cultural standards and test scorescan learn from other peoples mistakes, and by doing a few things...

VOL. 5, ISSUE 4Sept/Oct 2000

A newsletter of the Alaska Rural Systemic InitiativeAlaska Federation of Natives University of Alaska National Science Foundation Annenberg Rural Challenge

With the release of the first Benchmark and High SchoolGraduation Qualifying Exam scores this fall, educators

throughout Alaska have been convening to address the manyissues that are raised by these new checkpoints on the educa-tional landscape.

judgements about students, teachersand schools in ways that attempt toreduce complex school performanceissues down to a few simplisticvariables.

We need look no further than thelatest editions of Education Week, PhiDelta Kappan or Educational Re-searcher to see that these debates areoccurring on a national scale and thatAlaska is not alone in venturing out

Debates are already underway onways to interpret the results and de-velop appropriate responses, giventhe predictable differences in perfor-

mance among various students andschools. At the heart of these debatesare concerns over the use (or misuse)of the test results to make critical

Cultural Standards and Test Scoresby Ray Barnhardt, Angayuqaq Oscar Kawagley and Frank Hill,

Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative

Harriet Nungasak, Alicia Kanayurak, George Olanna (instructor), KimberlyRychnovsky and Donald Tritt work on their science projects at the ANSESScience-Culture Camp held at Gaaleeya Spirit Camp July 11–25, 2000. Skillsgained at science and cultural camps are brought into the classroom andutilized throughout the school year. See “AISES Corner”, page 6.

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ContentsCultural Standards and Test Scores .. 1

Alaska Rural Systemic InitiativeMoves Into Phase II ..................... 5

AISES Corner .................................. 6

Fall Course Offerings forEducators in Rural Alaska ........... 7

Aspects of TraditionalIñupiat Education ....................... 8

Village Science: The Pike Story ..... 13

Yup’ik Region ............................... 14

Aleut/Alutiiq Region .................... 15Camp Qungaayux 2000 .............. 15

Southeast Region .......................... 16

2 S H A R I N G O U R P A T H W A Y S

AlaskaRural SystemicInitiative

Ray Barnhardt, Co-DirectorUniversity of Alaska FairbanksANKN/AKRSIPO Box 756480Fairbanks, AK 99775-6480(907) 474-1902 phone(907) 474-1957 faxe-mail: [email protected]

Oscar Kawagley, Co-DirectorUniversity of Alaska FairbanksANKN/AKRSIPO Box 756480Fairbanks, AK 99775-6480(907) 474-5403 phone(907) 474-1957 faxe-mail: [email protected]

Frank Hill, Co-DirectorAlaska Federation of Natives1577 C Street, Suite 300Anchorage, AK 99501(907) 274-3611 phone(907) 276-7989 faxe-mail: [email protected]

Sharing Our Pathways isa publication of the Alaska Rural SystemicInitiative, funded by the National ScienceFoundation Division of Educational SystemicReform in agreement with the Alaska Federa-tion of Natives and the University of Alaska.We welcome your comments and suggestionsand encourage you to submit them to:

The Alaska Native Knowledge NetworkUniversity of Alaska FairbanksUniversity Park Building1000 University AvenueP.O. Box 756730Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-6730

(907) 474-5086 phone(907) 474-5615 faxhttp://www.ankn.uaf.edue-mail: [email protected]

Newsletter Editor: Dixie [email protected]

Layout & Design: Paula [email protected]

into uncharted waters in the name ofschool accountability. Hopefully wecan learn from other peoples mistakes,and by doing a few things right, maybeothers can learn from our successes.However, this will require taking along-term perspective on the manyissues involved and not expecting tofind a silver bullet that will produceinstant solutions to long-standingcomplex problems.

First of all, we must recognize thepractical limits of the tests themselves.As diagnostic tools coupled with otherrelated indicators of ability and per-formance, tests that are properly de-signed, flexibly administered andjudiciously interpreted can providevaluable information to guide educa-tional decision-making. However,there are two features of these legisla-tively mandated high-stakes tests thatinhibit their educational value andthus make it necessary to exerciseconsiderable caution in their use asaccountability tools in the currentstandards-driven environment.

Since the tests are mandated for allstudents at four grade levels, the sheernumber and frequency of the testingintroduces a major time and cost fac-tor. As a result, the design of the teststends to rely on approaches that aresimpler and cheaper to administer andscore (i.e., multiple choice and short-answer questions) with only minimaluse of the more costly, but flexible,culturally adaptable and education-ally useful performance-basedapproaches to assessment. Unfortu-nately, this emphasis on ease of ad-ministration has also narrowed theselection of which content standardscount and which ones don’t, leavingthe harder-to-measure aspects of thestandards in the background.

As a result, teachers (and districts)are caught in the dilemma of aligningtheir teaching and curriculum withthe full range of learning outcomesoutlined in the standards or narrow-

ing their lessons down to that whichis measured on the tests (see EducationWeek, July 7, 2000, p.1 atwww.edweek.org for a more detaileddiscussion of this issue). In this re-gard, the current testing system canbe seen as working against the imple-mentation of the standards-basedschool reform efforts with which itwas originally associated. A truestandards-based educational systemrequires a much broader approach toassessment than current resourcesallow.

The second feature that reducesthe educational value of high-stakestesting is its intended use in makingcritical decisions that can adverselyimpact people’s lives and careers (e.g.,grade-level promotion, eligibility forgraduation, teacher reward/punish-ment and school rating/ranking.)When used for such purposes, thetests themselves tend to revert to thosemeasures that the test-makers (inAlaska’s case, CBT/McGraw-Hill) candefend in court when challenged bythose affected. Consequently, we seea heavy emphasis on standardization(in both content and administration),whereby many important aspects ofthe content standards that requirelocal adaptation or are not easily mea-sured are set aside in favor of thoseitems and testing practices that meetthe test of “legal defensibility.” So weshould not be surprised when we runinto problems with a testing systemthat has been constructed around le-gal and political, rather than educa-tional considerations.

What are theOptions?

For better or worse, the AlaskaBenchmark and High School Gradua-tion Qualifying Exams are a realityand it is our professional responsibil-ity to do what we can to minimizetheir negative effects and to maximize

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S H A R I N G O U R P A T H W A Y S 3

their potential benefits. Most criticalin that regard is the need to examinethe issues that emerge in the broadestcontext available to us and not to usethe results to promote simplistic, short-term solutions to long-term, complexproblems. Nor should we fall into thetrap of “blaming the victim” (i.e., thestudent) when there are significantgroup variations in academic perfor-mance. This is especially true in across-cultural setting such as ruralAlaska, where we have a long historyof repetitious unsuccessful educa-tional experimentation on studentswhile ignoring the well-documentedsource of many of the problems—thatis the persistent cultural gulf betweenteachers and students, school and com-munity.

