Native American Studies Model Curriculum Best Practices Session 9/17 by Maggie Peters

2025-09-17 23:31:25 UTC

I am most interested in saying things correctly in a way that honors a Native American perspective.

I want more knowledge so I can feel confident about what I'm saying.

2025-09-17 23:32:22 UTC

I am worried about saying the wrong thing.

2025-09-17 23:32:47 UTC

Native American Primary Sources and better resources in general.

Want to get away from historicized image of Native people. I want to explore living tradition's and modern contributions. Would like more accurate and engaging perspective to my 3rd graders.

2025-09-17 23:50:03 UTC

2025-09-17 23:51:20 UTC

In our society right now, I am very interested in the professional element of "multiple perspectives" and perspective taking of various people/groups. Seems very timely right now. Seeing people in a genuine way, both assets and challenges. I look forward to developing this skill set from this curriculum.

Biggest concern is teaching with cultural sensitivity and accuracy. I want to avoid stereotypes, outdated material, or unintentionally presenting Native communities only as part of the distant past.

2025-09-17 23:51:23 UTC

Liz Allen

2025-09-17 23:52:00 UTC

I would like to know what happened after the Mexican American war to Native lands and their treatment when California became part of the US.

Important for my student's is that Native American history is American history- and it is ongoing.

2025-09-17 23:52:04 UTC

Katie Piner

2025-09-17 23:52:07 UTC

I am very excited to learn how to honor Native American Culture in my classroom! I am super excited to have support in building engaging lessons for my students as well.

Topics

2025-09-17 23:52:11 UTC

I am excited about topics that include literature, poetry, folklore, and activism. I haven't explored everything so I'm not sure if these topics are applicable

2025-09-17 23:52:14 UTC

I am most excited to teach about our local tribes.

2025-09-17 23:52:19 UTC

Being a non-traditional educator I teach a lot of adults. One thing that I try to impart on my students is that the things you were taught through your traditional colonized education is not always accurate and to be flexible in your understanding.

2025-09-17 23:52:41 UTC

It helps very much that Native people have put this together. I am most concerned about getting permission and using resources respectfully. I know I will appreciate the videos and resources that have been curated by Native representatives.

ksmith1098 — 2025-09-17 23:52:42 UTC

I have been loving many excellent books of late: We are the Land, We are Dancing for You, Braiding Sweetgrass, etc. and I would love to honor the wisdom of all of this I've been learning in the classroom as well.

Cristapher Torres

2025-09-17 23:53:15 UTC

I am most excited about learning more about and working with my local Miwok and Yokuts community. This would enhance my students’ learning because they would be able to connect the content with their daily lives in a more authentic way.

2025-09-17 23:53:21 UTC

At CA Dept. of Water Resources, we are seeking guidance on interpreting water, rivers, watersheds, ecology, climate change and more with a tribal voice. We have three visitor centers at reservoirs with guides who offer K-12 programs. We also have other outreach and educational platforms where having a tribal voice is essential.

2025-09-17 23:53:24 UTC

I am most interested in the reciprocated way native people have lived with the land and being able to teach that correctly to young children.

2025-09-17 23:53:33 UTC

Connecting through play and narrative to multiple perspectives that build empathy, knowledge, and skills.

ksmith1098 — 2025-09-17 23:53:36 UTC

Tommy Orange's There There was a contentious adoption for us recently, and we worry about having other excellent works outright banned.

2025-09-17 23:54:08 UTC

I am worried about not spending enough time highlighting and teaching about Native American Culture throughout the school year.

2025-09-17 23:54:14 UTC

Teaching inaccurate information based off of sources that did not actually do the work of working with native groups to ensure its correct.

Hundreds of curricula modules!

2025-09-17 23:54:33 UTC

Looking forward to familiarizing myself with the entire library of NAMSC...I know there are 100s of modules, so I will start with the ones in the 6-12 grades.

2025-09-17 23:55:13 UTC

I think it's most important to honor the strength and resilience of our California tribes throughout history and today!

