s and 1840 immigrants held tightly to their traditional ways especially in the areas of language and religion.  They lived in neighbors both in urban and rural settings to maintain the ethnic customs.  It was only in the late 1800s when immigrant parents decided that they had to relinquish aspects of their cultural identity in order for their children to be successful in American schools. 

With this said, the book goes on to explain that Native American experiences paralleled the immigrants but in reverse chronology.  The author states that in the early 1800s most Indian groups accepted, or at least accommodated to education that aimed to assimilate and acculturate.  As time went on, the attitude changed.  Why?  Due to the disruptiveness of cultural cohesiveness of the late 1800s.  Children and families were faced with the trauma of removal.  Children were being taking away from their homes to be forced to become Americans – it no longer was a choice it was a demand.

The orphanage was highly cared for by hired personnel.  Unlike the boarding schools of that time that were in the practice of having the children assist in maintaining the campus grounds and cleanliness of the indoor environment.  In fact, the ratio of adult-to-child in 1855 was 1:7 compared to other orphanages whose rations could sometimes exceed to 1:100. 

Nonetheless the discipline of the orphanage was harsh as it followed a military style of routine and consequences.  All facilities that housed children, immigrants and Native Americans, used military policies.  Haircuts were the very first event that took place to those who arrived.  The reason, health and hygiene would be the expected response.  The overall fear of head lice spreading throughout a facility was ended when haircuts were performed.  This was not the only thing that was terminated – so was the identity and individuality of the child. 

Records show that children who attended the orphanage had both positive and negative recollections.  For the most part, in the earlier years the institution was quite enjoyable.  As time passed a few negative memoirs surfaced.  Events and special occasions were the most often mentioned when it came to the good times.  Discipline and illness were noted as the negative. 

The doors of the orphanage were closed in 1955 with great fight.  The Senecas had hopes that it could be turned into a vocational high school or an Indian college along the same lines of Haskell but their attempts failed.  However, it is noted that many of the orphans who attended Thomas went on to go to off-reservation boarding schools such as Haskell, Carlisle, and the Hampton Institute in Virginia.

Lunch Anyone?

Please note that we will be meeting at the Fortune Cookie for class this Wednesday, March 24th at 12:30 pm.  We will have a "book talk" class meeting, so be prepared to talk about your first reading section of boarding school book.


In addition, please make sure that you are getting into your blogs and posting both your personal and peer responses.  We are just getting started on our second blog so I encourage you to stay with the deadlines for each week, we all know how stressful it can get when we fall behind.


Image from http://www.streamys.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/time-is-ticking.jpg

Post One: Indian Orphanages

I began my journey of Native American orphanages through the extensive research of author Marilyn Irvin Holt.  As I turned past the table of contents I found myself feeling a sense of anticipation accompanied with disinclination.  What information will I gain from the pages that follow and what emotions will be tied to the overarching subject of the book itself? 

So I pressed forward and gingerly began to read.

In the U.S. it was apparent that the definition of care for an orphan differed between two distinct cultures, European and Native American.  Although practices varied among the tribes concerning children who lost one or both of their biological parents it is clearly understood that one common practice was shared, no child was left uncared for in their communities.  Orphaned children were often brought into the homes of their grandparents, older siblings, relatives, and family acquaintances.  Whereas European children, who were orphaned, rarely had the opportunity to be cared for by another family member let alone by an individual within their community.  The social norms brought over from their European homelands followed them and these children were placed in institutions called orphanages. 

Dramatic changes in the United States greatly increased the immigration population.  Events such as the Industrial Revolution, California Gold Rush, and land opportunity in the West generated more chances for financial security but also affected the nature of the family.  Immigrant children paid the price.  These children fell within one of these three categories:

• Orphaned – a minor child without living parents.  
• Half-orphaned – a minor child who has lost one parent, yet the one living parent cannot care for them.
• Destitute – a minor child having both parents, living, but who cannot care for them.

Native American people honorably held tight to their child-rearing practices but could not escape the pressures of the dominant culture.  Keeping the family together was challenged through conflicts, encroachment of hunting grounds, disease, and forced assimilation.   As the native population began to decrease so did the tradition of orphaned children being cared for within their tribal communities.  Resembling their immigration counterparts, Native American children began to be placed in orphanages. 

Marilyn Irvin Holt’s research focuses upon the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole nations The intent of her work was to not focus upon the Five Civilized Tribes, however; the extent of her data was retrieved from institutions in which documents could be retrieved.  Additional orphanage accounts include the Seneca, Cherokee, Oklahoma, Ojibway and Sioux. 