Based on the experiences in otherstates and the rife speculation under-way here in Alaska, we can expectseveral things to happen over the nextfew months. The initial responses tothe release of the test results are likelyto point to two factors to explaindifferential performance between stu-dents and schools—low teacher ex-pectations and lack of opportunity tolearn—each of which will lead to pre-dictable forms of remediation.

Under the banner of “all studentscan learn to high standards,” teacherswill be admonished to teach harderand more of whatever it is that stu-dents are determined by the tests aslacking. While this may seem logicalon the surface, it ignores the possibil-ity that the real issue may not be lowexpectations at all (though certainlythat does exist) and that “more of thesame” may exacerbate the problemby producing higher dropout ratesrather than addressing the more fun-damental issue of lack-of-fit betweenwhat we teach, how we teach it andthe context in which it is taught.Intensifying the current curriculumand extending schooling into theweekend or summer also ignores theinherent limitations to school improve-

ment in rural Alaska that result fromhaving to import teachers and admin-istrators from outside for whom thevillage setting is a foreign and inevita-bly temporary home.

The second issue of making surestudents have had the opportunity tolearn the subject matter on whichthey are being tested is more readilyidentifiable as a problem, but no lesscomplicated (and expensive) in pro-ducing a solution. If a small ruralschool is not offering the level of math-ematics instruction that students needto pass the exam, the solution is not tosend the students elsewhere for school-ing. To assume that a boarding school(as some legislators are suggesting)can make up for the limitations of avillage high school ignores the factthat a well-rounded education con-sists of much more than just the sub-ject matter that is taught in school. Italso ignores the negative impact thattaking students out of their home hason the family, the community and thestudent’s own future role as a parentand contributing member of society.There is nothing taught in a boardingschool that can’t be taught cheaperand more effectively in a village schoollinked together with other villageschools in a web of rich and extensivelearning opportunities. Furthermore,there are many important things thatare learned at home in a village settingthat cannot be taught in a boardingschool. Boarding schools may be jus-tified as an optional alternative pro-gram for selected students, but not asa substitute for village schools.

When providing “opportunities tolearn,” we need to consider all aspectsof a child’s upbringing and preparethem in such a way that they can“become responsible, capable andwhole human beings in the process”(see Alaska Standards for CulturallyResponsive Schools). When we do so,the issues associated with benchmarkand qualifying exams will take care ofthemselves. How then do we go about

this with some degree of confidencethat we will achieve the outcome weseek—graduates capable of function-ing as responsible adults, includingpassing state exams?

Impact of CulturalStandards onStandardized TestScores

For the past five years, the AlaskaRural Systemic Initiative has beenworking intensively with 20 of the 48rural school districts in the state toimplement a series of initiatives thatare intended to “systematically docu-ment the indigenous knowledge sys-tems of Alaska Native people anddevelop educational policies and prac-tices that effectively integrate indig-enous and western knowledgethrough a renewed educational sys-tem.” The assumption behind theAKRSI reform strategy is that if wecoordinate our efforts and resourcesacross all aspects of the educationsystem and address the issues in a


The AlaskaStandardsforCulturally-ResponsiveSchools isavailablefrom:

Alaska NativeKnowledge NetworkP.O. Box 756730Fairbanks, AK 99775-6730

It can also be found on theANKN website:

http://www.ankn.uaf.edu.


focused, statewide manner, perhapsbetter headway will be realized. Twooutcomes of this work are worthy ofconsideration as schools review theresults of the state tests and pondertheir next steps.

First of all, building an educationsystem with a strong foundation inthe local culture appears to producepositive effects in all indicators ofschool success, including dropout

rates, college attendance, parent in-volvement, grade-point averages andstandardized achievement test scores.With regard to student achievement,using the eighth-grade CAT-5 mathtest scores as an impact indicator forthe first four years of implementationof the AKRSI school reform initiativesin the 20 participating school districts(which have historically had the low-est student achievement levels in thestate), there has been a differentialgain of 5.9% points in the number ofstudents who are performing in thetop quartile for AKRSI partner schoolsover non-AKRSI rural schools. AKRSIschools gained 6.9% points in theupper quartile compared to a 1.0%point gain for non-AKRSI schools,

with a corresponding decrease in thelower quartile. With AKRSI districtsnow producing 24.3% of their stu-dents testing in the upper quartile,they are only 0.7% point below thenational average. In other words,through strong place-based educationinitiatives, the AKRSI schools are clos-ing the achievement gap with thenon-AKRSI schools. The followinggraph illustrates the gains on a year-by-year basis:

In reviewing this data (drawn fromthe state summary of the school dis-trict report cards), it is clear that some-thing has been going on in the 20AKRSI school districts that is produc-ing a slow but steady gain in thestandardized test scores (along withall the other indicators we have beentracking.) So just what is it that isproducing these results? Since thegains are widespread across all cul-tural regions and the scores show con-sistent improvement over each of thefour years, they clearly are not a func-tion of one particular curricular orpedagogical initiative, nor are theylimited to AKRSI-sponsored activi-ties. The best summary of what it isthat has produced these results can be

1995–1996 1996–1997 1997–1998 1998–1999

AKRSINon-AKRSI

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Eighth Grade Mathematics PerformancePercentage of Students on Top Quartile on CAT-5, 1996–1999

found in the Alaska Standards forCulturally Responsive Schools.

These “cultural standards” werecompiled by educators from through-out the state as an outgrowth of thework that was initiated through theAlaska Rural Systemic Initiative andimplemented in varying degrees bythe participating schools. As such,when coupled with the impact datasummarized here, they provide someconcrete guidelines for schools andcommunities to consider as they con-struct school improvement plansaimed at producing more effectiveeducational programs for the studentsin their care. We now have strongevidence that when we make a dili-gent and persistent effort to forge astrong cultural fit between what weteach, how we teach and the contextin which we teach, we can producesuccessful, well-rounded graduateswho are also capable of producingsatisfactory test scores.