2025-09-17 23:55:21 UTC

I am most excited to consider how to integrate these lessons into units of US history that typically do not highlight indigenous voices/stories. This will create a through-line for students to understand that indigenous people have been and are here.

2025-09-17 23:55:44 UTC

Not being of Native American decent, I am worried about not authentically representing the information.

2025-09-17 23:55:59 UTC

I am excited to learn more about Native culture, art, and personal histories. I would like to further move away from the narrative that Native people are purely passive in history and focus more on the contributions of Native peoples.

Deirdre Bise

2025-09-17 23:56:06 UTC

teaching with sensitivity and accuracy!

Bringing in NAMSC as a substitute teacher

2025-09-17 23:56:17 UTC

Because I am currently in the process of (possibly) becoming a substitute teacher for HCOE, I am unsure if I will have the opportunity to bring in NAMSC modules into the classroom, or how I could suggest that I teach these modules when I am asked to substitute teach.

2025-09-17 23:56:46 UTC

We want to ensure an authentic voice that can be communicated by our staff and is vetted by our California tribes. Many resources out there are obsolete and not usable.

2025-09-17 23:56:47 UTC

I am most concerned about pushback from parents/community members. I think having a thorough understanding of how these lessons connect to standards will help me explain the relevancy to folks who might not see it.

Location based- every student needs to have basic understanding of what has happened/still occurs where they live - basic knowledge of tribes & ancestral territories where they live

2025-09-17 23:56:53 UTC

2025-09-17 23:57:27 UTC

I am interested in teaching about Native American local history and traditions across the K-8th grade levels. I am excited about getting inservice and learning from local people who developed the curriculum.

ksmith1098 — 2025-09-17 23:57:30 UTC

Drawing upon the starting video "The Danger of a Single Story" of our Ethnic Studies curriculum, we need to also honor those many voices of those tribes in our community.

Keeping humility in mind and curiosity will be a big part of how teachers need to approach the teaching of these lessons.

2025-09-17 23:57:33 UTC

Hearing Native voices! I am in a predominately white area with students who might not have interacted with a Native person before

Cristapher Torres

2025-09-17 23:58:12 UTC

I am most concerned about teaching in the most authentic way that I can, including the use of Native authored sources, and when Native authored sources are unavailable on a topic, I aim to use sources that are seen as appropriate by the communities they focus on.

Deirdre Bise

2025-09-17 23:58:23 UTC

I am so excited to introduce my 3rd grade students to the Native American culture, arts and stories!

2025-09-17 23:58:51 UTC

My students are Native kids. They need to see that Native American history is being created every day.

2025-09-17 23:59:02 UTC

Like others, I am concerned about doing Native history and cultures justice and teaching about them accurately. It would be helpful to continue covering resources and techniques to include Native language, art, and cultural practices in my teaching.

2025-09-17 23:59:30 UTC

I'm concerned about saying the wrong thing, pronouncing words incorrectly, and not knowing how to respond to all student questions and comments - particularly if they might be culturally insensitive.

I am interested in Native Governance Models and Judicial Systems for a senior government class.

2025-09-17 23:59:41 UTC

2025-09-18 00:00:02 UTC

I am most excited that I will be learning about my students' culture from people within their own cultures who may even be from the same villages as my students.

2025-09-18 00:00:04 UTC

I worry about using the correct terminology. I do not want to say something that would be incorrect or insult anyone that might be in class who is Native American

2025-09-18 00:00:27 UTC

I'm excited to be able to teach me students Native histories in the context of present day - not in the past like I was taught as a kid. I'm excited for my students to know that Native people are not extinct!!!

Cristapher Torres

2025-09-18 00:00:29 UTC

Native histories and cultures are alive and ongoing. Furthermore, the system of settler-colonialism involves everyone, Native and non-Native, whether they are aware or not.

2025-09-18 00:00:33 UTC

I teach music and am excited to gain understanding about how to include Native American music, art, and stories in the music classroom in a respectful and appropriate way.

2025-09-18 00:00:46 UTC

I am most concerned with being respectful and not perpetuating any misconceptions or wrongdoings for my students.

