Tag: Inupiaq

‘An Ambitious Update to BSSD’s Bilingual/Bicultural Curriculum’ By Attasiaq Otton

ouralaskanschools on

Recognizing the urgent need for culturally relevant and modern teaching resources, the Bering Strait School District (BSSD) has launched an ambitious project to develop a curriculum that meets the needs of today’s students while preserving Native languages. The BSSD Bilingual/Bicultural Department includes 24 cultural teachers across 15 schools and three Native languages: Akuzipik, Yupik, and Inupiaq. Akuzipik teachers currently rely on an outdated curriculum designed for students who spoke Akuzipik exclusively at home—a situation that no longer reflects reality. Other cultural teachers lack adequate training to use the outdated curriculum, often creating materials by hand each week with limited resources. The last updated bilingual/bicultural curriculum dates back to 1992. Continue reading ‘An Ambitious Update to BSSD’s Bilingual/Bicultural Curriculum’ By Attasiaq Otton

‘Kinesthetic and Authentic Learning through Haiku Poetry’ by Kirk Bergen

ouralaskanschools on

Children absolutely love learning and studying anything having to do with animals. They are more focused and tuned in to the learning process visually and auditorily and are excited to learn more with photos, videos, text, sound, conversation, and dialogue with the introduction to the topic.

At Davis-Ramoth School in Selawik, Alaska in Northwest Arctic School Borough, general education teachers have been joining their students during their daily Inupiaq class to learn more about the culture and to learn more about what they are studying and learning. I then like to integrate what they are studying and learning in Inupiaq with social studies, science, art, reading, and writing back in the general education classroom with kinesthetic learning that emphasizes hands-on and interactive learning experiences. This type of learning utilizes the sense of touch and movement to facilitate understanding and retention. Physical activity is incorporated with movement and hands-on experiences to enhance the learning process. Continue reading ‘Kinesthetic and Authentic Learning through Haiku Poetry’ by Kirk Bergen

‘Cultural Exchange at the Heart of Teaching Success’ by Juvy Pamunag

ouralaskanschools on

Uvlaalluataq! (Good morning in Iñupiaq)

Maayong Buntag! (Good morning in Bisaya)

Shungnak School is a culturally responsive institution where Iñupiaq language is present in everyday instruction.

Hi! My name is Juvy Magsanay Pamunag, a J1 teacher from the Philippines. I am from Mindanao region, and I speak Cebuano colloquially known as “Bisaya”. This is my 2nd year teaching in the Northwest Arctic Borough School District, and I teach ELA and Social Studies to grades 6 to 12 learners in Shungnak School. Continue reading ‘Cultural Exchange at the Heart of Teaching Success’ by Juvy Pamunag

‘My Passion: Creating Educational Resources that Celebrate Alaska Native Culture and Language’ by Raquel Schroeder

ouralaskanschools on

My name is Raquel Schroeder. I’m Bristol Bay Yup’ik and St. Lawrence Island Yupik with family ties in Bristol Bay and the Bering Strait. I’m a member of the Curyung Tribe and a Shareholder of the Bristol Bay Native Corporation.

I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and graduated from high school in 2010. I went to Wenatchee Valley College in Washington State and Iḷisaġvik Tribal College in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, where I earned a certificate in Early Childhood Indigenous Education. In this program, I learned the importance of culturally-responsive practices and the need for preservation of Indigenous cultures and languages.

I developed an interest in creating projects with art, design and technology that focus on Alaska Native cultures, languages and land. This is important to me because, as a mother and educator, I found there aren’t many easily-accessible resources that reflect the beauty of Alaska’s land and Indigenous peoples. With a lack of resources that reflect students’ environments, it can be difficult for them to find identity in learning, which may lead to social and academic issues in the long run. My goal is to celebrate and represent every student in the educational resources I create. Continue reading ‘My Passion: Creating Educational Resources that Celebrate Alaska Native Culture and Language’ by Raquel Schroeder