The AKRSI staff are currentlyworking with the Alaska Departmentof Education and Early Developmentto provide assistance to schools forwhom cultural considerations play animportant part in the design of theireducational programs. Alaska Nativeeducators, including Elders, are animportant resource that all schoolsneed to draw upon to make sure thatour responses to the results of theAlaska Benchmark and High SchoolGraduation Qualifying Exams gobeyond Band-Aid solutions and leadto long-term improvement of oureducation systems. The future of ourstate depends on it. Curricular re-sources and technical assistance forsuch efforts are available throughthe regional Native Educator Assoc-iations, as well as the Alaska NativeKnowledge Network web site atwww.ankn.uaf.edu.

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Alaska Rural Systemic InitiativeMoves Into Phase II

by Frank Hill, Angayukuk Oscar Kawagley and Ray Barnhardt

With the first five years of the Alaska Rural SystemicInitiative coming to a close this summer, we are now

embarking on a second phase, starting this fall, that will takewhat we have learned from Phase I and seek to integrate it intothe educational system on a sustainable basis. Given another fiveyears of funding from theNational Science Foundation,we will be working closely withthe same 20 rural school dis-tricts and other organizationsto implement a series of fo-cused school reform initiativesthat build on the work thatwas begun over the past fiveyears. The chart to the rightsummarizes the Phase II initia-tives by year and by culturalregion, as they will be imple-mented between now and 2005.

We will be getting in touch witheach of the partner organizations dur-ing the fall to work through the de-tails as we develop a new round ofMOAs for the spring, summer and fallterms of 2001. We wish to express oursincere appreciation for the high levelof interest and commitment that ev-eryone has shown over the past fiveyears. This has truly been a coopera-tive undertaking in which the wholehas become more than the sum of itsparts. We look forward to continuingthe close working relationships wehave had with the Elders, educatorsand schools from throughout the state.We also wish to express our apprecia-

tion to the hard-working staff that hasbrought new possibilities to the fore-front of rural education in Alaska.

Quyana! Qagaasakung! AnaBaasee’! Gunalcheesh! Quyanaq!Mahsi! Thank you to everyone!


The AISES Initiative concluded its fifth year with eightsummer science-culture camps held on Afognak Island,

Haines (vicinity of), St. Paul, Kwethluk, Kisaralik river, St.Mary’s, Chevak and Fairbanks. Each camp had Elders teachingactivities specific to the culture of the region and engagedstudents in science projects.

AISES Corner (American Indian Science and Engineering Society)

by Claudette Bradley

The Fairbanks, Alaska NativeScience and Engineering Society(ANSES) Science Camp 2000 ran ona slim budget, which we hope torectify next summer. Twelvemiddle-school students attended thecamp held at the Gaaleeya SpiritCamp from July 11 to July 25. Theywere Britta Kallman of Anchorage;Roberta Allen, Amanda Tritt andDonald Tritt of Arctic Village; QaqsuBodfish, Alicia Kanayurak, EuniceKippi, Ronald Kippi and HarrietNungasak of Atqasuk; MathewShewfelt of Fort Yukon; and Kim-berly Rychnovsky of Newhalen.

These students arose at 7:00 a.m.each morning to work with Eldersand teachers. They cleaned andtanned caribou skins and made por-cupine quill and beaded necklacesunder the guidance of MargaretTritt—an Elder from Arctic Village.They beaded pouches with Eliza-beth Nictune Fleagle from Alatna.They learned Indian games and sto-ries from Kenneth Frank of ArcticVillage. Kenneth also helped stu-dents carve and polish caribou boneand wood to make an Athabascan“toss and catch the hole” game piece.

Students picked medicinal plantsand berries with Rita O’Brien, acertified teacher from Beaver. InRita’s class the students made cran-berry leather, that was like candy

to eat. With Todd Kelsey, an IBMconsultant, the students constructeda weather station with a rain gauge,wind socket, barometer and thermom-eter. Students checked the weathereach day and kept data on spread-sheets. They were able to compare theElders’ way of predicting the weatherwith the information from the weatherstation. One evening we met with theElders to discuss the traditional waysof knowing the weather.

In the afternoon class studentsdeveloped a research project and didtheir experiments in the camp. RitaO’Brien, Todd Kelsey, George Olannaof Shismaref and Claudette Bradley ofUAF assisted students. The computerlab had four ThinkPads and a colorprinter that were donated by IBM andpowered by two solar panels and bat-teries. This enabled students to typeup their information, make data sheetsand construct graphs for their displayboards.

Students attended field trips to theFort Knox Gold Mine and to the WorldEskimo Indian Olympics (WEIO). Bra-dley Weyiounna is a WEIO high kickchampion; he can jump eight feet tokick the ball. Bradley and Josh Rutmanvisited our camp one evening withthe high-kick stand and demonstratedthe high kick for the students. Thestudents enjoyed the experience andattempted to kick the ball. The ball

was lowered to four, five and sixfeet. The students enjoyed tryingthe high kick. Bradley showed thestudents how to wrestle with justarms or legs. This entertained thestudents and they loved trying towrestle with each other.

The camp ended with a potlatchfor parents and Fairbanks’ educa-tion community members. Afterdinner, awards and gifts were givento students, staff and other supportpeople. It was followed by a postersession of the student display boardson their science projects. Studentsexplained their research to theguests. Following the poster ses-sion everyone participated inAthabascan fiddle dancing.

Staff and students want to ex-tend a heart felt thank you toHoward Luke for allowing us to beat his camp which is also his home.We deeply appreciate his facilitiesand the care he has given to the landthat was left to him by his mother.We cherish his advice and knowl-edge of Alaska Native ways that hegenerously shares with camp par-ticipants. We look forward to fu-ture camps at Howard Luke’s.

Youth Science FestivalClaudette Bradley, the director

of the Fairbanks ANSES ScienceCamp 2000, was one of six chaper-ones in the USA delegation of 20teenage students attending theSingapore Youth Science Festival2000, July 27 to August 2, 2000.The festival was attended by del-egates from 21 countries of the AsianPacific Economies Cooperation(APEC). The events included an



Fall Course Offerings for Educatorsin Rural Alaska

by Ray Barnhardt

Just as the new school year brings new learning opportunitiesto students, so too does it bring new learning opportunities

for teachers and those seeking to become teachers. This fall, ruralteachers and aspiring teachers will have a variety of distanceeducation courses to choose from as they seek ways to upgradetheir skills, renew their teaching license, pursue graduate studiesor meet the state’s Alaska Studies and Multicultural Educationrequirements. All Alaska teachers holding a provisional teachinglicense are required to complete a three-credit course in AlaskaStudies and a three-credit course in Multicultural Educationwithin the first two years of teaching to qualify for a standardType A certificate. Following is a list of some of the coursesavailable through the Center for Distance Education that may beof interest to rural educators.