2025-09-18 00:01:12 UTC

I think it's most important for them to have a new perspective on California history and for them to read native authors to experience both the tragedy of what Native Americans have experienced and the joy they carry as they continue on

I really want to bring in Native Voices as counternarratives in Ethnic Studies classes.

2025-09-18 00:01:13 UTC

I am most interested in having my Native students share their culture.

2025-09-18 00:01:16 UTC

My biggest concern is push back from parents and navigating comments from students, as I teach in a very racist area.

Deirdre Bise

2025-09-18 00:01:18 UTC

I think it is important for my students to see truth about Native culture. I have a few students that are Native American and it would be wonderful for them to see themselves in our lessons!

I teach handwork...fiber arts clay stone.... half my day and half education coordinator for Tk to 5th. So have wide needs. Want to learn deep ways of making things with local supplies. Becoming more of the land where we are. For the families i help i want lessons to share to supplement the kind of stuck in the European mud that Waldorf is in with their curriculum. Very excited to see the lessons. Not sure which cohort to take...maybe i need to do both.

2025-09-18 00:01:33 UTC

Cherie Paul

2025-09-18 00:01:38 UTC

I am hoping my students get a real understanding for what is True Ecological Knowledge and why it is so important to helping us problem solve and find solutions to situations today. I also want them to have a better understanding of how it plays into how people live in our area and in many areas around the United States.

2025-09-18 00:01:42 UTC

I think the most important thing is that indigenous cultures are the basis for society but many Americans have no idea. I'm excited to teach my students about the people who were here and what they have contributed to society

2025-09-18 00:02:00 UTC

I want my students to understand that they need to make an effort to understand other people and cultures.

2025-09-18 00:02:24 UTC

accomodations and modifcations for a special education class with moderate to extensive needs

2025-09-18 00:02:26 UTC

Embracing indigenous perspectives in every subject taught that is culturally respectful and non-offensive.

What I'm most excited about teaching is how the native peoples were so environmentally responsible and how in tune with nature they are/were.

2025-09-18 00:02:35 UTC

Tricia

2025-09-18 00:02:58 UTC

I look forward to investigating the Acorns to Oaks unit with TK-2.
I look forward to investigating the Ohlone Unit with 3-5.
I look forward to investigating the How Good Fires Build Habitat for Animals and Plants with grade 6.

2025-09-18 00:03:03 UTC

Not being woke enough

Tricia

2025-09-18 00:03:17 UTC

I want to know how to honor the depth and breadth of the work. I only see each class once a week for 50 minutes.

2025-09-18 00:03:43 UTC

The truth and how the history has been "whitewashed" for years and not always centered around or told (in public schools) by those that lived it or a part of those tribes. For those students and students who are not native to see the importance and real history.

2025-09-18 00:04:11 UTC

I want to make sure I present this material very respectfully. I think these trainings will alleviate my concerns.

Cherie Paul

2025-09-18 00:04:23 UTC

I have always appreciated being honest about my questions and discussing questions with my Native families, Native Educators, and/or asking Maggie at County Office. It helps me deepen my understanding and feel more confident about teaching topics.

Victoria V

2025-09-18 00:04:49 UTC

I am excited to learn more about our local native peoples, and incorporate this into my Native American units. I feel like the students would really find this fascinating.

2025-09-18 00:05:32 UTC

What is most important to me is that my students understand that Native American History is American History. I want them to understand that Native American History has helped to shape our country and that how Native Americans have been treated in the past and sometimes currently was/is wrong.

2025-09-18 00:05:36 UTC

At our school, our parents and guardians our primary teachers. How can we best get the training and curriculum to them while keeping its integrity and cultural sensitivity?

A Book That Helped Get Me Started

2025-09-18 00:07:03 UTC

The book "Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask" was very helpful for me. The author Dr. Anton Treuer is not from California. They are a member of the Ojibwe and is a professor Bemidji State University in Minnesota. This book helped me to not be afraid to ask questions and what questions to ask in the first place.

2025-09-18 00:16:22 UTC

I am interested to learn more about the activities the Native Americans (specifically tribes from the west coast/California area) because I want physical activities or projects that students can engage with.

