An educational philosophy

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An educational philosophy based on Native
American Child-rearing
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• Circle of Courage Benefits
• Creates a shared purpose
• Is a philosophical framework that can guide
  decisions and the development of policies
• Provides a common language
• Developmental assets are focused on
• Creates a positive learning community where
  students can develop successfully

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(No Transcript)
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Generosity- the need to know our own virtue
Belonging the need to be significant
Independence the need to be personally powerful
Universal Needs
Mastery the need to feel competent
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The Feeling/ Learning ConnectionDaniel Golemans
Emotional Intelligence

• Our feelings determine our capacity to learn.
• Feelings-gt Focus -gt Memory -gt Learning
• Students wont remember or internalize curriculum
  if they are emotional. Without access to our
  memory, we cannot learn.
• Emotional Intelligence (EQ) 70 of our well
  being
• An emotional intelligent person
• is aware of their own emotions and manages them
• is aware of others emotions and manages them
• loves, works and plays well

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In Reclaiming Youth at Risk, Brendtro, Brokenleg
and Van Bockern (1990) use the symbolism of the
medicine wheel to describe "The Circle of
Courage". This circle entwines central tenets of
belonging, mastery, independence and generosity
all components being equally important.
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• Anthropologists have long known that Native
  Americans reared courageous, respectful children
  without using aversive control.

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Generosity- The central goal in Native American
child-rearing is to the teach the importance of
being generous and unselfish. In helping others,
youth create their own proof of worthiness they
have the power to make a positive contribution to
another human life.
Independence- Native teaching was designed to
build respect and teach inner discipline.
Children were encouraged to make decisions, solve
problems, and show personal responsibility.
Adults modeled, nurtured, taught values, and gave
feedback.
Belonging- Native American anthropologist Deloria
described the core value of belonging in her
culture in these simple words "Be related,
somehow, to everyone you know." Treating others
as kin forged powerful social bonds of community
that drew all into relationships of respect.
Mastery- The first lesson in traditional Native
American culture was that one should always
observe those with more experience to learn from
them. The child was taught to see someone with
more skill as a model for learning, not as a
rival. Humans have an innate drive to master
their environments. When success is met, the
desire to achieve is strengthened.
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Education philosophy is incorporating a Native
American belief system as an approach to
fostering a positive environment to promote
self-esteem, motivation, and good citizenship.
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• Spirit of Belonging
• Abraham Maslow's theory of human needs
• says that a sense of belonging must be
• attained before self-esteem and
  self-actualization
• can be realized. As a student is drawn into the
  circle
• in the Spirit of Belonging, a relationship is
• established which is based upon mutual trust and
• respect. The ultimate display of belonging
• is behaviour. A student really belongs when they
  act
• like they belong!
• know students name
• greet each student daily
• treat each student in a respectful manner
• celebrate differences
• pair up new students with supportive peers
• students help create classroom environment

Bird Family Norval Morrisseau
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• Spirit of Mastery
• With the Native American approach to mastery,
  adults recognize that all students
• can learn and each student must be given the
• opportunity to demonstrate competence in some
• area. Without opportunities for success, students
  
• will tend to express their frustration and lack
  of
• self-worth through inappropriate behaviours.
• Learning that is somehow connected to the
• everyday life of the student and the opportunity
  for
• student collaboration provide very powerful
  intrinsic
• motivators. In the Spirit of Mastery, when
  success
• is met, the desire to achieve is strengthened.
• goal setting and reflecting
• sharing talents
• focusing on strengths
• learning contracts, providing choice

Dancing Leland Bell
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Spirit of Independence In contrast to obedience
models of discipline, Native teaching is
designed to build respect and teach inner
discipline. Learning then becomes the
responsibility of the student. Student
empowerment is required to foster the belief that
a student is in control of the learning process.
This sense of autonomy is a powerful intrinsic
motivator. Students first need to be dependent,
learning to respect and value the wisdom of
"elders". Modeling provides a basic framework
which can be adjusted by each student to adapt to
his/her particular learning style and multiple
intelligences. -classroom jobs -encourage
students to make positive choices -provide
leadership opportunities -self responsibility,
learning contracts -problem solving model
My Peoples Freedom Johnny Marceland
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Spirit of Generosity The highest virtues in
Native culture are generosity and unselfishness.
Self-esteem and self-worth are greatly increased
by learning to help others. There is a
responsibility to consider the welfare of
everyone in the community. In a classroom, peer
tutoring and cooperative learning groups allow
students to share their talents with others.
There is a feeling of pride and joy that is
experienced by helping others. Without
opportunities to share their talents, students
cannot become caring, responsible adults. The
help given must be genuine and not equated with
personal gain. Students should be encouraged to
get involved in the school community through a
variety of service projects. -provide
opportunities of service -random acts of
kindness -peer mentoring and tutoring -circle
meetings, positive reinforcement
Caring for One Another Leland Bell
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• A happy and well-adjusted student has a healthy
  balance in the four values of the Circle of
  Courage.
• The unhappy student has an imbalance in one or
  more of the four values which is observed as
  inappropriate behaviours.
• Proactively, the teacher, students, parents and
  staff can foster the Circle of Courage within the
  parameters of the classroom and school.
• Helping a student to identify and balance
  his/her values is attainable with positive
  support from the teacher, students, staff, and
  parents.

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• Imbalance in the Spirit of Belonging
• Rejected youth struggle to find distorted
  belongings others are reluctant to form human
  attachments.
• The antidoteunmet needs can be addressed by
  corrective relationships of trust and caring.

Bird Family Norval Morrisseau
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• Imbalance in Independence
• Fighting against feelings of powerlessness, some
  youth assert themselves in rebellious and
  aggressive ways or become the pawns of others.
• The solutionprovide opportunities to develop
  confidence, self-discipline and positive
  leadership skills.

My Peoples Freedom Johnny Marceland
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• Imbalance in Mastery
• Children may seek to prove their competence in
  distorted ways or retreat from difficult
  challenges by giving up. They may become
  overachievers and cheat to gain what they want.
• The remedyinvolvement in a non-competitive
  environment with abundant opportunities for
  meaningful achievement and modeling.

Dancing Leland Bell
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• Imbalance in Generosity
• Without opportunities to give to others, some
  become involved in pseudo-altruistic helping or
  are locked in servitude to someone.
• The antidoteexperience the joy of helping others.

Caring for One Another Leland Bell
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Grade 3 Students
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Grade 6 Students
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• Kindling the Spirit
• Change
• is a moment of crisis and/or chaos
• is a journey, not a destination
• is needing to know yourself
• does not mean you are wrong to feel
  uncomfortable with it
• might make you feel defensive
• requires that you use the power of language to
  help, not harm
• requires you to honor where the individual is
  at
• can be a celebration of a new beginning
• needs support to overcome obstacles
• requires leaders to encourage continued growth

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• To Motivate Staff
• Prepare the soil
• -establish meaningful relationships
• -show trust
• -treat students with dignity and respect, not
  power and superiority
• -be a problem-solver, not a disciplinarian
• -have an open-door policy
• -have a purpose
• -have fun
• 2. Plant the seed
• -know your staff, identify the leaders to carry
  the message and pull the team
• -have access to resources
• -form a team to present information to staff
• -have the most outspoken critic on the team
• 3. Support the Growth
• -have uncomfortable or new staff members meet and
  plan with a confident staff member
• -know where support is within your school system
  or community

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The circle is a sacred symbol of life
individual parts within the circle connect to
each other part and what happens to one, or what
one part does, affects all within the circle.
Virgina Driving Hawk Sneve
Calling of Spirits Tom Greene