Alaska Studies: ANTH 242, Na-tive Cultures of Alaska; GEOG 302,Geography of Alaska; HIST 115,Alaska, Land and Its People; HIST461, History of Alaska.

Multicultural Education: ANS461, Native Ways of Knowing; ED610, Education and Cultural Processes;CCS/ED 611, Culture, Cognition and

Knowledge Acquisition; ED 616, Edu-cation and Socio-Economic Change;ED 631, Small School Curriculum De-sign; ED 660, Educational Adminis-tration in Cultural Perspective.

Cross-Cultural Studies: CCS 601,Documenting Indigenous KnowledgeSystems; CCS 608, Indigenous Knowl-edge Systems.

Enrollment in the above coursesmay be arranged through the nearestUAF rural campus or by contactingthe Center for Distance Education at474-5353 or [email protected] or by go-ing to the CDE web site at http://www.dist-ed.uaf.edu/. Those ruralresidents who are interested in pursu-ing a program to earn a teaching cre-dential should contact the ruraleducation faculty member at the near-est rural campus or the Rural Educa-tor Preparation Partnership office at543-4500. Teacher education pro-grams and courses are available forstudents with or without a baccalau-reate degree. Anyone interested inpursuing a graduate degree by dis-tance education should contact theCenter for Cross-Cultural Studies at474-1902 or [email protected].

In addition to the above coursesoffered through the UAF campuses,the following distance educationcourses are available through theAlaska Staff Development Networkunder arrangements with Alaska Pa-cific University: “Alaska Alive”(which meets the state Alaska Studiesrequirement) and “Creating Cultur-ally Responsive Schools: A Standards-based Approach” (which meets thestate Multicultural Education require-ment.) A new multicultural educationcourse aimed at administrators is alsoavailable through ASDN. Informationregarding enrollment in these coursesmay be obtained from the Alaska StaffDevelopment Network at 364-3801 [email protected] or at the ASDNweb site at: http://www.asdn.schoolzone.net/asdn/.

Welcome to the first school year ofthe new millennium.

international science fair and studentsummit science seminars on global-ization, global warming, diseases, newendeavors, genetic engineering andclean environments. These are keyissues for international science andtechnology research.

The festival had 600 students and200 educators/chaperones. Educatorsand chaperones were asked to presentpapers on science education in theireconomy. Dr. Bradley reported on the

ANSES Initiative of the Alaska RuralSystemic Initiative which includedscience camps and fairs for rural stu-dents in Alaska. Participating educa-tors/chaperones showed great interestin our culture-based science campsand fairs. They expressed interest indeveloping a student exchange pro-gram with the culture-based camps inAlaska and summer programs in theircountries.



Aspects of TraditionalIñupiat Education

by Paul Ongtooguk

Iñupiat Society: The Myth

Traditional Alaska Natives are often thought of as a common,nomadic culture that moved almost randomly with little

more than hope to guide decisions about where to seek the nextmeal and where to set up the next shelter. The Hollywood imageof Alaska and Alaska Natives reinforces this stereotype, as thefilm image is one of fur-clad people living in blinding blizzardsof constant snow. Imagine the camera, as it pans up to a thin lineof specks on the horizon. The camera slowly closes in and thespecks become visible as people walking into the blizzard. (Idon’t know why we always walk into the blizzards, but in filmswe always seem to.) Then, the narrator, in a low, serious toneannounces “In a ceaseless quest for survival, the hearty Eskimoare in search of the caribou.” The image is an important one, asit represents most people’s only visual encounter with the tradi-tional life of the Eskimo. It is also false, as it portrays the Eskimoas playing survival roulette, wandering about hoping to chanceupon some caribou.

Iñupiat Society:Some Realities

It is true that most Alaska Nativegroups often moved, but it is also truethat the locations and times of thesemoves were not in any way random.A culture would not long survive inthe Arctic, much less develop overseveral thousand years, if it were de-pendent on such random luck. Ratherthe Iñupiat cycle of life developedthrough a careful consideration of theenvironment. Among traditional foods

were caribou, marmot, seal, walrus,several variety of whale, many kindsof fish, bear, rabbit, ptarmigan and avariety of roots, eggs, seeds and ber-ries. The Iñupiat also gathered re-sources, such as ivory, jade in someregions, copper in others, slate, drift-wood, baleen and bones. Sometimesthe materials sought included grassesfor insulation and baskets or animalsand birds for clothing and shelter.Hunting and fishing were plannedbased on the knowledge of whereanimals and fish had been found inthe past, knowledge about weather

conditions and the changing patternsof climate.

Camps were carefully chosen loca-tions. The camp, or living area, wasselected, because it was perceived asthe most likely location of a concen-tration of food. Adequate fresh waterand relative safety were, and are to-day, carefully considered. There werealso settled communities. Over a thou-sand people lived in the traditionalcommunities now commonly calledPt. Hope and Wales. These communi-ties were established long before theRoman era of Western Europe.

Iñupiat societies developed uniqueequipment and tools that were rel-evant for the area in which that soci-ety lived. The invention andrefinement over thousands of years ofhow to design and construct the rightequipment was a crucial aspect oftraditional life. As William Oquilluk,an Iñupiat author, pointed out inPeople of Kauwerak, the invention oftools and shelter for living in theArctic was inspired through carefulobservation of the world: the spiderweb for the net, not only the fish net,but also nets for birds and seals; theleaf floating on the water for the firstboats that were gradually refined intothe qayaq—one of the more gracefuland efficient boat designs. There aremany others: the ulu, the harpoon,the reinforced bow, the throwing dartand the gutskin parka. The develop-ment of tools and equipment is oneexample that Iñupiat society was notstatic in traditional times and thatchange was not a consequence of con-tact with outsiders.

Thus it was not mere hope andpersistence that allowed Iñupiat soci-ety to develop in the North. Tradi-tional Iñupiat society was, and is,about knowing the right time to be inthe right place, with the right tools totake advantage of a temporary abun-dance of resources. Such a cycle of lifewas, and is, based on a foundation ofknowledge about and insight into the


natural world. Such a cycle of lifewas, and is, dependent upon a people’scareful observations of the environ-ment and their dynamic response tochanges and circumstances. Develop-ing this cycle of life was critical to thecontinuance of traditional Iñupiat so-ciety. Also critical was a system toshare this knowledge and insight withthe next generation.