2025-09-18 00:19:45 UTC

I am worried about cultural appropriation, about teaching something that is not mine to teach. I am worried that I don't have current information or representation of Native Americans and their current activities and accomplishments. I want students to find the similarities, not just differences, without taking away the uniqueness of Native Americans and their culture.

Victoria V

2025-09-18 00:27:35 UTC

I am most concerned about teaching information that is correct and relevant. I feel like my current curriculum in limited and vague.

2025-09-18 00:27:48 UTC

I really appreciated the video! It was very informative!

Im not feeling concerned about the course...I'll say yet... i am struggling as my laptop broke and its tricky on my phone.

2025-09-18 00:29:26 UTC

I think teaching that history has been told by the oppressor.. who is telling the truth???? Thinking about seeing the world as a whole and the constant patterns of hurting and greed. Im gonna cry every class.

2025-09-18 00:32:25 UTC

Was very well balanced

2025-09-18 00:32:51 UTC

I thought we went til 6????

2025-09-18 00:33:09 UTC

2025-09-18 00:34:29 UTC

Really great first session. thank you very much. Looking forward to watching that video again (it was very moving and inspiring).

I like the interactive padlet!

2025-09-18 00:36:34 UTC

2025-09-18 00:47:08 UTC

I am working with college students who have been impacted by colonial systems in one form or another including and especially schools. Most have deep trauma associated with not only systems but teachers and erasure through curriculum. For the first time, I can show them, thanks to NAS Scholars, that their story is being accurately represented in education and in Native American voice. That there is colonial practices and racism in policy yet with an education they can rise up and use whichever gift is inside them to join others for creating change.

I do not feel afraid or worried. I feel that I will do my best to share what is shared with me. I will gratefully lean into what your team has created.

2025-09-18 00:48:40 UTC

That it is living, resilient, knowledgeable and in them.

2025-09-18 00:49:32 UTC

2025-09-19 01:31:40 UTC

I teach 4th grade California history, and I want to make sure I have accurate information about how the indigenous people lived before the invasion.

2025-09-19 01:33:30 UTC

That the indigenous people are still here.

kdens — 2025-09-21 16:48:05 UTC

That it is current and vibrant. Not just something from the history books.

I am excited to learn about local tribes and how I can help my Native American students be more aware of their cultural heritage and honor it.

2025-09-26 21:55:49 UTC

I am most concerned about not honoring the culture effectively with my limited knowledge base.

2025-09-26 21:56:56 UTC

I think they need to understand the true history as well as how we are connected.

2025-09-26 21:58:37 UTC

Food Futures Magazine

2025-10-02 00:48:36 UTC

Would be so happy if the links for both Volume 1 and Volume 2 of the magazine were shared with all of us. Yah-ma (thank you!)

So many modules, so much material...

2025-10-02 00:50:10 UTC

...and so little time! The extensive range of the materials is blowing. my. mind. (;-> !!)

andrea brewer

2025-10-18 19:58:11 UTC

I am most excited about better understanding the ecosystems California Native tribes steward, to better incorporate as a backbone of a

outdoor science education in the bay, and combining this with languages, cultures, food sovereignty and concepts of biodiversity. Also really excited to have a cohesive curriculum for 4th/5th grade about California history and treaty rights/obligations. Having a a cohesive curriculum to scaffold lessons from is a breath of relief, rather than piecemealing sources into conversations while teaching which is exhausting, overwhelming and can leave students confused/unclear.

andrea brewer

2025-10-18 20:00:50 UTC

I am nervous not being a culture keeper from California tribes of not pronouncing words correctly, or sharing history incorrectly, and how to reach out to tribal knowledge keepers without burdening them.

andrea brewer

2025-10-18 20:03:51 UTC

I don't know if I can find something that is most important, I think a lot of topics are equally important to understand complexity, like the idea of revitalizing language and the plants and plant knowledge and ecosystem management that is woven into language. In reflecting, it is probably most important that students understand that Native nations have been here, are here and will be here into the future, and that many of the solutions needed for today and tomorrow's challenges are found within Indigenous science, both historical and developing.