Image from http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/images/holind.jpg

Second Blogging Assignment

Greetings!

We will begin our second blog assignment.  The dates listed below are the due dates for both your personal post and your response to your peers.  As we had done so for our first blog you will be graded each week based on your timely submissions and a final grade will be given for your overall blog.  Use the rubric provided by your instructor to guide you through the assignment.

I am highly anticipating the opportunity to also contribute to the blog postings as I will be blogging on my chosen book as well.

Dates for Blog Submissions	Personal Post (Mondays) 5PM	Peer Response (Wednesdays) 5PM
First	March 22	March 24
Second	March 29	March 31
Third	April 5	April 7
Fourth	April 12	April 14
Fifth	April 19	April 21

Please note the following:

Please return your Chilocco book if you have not yet relinquished it to your instructor.

Also, make sure that you check out your current book with the UTTC librarian if you have not done so already.  You will be required to renew your book as you will be using the it until April 21^st.      

Bismarck School Board Meeting

Good Day,

The next Bismarck Public School Board Meeting will be held March 8th.  All meetings are held at 5:15 p.m. (cst), in the Tom Baker Meeting Room located in the City/County Office Building, 221 North 5th Street, Bismarck ND.

 For more information you may go to: http://www.bismarck.k12.nd.us/district/schoolboard/

I know that there are a couple of you who have an evening class on Mondays or have other commitments to attend to - therefore, it may be the perfect time to take in a school board meeting during spring break. 
Graphic from http://tinyurl.com/ybzyj74

Chilocco Blogging Wrap-Up

Midterm is right around the corner and so is the deadline for the blogging assignment for They Called It Prairie Light: The Story of Chilocco Indian School. From the beginning learners have been given points for timely submissions of their personal postings and peer responses. The next evaluation, using the BLOG REFLECTION RUBRIC, will assess your overall Chilocco blog.
So for those who are behind you need to get into your blog to ensure that you get points for timeliness for the last chapter and for the overall blog assignment! For those who have kept up with the chapter deadlines I would recommend going back in to ensure that you have meet the criteria outlined in the rubric.
The last chapter’s personal post is due next Monday, March 1st by 5:00 p.m.

The last chapter’s peer postings are due next Wednesday, March 3rd by 5:00 p.m.

The overall blog assignment is due next Wednesday, March 3rd by 5:00 p.m.

2nd Elder Interview

Reminder: Your second elder interview assignment is due Friday, February 26th. Again, make sure to include a cover page and be ready to share your interview with your colleagues.

For those of you who are attending the SNDEA meetings on Friday please make sure that I receive your 2nd interview prior to Friday's class meeting.  You may email me your assignment. 

 
 
 

Image taken from http://tinyurl.com/ybq3cox

1st Elder Interview

Reminder: Your first elder interview assignment is due tomorrow Friday, February 19th. Make sure to include a cover page. You will be sharing your interview responses with your course colleagues through discussion.

Image from www.rocyes.com/activities.htm

Mandan School Board Meeting - Tuesday, February 16th

  Good day!
I have contacted the Mandan School District Administration Office regarding the upcoming school board meeting.  They have moved the scheduled Monday meeting to Tuesday to observe President's Day.  I know that some of you were concerned about not being able to attend a school board meeting due to class on Mondays.  I encourage you to attend this meeting.  To find more details about the location of time please click on the link that I have provided http://www.mandan.k12.nd.us/schoolboard/

Have a great day!

Blog Posting Reminder

Happy Wintery Friday!




I am just posting a couple of reminders regarding the blog postings for the Chilocco book. First, if you have not done so, make sure that you have posted your response to the first chapter. You are graded each week for your postings and then a final evaluation will be given using the rubric that was provided to you. Secondly, after visiting with students this past Monday, it was determined that the deadline for posting your chapter response will be completed on Mondays by 5:00 p.m. You then will have a deadline to post to a colleagues blog post on Wednesdays by 5:00 p.m.

Your post:

1st Posting : Chapter 1 - Due: Feb. 3 by 5:00 p.m.

2nd posting: Chapter 2 - Due: Feb. 8 by 5:00 p.m.

3rd posting: Chapter 3 - Due: Feb. 15 by 5:00 p.m.

4th posting: Chapters 4 & 5 - Due: Feb. 22 by 5:00 p.m.

5th posting: Chapter 6 - Due: March 1 by 5:00 p.m.

Your post to a colleague:

1st Posting : Chapter 1 - Due: Feb. 3 by 5:00 p.m.

2nd posting: Chapter 2 - Due: Feb. 10 by 5:00 p.m.