Traditional Education:a Myth

Many educators today stereotypethe traditional educational system ofAlaska Natives in a manner that isreminiscent of the Hollywood bliz-zard portrayal of traditional Iñupiatsociety. A prevalent belief, for ex-ample, of many educators is thatAmerican indigenous people “learnby doing.” In schools the applicationof this belief often results in activitieswhere students are provided a mini-mum amount of information and amaximum amount of activities thatallow for random experimentation andhands-on discovery. Such a simpli-fied view of teaching and learningimposed on a diversified group ofpeople is as foolish as the image of thenorthern Iñupiat randomly searchingfor food in the Arctic.

Two common sense observationsshould immediately lead educators toquestion this belief. First, the tradi-tional life of the Iñupiat demandedknowledge and perceptiveness aboutthe world. Consider hunting. The suc-cessful hunter had to have knowledgeabout the particular area, the speciesbeing hunted and the appropriatetechnology. Further, he had to beskilled in the application of thatknowledge. The Iñupiat were not suc-cessful hunters because they threwthemselves into “learning by doing”situations. To learn about sea ice con-ditions and safe travel “by doing”alone would be suicidal. In fact “do-ing” is the back end of the educational

experience in traditional life. Second,it is naive to think that any group ofpeople can be categorized as prefer-ring one learning style. Learning styleinventories are popularly adminis-tered in schools today in order todetermine student preferences andstudent patterns of insight. Teachersbelieve that the information revealedabout individual students from learn-ing style inventories is important.Teachers often intend to apply thatinformation as they plan, deliver andevaluate lessons. Caucasian studentsare expected to exhibit a range oflearning behavior. (By the way I oftenthink this whole issue is confused inhow much it ignores the demands ofthe subject being learned. Hands-onlearning alone of chess? Ignoring theconceptual issues of small engines ispartly to blame for all those so-calledmechanics trading old parts for newones without repairing vehicles.) Whywould Alaska Natives be expected toperform any differently?

Traditional Education:Some Realities

Then how were people preparedto live in traditional times? Probablyno one alive today can answer thatquestion completely. Decades ofchanges in society coupled with thedemands of compulsory educationmean that traditional learning andways of learning have been obscuredand many pieces have been lost. Whilethere are some obvious elements stillin place, they tend to be fragmentedand are seldom recognized as portionsof an entire way of learning. Whilethese fragments can be gathered froma variety of sources, one of the mostcredible is the personal story. Theexamples that follow are personal andillustrate how the role of the malehunter was learned by some of theboys in a contemporary Iñupiat com-munity.

ObservationObservation is a critical element of

the traditional educational system. Thefirst knowledge about hunting comesfrom boys watching how hunters pre-pare their equipment, their clothingand themselves. Observation beginsat a very early age and continues foryears. At first the boy observes howrelatively easy it seems to load a boat.Then, another year, the boy sees morethan the work and starts to notice thebalance of the load. He sees what willbe readily needed, what must not beallowed to sit under the load, whatknots should be used to properly tiethings down in the various parts. Whathad appeared simple at the first obser-vation gradually becomes extremelycomplicated as the issues are under-stood. The sophisticated observer fi-nally extracts the principles thatbecome the threads by which whathas been “seen and done” is under-stood.

The young boy, through observa-tion, also learns about the value sys-tem associated with hunting. Ashunters return from a successful trip,goods are shared. In Iñupiat society,it is through participation that a per-son becomes a part of the community.In contrast to the Robinson Crusoedrama, in the Arctic, if a person isalone, the odds of survival are under-mined. In fact, in Iñupiat societyhigher status is acquired through shar-ing. Boys learn to prove themselvesthrough helping others.

Immersion in theStories and Customs

As the child is immersed in thestories and customs of the communi-ties, he learns more about the tradi-tions, values and beliefs associatedwith hunting in an Iñupiat commu-nity. Before his first hunt, he haslistened to hunting stories for years.


1 0 S H A R I N G O U R P A T H W A Y S

These were both entertaining and in-formative. As a result of these storiestold by Elders and veteran hunters,the young child constructs a mentalimage of all that is required and somesense of the important aspects of pre-paring and engaging in the hunt.

Many of the stories he listens to asa child were stories that emphasizedthe disposition—the attitude—of thehunter. In these stories bragging andpride in personal accomplishmentwould be condemned. In the stories,animals can read the mind of thehunter and either give them-selves or not, in part based onan appreciation of the giving ofthe physical body. Even afterthe animal gives up the body,respect should be shown in defi-nite ways according to the sto-ries and traditions. This is whysome hunters who are deaconsand respected members ofchurches still pour fresh waterin the mouth of a seal after ithas been shot. The belief is thatthe seal likes fresh water andthat the undying nature of theseal will remember the gestureand bring another body for the hunt-ers later.

The stories about animals givingthemselves to hunters might not seemto make sense to outsiders, but it isdifficult to imagine anything else if aperson has hunted very long. Thereare times, when in spite of carefulplanning and preparation, cautiousstalking and quiet approaches, noanimal will allow a hunter to evenremotely approach. At other times aperson will be setting up camp and acaribou or moose will walk within astone’s throw and then patiently waitfor the hunter to take advantage oftheir good fortune. How else to ac-count for these turns of events thathave so little to do with skill and moreto do with the disposition of the ani-mal? Today some Westerners might

deride such practices and beliefs. Butperhaps the stories are actually aboutprotecting and helping the hunter.Respect for the animal being huntedmay prevent the hunter from becom-ing overly confident or prideful. Prideoften produces carelessness and mayprevent learning and observation fromoccurring. In fact, pride and arro-gance can be fatal in the Arctic wherethe best lesson to keep in mind is howlittle we actually know and how eas-ily we can be swept from the world.

Showing respect for the animals

also ensures that better care will betaken of the physical remains of theanimal. The importance of such a dis-position for the Iñupiat hunter is ob-vious. Often the stories children hearwill emphasize how clever, thought-ful and ingenious a person has been inbecoming successful as a hunter and aprovider to the community.

ApprenticeshipApprenticeship is another aspect

of traditional education. Often a younghunter is guided in the apprentice-ship by an uncle. The uncle’s role maybe familiar to some parents in urbanlife who face the task of teaching theirchildren to drive. For while the youngperson may be capable of learning todrive, the parents are often so deeply

attached and concerned that it is dif-ficult to keep the teaching role inmind. Parents can all too readily imag-ine that this future driver of over a tonof steel is the same child who brokeobjects and fumbled through life as atoddler. On the other hand an uncle isclose enough in relationship to carrythe burden of keeping a youngsteralive, while at the same time distantenough to keep things in perspective.Hunting in the Arctic is difficultenough. Hunting while keeping aneye on a young person is just that

much more so.The apprenticeship begins

on the day that the unclechooses to take the futurehunter out. In contrast to West-ern systems of education thereis no predetermined beginningand ending schedule for the ap-prenticeship. The age at whichthis happens depends upon thematurity of the youngster. Theuncle has been watching theyoung hunter and one day, withalmost a casual air, the uncleand his hunting partner agreeto take the youngster out.

The young hunter has beentrying to show, in numerous ways,that he is ready for this. The young-ster may have been hunting ptarmi-gan, usually with a bow and arrowsthat he and his friends have made.Why is this hunting so important tothe young man? Observation has dem-onstrated to the boys that hunting isvalued in many ways. As a child hehas seen the appreciation and admira-tion shown to hunters returning tothe community. As a child, when hegot his first ptarmigan or rabbit, hewas required to give it to his oldestfemale relative—grandmother, great-grandmother or an aunt. The femalerelative made a great deal of theevent—praising the fine size of thecatch and noting how long it had beensince they had seen one as good asthis. The boy was then instructed to


S H A R I N G O U R P A T H W A Y S 1 1

run to the homes of many relativesand friends inviting them over for afeast. The women prepared a greatmany foods, but the center of the feastwas a stew in which the little bird orrabbit was transformed into a meal formany people. All would eat and praisethe stew and note how clever andhard working the young hunter hadbeen in acquiring this meal for thecommunity. All the conversationpraising the hunter would take placeas though he were invisible and yet hewould feel a mixture of pride andembarrassment at all the attention.The lesson of the importance of hardwork and persistence in huntingwould not be lost.

Apprentice hunters might not ac-tually hunt the first time they go outto a hunting camp. The youngest per-son sets up the tent, hauls water,perhaps prepares sleeping bags, col-lects firewood, cooks and certainlycleans. But is this only dreary labor?First, keep in mind that these choresare being done out at camp and soeverything is edged with excitementfor the young apprentice. But, thereal lesson, as a young person, is tolearn to deal with the long and hardlabor without giving in to fatigue.

While out at camp, the young boylearns about good locations for cer-tain animals, fish or materials duringcertain seasons. The boy also learnsabout how to select the location forthe hunting camp, what equipment tobring for certain areas and for differ-ent kinds of hunting, fishing or trap-ping. A person would certainly beexpected to learn about terrain, travelroutes and hazards. A young hunterwould also learn something about lo-cal weather and about basic weatherprediction. Sometimes the significantevent is learning about the location ofgood water and, always, hunting isabout maintaining hunting equip-ment. From these early experiences aperson begins a lifetime of learningabout animals, fish, various other

foods, habitats and animal behaviors.If the hunt went well a boy would

also begin to observe the techniquesand skills used by hunters in locatingand stalking an animal. The appren-tice hears the male hunters discuss thenature of the hunt and anythinglearned, anything unusual or notable.Often the discussion revolves aroundhow and whythings turnedout the waythey did. Theymay even teaseabout the lackof success. Butif there is suc-cess, the younga p p r e n t i c ehelps in pack-ing and haul-ing the catch.He learns how to pack and store andhow to move from one place to an-other, efficiently and intelligently.The room for error is very slim attimes. The apprentice is taught tothink about what he is going to do andto ask himself: What can go wrong?What are the dangers? Then he istaught to think again and not to takeunnecessary risks, because the neces-sary ones are dangerous enough. Theboy learns that taking risks is forpeople whose lives are very differentthan his. Caution and appreciation forlife are the dispositions of the hunterswho know that life cannot be takenfor granted.

The Communityas a School

In contrast to the system of mod-ern Western education, in traditionalIñupiat society the community is aschool. The observations that a youngboy makes are not scheduled in classesor confined to a school building orother restricted environment. Theimmersion of the young hunter in the

stories and customs of the communityare likewise an integral part of thechild’s life. Older men tell stories abouteverything and the stories are thelessons. When, where and what les-sons occur are dependent upon thetime, the place and the season. Thelessons are tied to the traditional cycleof life.

The apprenticeship, while perhapsseemingly familiar as a model used inWestern education, is best understoodin traditional Iñupiat education, asone more piece of an educational sys-tem that is integral to the notion of thecommunity as a school. Why a par-ticular uncle steps forward to guide ayoung hunter is dependent upon com-plex family, social, psychological andcommunity relationships. It is alsowithin the context of a community ofhunters that the apprenticeship oc-curs. Preservation of the communitiesand societies depends on the coopera-tion of its members and the appren-ticeship occurs within this huntingcommunity. While the apprenticemight focus on a particular task, thereis no separation of the task from thelarger context. Traditional Iñupiathunters must learn to do several thingsat the same time. For example, thehunters may discuss how exceptionalcircumstances in the hunt will be metwhile they are, at the same time, clean-ing their equipment. For the appren-tice there is no isolation from therealities of the hunting community.



Within this context traditionaleducation is a highly disciplined edu-cation. There is a need to pay atten-tion to the stories that told about rightand wrong attitudes and behavior.There is a need for the young hunterto develop both the physical and men-tal dispositions of a mature hunter,including understanding why some-thing is being done in a particularway. When hunting in the Arctic,things often do not go as planned andskilled hunters must know how tosolve problems. An educational goalof traditional Iñupiat society is a care-ful preparation of the young for theroles of adults. This goal is shared bythe community and the children areboth attended to and expected to beattentive. The values of traditionalIñupiat education include coopera-tion and intense effort. These valuesare rewarded in many ways, includ-ing the satisfaction that the hunterfeels when people are fed and he knowsthat he has contributed to the effortthat has provided some of the food.

A Cautionary TaleThis description is only a fraction

of the traditional educational system.Hunting skills and conditioning were,and are, learned through traditionalgames and competition such as wres-tling, weight lifting and the one- andtwo-foot high kick. In addition tohunting, traditional education hasprovided and is continuing to pro-vide a way for children to learn andaccept other adult roles that are essen-tial to survival. Further, Iñupiat soci-ety has developed many art formsincluding sculpture, music, dance andstory. Celebrations and ceremonieswere a part of Iñupiat communities aswere people who were philosophersand historians. Despite the challengeof the environment, the Iñupiat sur-vived and developed a complex soci-ety. The traditional Iñupiat system of

education worked well within theframework in which it developed.