3rd posting: Chapter 3 - Due: Feb. 17 by 5:00 p.m.

4th posting: Chapters 4 & 5 - Due: Feb. 24 by 5:00 p.m.

5th posting: Chapter 6 - Due: March 3 by 5:00 p.m.

ND Indian Child Welfare Wellness Conference Attendance Required

Greetings!
I have had the opportunity to view the conference agenda for Wednesday and have determined that I will not hold the Foundations of Education class on February 3rd from 1-1:50 as I would rather have you to attend one of the following conference sessions listed below.

10:30 or 1:45 Native Gangs in the Dakota’s

___________________________________________________

10:30 or 1:45 Best Practice with Native American Adolescents

Please note that I would encourage you to attend both sessions if that is at all possible. I am requiring that you provide me proof of your presence by submitting the notes that you took or a summary of the presentation.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

I look forward to hearing about the new and exciting information you gathered from your participation in this conference.

Chilocco Blog Dates

Hello Foundations of Education participants!


I am posting the dates that your blog reflections are due for your Native American boarding school reading assignment. 

Please remember to post early so that your colleagues may respond to your posting by the due date and time.  My recommendation would be to post to your blog on Mondays to permit a reasonable amount of time for your peers to respond to your blog.


I ask that you follow the rubric closely to ensure that you meet the assignment criteria.  If you have misplaced your rubric please email me and I will email the rubric to you.

They Called It Prairie Light: The Story of Chilocco Indian School


1st Posting :    Chapter 1 - Due: Feb. 3 by 5:00 p.m.
2nd posting:    Chapter 2 - Due: Feb. 10 by 5:00 p.m.
3rd posting:     Chapter 3 - Due: Feb. 17 by 5:00 p.m.
4th posting:      Chapters 4 & 5 - Due: Feb. 24 by 5:00 p.m.
5th posting:      Chapter 6 - Due: March 3 by 5:00 p.m.

Purpose of Education in Today's Society

Last week you were assigned the following task -

Post this simple question to your FaceBook status update:


“What purpose does education have in today’s society.”

Select 7 of your responses, bring them to class (typed in Arial, font size 20) and we will conduct a small group exercise.

Add the following information to each response: Person’s: gender, age, profession (no names please)

Now it is your turn to address the question. In your class blog reflect and respond to the question, “What purpose does education have in today’s society.”

Remember that the blog is considered evidence of your learning. Make sure to write your responses in well thought out and complete sentences.

Due: Monday, January 25 by 5:00 pm.

Image found at www.ryanbretag.com/blog/?p=730

Bismarck & Mandan School Board Meetings

Hello Foundations of American Education learners!

The course requires each teacher candidate to physically attend one school board meeting. I have included information about the dates and locations of meetings in the Bismarck and Mandan school districts in today's blog posting.

Bismarck Public School Board Meetings
All meetings are held at 5:15 p.m. (cst), in the Tom Baker Meeting Room located in the City/County Office Building, 221 North 5th Street, Bismarck ND.

The Board meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.

The meetings are held in the Tom Baker Room at the City/County Building, 221 North 5th Street, Bismarck, beginning at 5:15 p.m.
For more information you may go to: http://www.bismarck.k12.nd.us/district/schoolboard/


Mandan Public Schools Board of Education
Regular meetings of the board are held twice a month generally on the first and third Monday at 5:30 pm.

The meetings are held at:
Mandan City Hall
Bosh Froehlich Room205 2nd Ave NW

For more information you may go to:
http://www.mandan.k12.nd.us/schoolboard/

We will discuss, in class, the expectations and criteria needed to meet this major course requirement.

Flickr Interpretation

Old Hands
Originally uploaded by Perpetual

Hello! I went onto the Flickr.com site and distinctly had in mind what photo I was looking for to place in my post. I found the exact photo that I had in mind.


I am very connected to this image. I look forward to reading your responses as you attempt to make a connection between the picture and myself. Have fun!

Three Truths and a Lie

Hello everyone,

Try to identify which one of my four statements is a lie.

1. I have a sister that I have never met.


2. I have taken drum lessons.


3. I am allergic to raw celery.


4. I cannot stand the sight of blood.

Good luck!

I'm Back

The teacher candidates and I are ready to embark upon a journey into the implementation of a Web 2.0 tool known as blogging. Each candidate in the course will create a blog site in which they will reflect and respond to topics/assignments required for the Foundations of American Education course. We will set out on our journey this Wednesday in which candidates will create their own individual blog sites. Although we will begin this adventure together I do look forward to the diverse paths that each candidate will take as they immerse themselves into the course while using technology to leave a digital pathway of their learning.