There are many factors that havecontributed to the erosion of the tra-ditional educational system. The relo-cation of Native people and theestablishment of boarding schools haddevastating effects, as children wereseparated from the traditional educa-tional system that taught them how toparticipate in the community. AsWestern culture collided with AlaskaNative cultures, some practices asso-ciated with traditional education, suchas the telling of stories by the hunters,were condemned by some as “Sa-tanic.” As the Western educationalsystem was imposed in Alaska Nativecommunities, those arriving con-cluded that Native people were primi-tive and backward and thus no advicewas sought in the kind and directionof the education system formed. Whenmissions were established, the choiceof location was often unfortunate.Bethel, Alaska was located at itspresent site simply because it was asfar up the river as the boat couldtravel given the limited knowledgethat the missionaries had about theriver channels. If they had soughtadvice, they might have ended a bitfarther up the river at the present daysite of Aniak with a better source ofwater, some trees for construction andhigher ground for a foundation. Onestory tells that when the missionariesarrived in Kivalina in the summerthey set the school building on a sandspit, not considering that their schoolwould be held primarily in the winterand that the winter locations for theAlaska Native people in that regionwould have been by fresh water, inthe tree line across the lagoon.

Today, teachers and other educa-tors often ask, “Why don’t Nativeparents care about the education oftheir kids?” This question demon-strates an ignorance that is pervasivein our educational system. Imagine anentire community of adults who do

not care about the ability of theirchildren to meet the future. This is sounlikely that it is ludicrous. Also, itseems obvious that any culture thathas survived thousands of years musthave had a successful system of edu-cation. But many people remain igno-rant and unconcerned with thecomplex and successful aspects of tra-ditional Native education. Why doesthis estrangement between school andcommunity continue? Some parentsmay have questions about the goals ofthe school. The parents may not careabout the school or they don’t equateit with education. Many parents seelots of papers passed back and forthbut do not see their children beingprepared for anything that they value.Some parents believe that learningabout traditional life is the most valu-able knowledge that can be taught totheir children. Many parents still par-ticipate in the more traditional Nativeeducational system as they preparetheir children to contribute to thecommunity. Whatever the reasons forestrangement, the school does not havea monopoly on education in an AlaskaNative community and is seen by someas a competing system of learning.

The stories told here are repeatedall over Alaska. In a sense they mightbe considered as cautionary tales. Talesabout how good intentions may pro-duce mixed results when they are notcombined with thoughtful discussionswith local people. A little advice fromthe people who were thought “tooprimitive or backward” might haveresulted in communities that were lo-cated in more desirable geographiclocations. Knowledge about the tradi-tional educational system of AlaskaNatives might, even today, result inschools that are more completely inte-grated into our communities. Thisessay is an attempt to break some ofthe stereotypes about the Iñupiat thatpersist in American society and bydoing so to promote better opportuni-ties for Alaska Native students.



While it has been proven that using relevant materials andexamples in teaching is far more successful and fulfilling

for students and teachers alike, there is a phenomenon that stillsurprises most teachers as they try to make the shift fromtextbooks to curriculum based on the local community. As theteacher prepares the lesson that is filled with examples takenfrom village life and plans the trip into the village, perhaps tosurvey the pitch of the props on the boats or determine thesurface area/weight ratio of local snow machines, images ofstudents being excited and finally turned on to school dancethrough his/her head. Imagine the disappointment when thelesson crashes just like the ones drawn from a Texas textbook. Ipondered this for some time. Why wouldn’t students take offwith maximum enthusiasm after being under the cloud of irrel-evant education for so long?

Finally, I heard of an experimentdone by a researcher. A pike was putin a large aquarium. Every day theresearcher poured a container of smallfish into the tank. The pike dartedaround until every one of feeder fishwas nestled deeply in his digestivetract. Then the researcher put a pieceof glass in the middle of the tank. Thepike was on one side and the small fishwere poured in on the other. The pikedarted back and forth in his usual

manner, but was stunned as he re-peatedly smashed his snout on theinvisible barrier. Again and again hetried. Finally he hovered quietly inthe corner.

A couple of days later the re-searcher removed the glass. The littlefish swam around, but the pike re-mained motionless. The little fishcruised around his head. His eyes didnot follow them. He didn’t twitch. His

will had been broken. He had learnednot to trust his instincts. Bewilder-ment had replaced survival skills.Apathy ruled over basic desires.Whatever it was that happened to thepike, it’s not unlike what has hap-pened over the years in Alaskan edu-cation. Our students natural curiosityhas been numbed. When we placepromising educational opportunitiesright before their eyes, they oftenrefuse to strike.

This phenomenon can be over-come, though it takes time for stu-dents who have been turned off tolearn to enjoy learning again, to re-spond to their natural curiosities, tofind what interests them and pursueit. Very seldom does the first lessonbased on hunting or gathering of localresources prove successful.

We must not give in to discourage-ment. We teachers too have rammedthe invisible barrier until we are oftennumb to new possibilities. We mustexhibit the maturity and persistencenecessary to get past the initial stagesof discouragement and believe thatrelevant education is the only wayour villages are going to regain theirenthusiasm for learning—the true testof standards.

Village Science: The Pike Storyby Alan Dick


Yup’ik RegionAKRSI Evolves into Phase II

by Barbara Liu

The Alaska RSI project is ending its first five-year cycle. Mypart, as regional coordinator since December 1996 under the

Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN), provided a great job oppor-tunity to meet and work with many people regionally andstatewide. It was the Elders who brought their understandingand perspective to the work that is the most memorable experi-ence for me. I’ve developed a sympathetic attitude towardsindigenous knowledge and its place in pedagogy.

I would like to thank the K–12school districts, community college,tribal community and Elder represen-tatives from the Yup’ik/Cup’ik regionwho diligently attended the AKRSI–sponsored consortium meetings,workshops and conferences to dis-cuss and contribute to the develop-ment of educational standards and

culturally-responsive curriculum. TheCultural Standards are one of the ma-jor products of this work.

If I tried to list everyone’s name itwouldn’t be fair because I would leavesome out. Yet, so many of you standout in my memory as wonderful, sin-cere advocates. From December, 1996to August 2000, we met in various

remote sites in Alaska and beyond:Chena Hot Springs, Sitka, St. Mary’s,Bethel, Dillingham, Kotzebue, Kodiak,Anchorage, New Mexico, NewZealand and Hawaii.

All the entities that came together,especially in statewide and regionalconsortium meetings, shared educa-tional standards and curricular ideasin one large room, much like the waythe Elders describe the qasgi (commu-nity house) when it was used to hosteducational gatherings in the past.

Elder Henry Alakayak of Manokotak (second from right) shares how theywork on curriculum through Ciulistet in the Dillingham area. CharlesKashatok (third from right), LKSD representative and currently a principal atNunapitchuk School, listens closely. Photo taken by Dorothy Larson at a 1998statewide consortium.

“It was the Elders who broughttheir understanding andperspective to the work that isthe most memorableexperience for me.”

Today, conference gatherings areset up so everyone is dispersed andattends when and what they want.But having participated in eight or soconsortium meetings hosted each yearin a different region, there was excel-lent attendance by all participantswith time and dollars well spent in myopinion. I am proud of the work weaccomplished as a team throughoutthe past five years.

After August 31, 2000 the regionalcoordinators role with AFN is endingand the regional organizations spon-soring the Tribal College initiativeswill take on the responsibility to carryout the regional coordination of AKRSIinitiatives. As for now, I am contentand happy to have served in thiscapacity and through the transitionperiod this fall; regional coordinationwill continue under AFN.

Finally, thank you, quyana NSF,AFN and U of A for this great effortthat I had a chance to be a part of.

Sincerely,Barbara Liu


This will be the third year that wehave had this type of activity forschool-aged children. This year CampQungaayux 2000 had over 50 stu-dents registered for the camp. Thirty-eight mentor Elders were hired toteach the topics.

A lot of the credit goes to theAlaska Rural Systemic Initiative andthe Alaska Rural Challenge for mak-ing this possible. Partial funding fromthese organizations have reawakenedor revitalized the cultural practices

the Unangan People had in the past.The local entities have been very gen-erous in contributing not only laborforce, but help sponsor the culturecamp. Without their support, theevent would not have been a success.Special thanks to the Qawalangin Tribefor all the extra hours that they putinto the camp planning.

The topics that are presented bythe Elders and mentors include thefollowing:

1. Sea mammal butchering (Algax)

2. Unangan dance (Axax)3. Unangan baskets (Aygagasix)4. Asxux5. Bentwood hats (Chagudax)6. Boat safety and Iqyax7. Ulax8. Qalimagix fish preparation9. Food preparation (Qaqax)

10. Intertidal studies (Agux)11. Beach Seining (Kudmachix)12. Plantlore I & II (Tanachngangin)13. Storytelling

The Elders spearheaded the classes,which taught exclusively in tradi-tional Unangan ways of doing things.Unangan language was used by theElders and mentors to perpetuate therelearning of the Unangan culturalactivities.

Camp Qungaayux commenced Au-gust 14, 2000 and continued throughAugust 19, 2000. The last day wascelebrated with a potluck. Unanganfood and dances were performed tocap off the festivities. Each Elder/mentor and student received asweatshirt with a Camp Qungaayuxlogo on it and a certificate of partici-pation. This year we invited Unanganstudents from Adak, Atka, Nikolskiand Akutan. Students from other vil-lages have a lot to share with thelarger communities.

We had a great time learning andmeeting new people.

For more information about CampQungaayux call Harriet Berikoff,Qawalangin Tribe (907) 581-2920 orMoses L. Dirks at (907) 581-5837

Aleut/Alutiiq RegionCamp Qungaayux 2000

by Moses L. Dirks

Culture camps are the place to be this time of the year.It is exciting to see the children and Elders interact-

ing and learning about what their ancestors did longbefore they got discovered by outsiders.

Song and dance were enjoyed by all during thebeautiful evenings on the beach at the science/culture camp at Katenai on Afognak Island.

Julie Knagin, Heidi Christiansen,Ole Mahle and Marsha Parkerworked together to bend thesteamed spruce rim around a format the science-culture camp atKatenai on Afognak Island. Thisrim was later used in a drum thatwas made for Sally Ash, a visitorfrom the village of Nanwalek. Thedrum was made by the studentswho attended the camp with helpfrom Jim and Bonnie Dillard.

Nasquluk (kelp) was laid on topof the prepared spruce rims whichwere laid on top of layer ofnasquluk, rocks and fire. Thiscombination created the steamnecessary to bend the wood fordrum rims. Jim Dillard workedwith students and adults to makethis a highlighted event duringboth camps.


University of Alaska FairbanksAlaska Native Knowledge Network/Alaska RSIPO Box 756730Fairbanks AK 99775-6730

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage Paid

Fairbanks AKPermit No. 2

Southeast Regionby Andy Hope

The Southeast Alaska Native Education Forum (SEANEF) took place in Juneau, June 22–24, 2000. The general pur-

pose of the forum was to develop regional Native educationaction plans, modeled on the action plans produced by theparticipants in the statewide Native Education Summit that tookplace in Juneau, March 1–4, 2000 and reported in the last SOPnewsletter.

Following are summaries of therespective action plans/recommenda-tions of the SEANEF working groups:

The Southeast Alaska Native Lan-guage Consortium working group re-viewed accomplishments andactivities since the last meeting inOctober 1998. The working groupoutlined a list of 20 concerns thatshould be addressed in specific actionplans by consortium members.

The Southeast Alaska Native Edu-cators Association working groupstarted a list of Native educators insoutheast Alaska and recommendedthat SEANEA reorganize.

SEANEA will meet in the fall inconjunction with the Alaska NativeBrotherhood/Sisterhood convention.

The Native education-workinggroup expressed serious concern andmade several recommendations about

the high school qualifying examina-tion that is scheduled to be imple-mented in 2002.

The Southeast Alaska Tribal Col-lege (SEATC) working group recom-mended that the its interim trusteesmeet in Juneau in August, 2000 toformally adopt bylaws and to appointtrustees.

The curriculum working groupadopted a two-month action plan fo-cusing on the “I Am Salmon” curricu-lum project. Participants fromrespective school districts will workover the summer to develop resourcesfor presentation on the web. An “IAm Salmon” website workshop willbe sponsored by One Reel of Seattleand will take place at Evergreen SchoolAugust 30–31.

For more detailed information andreports on the Southeast Alaska Na-tive Education Forum, visit the ANKNwebsite at www.ankn.uaf.edu.

cultural standards and test scorescan learn from other peoples mistakes, and by doing a few things...

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