Embracing American Indian Ways of Educating: Restoring Culturally Embedded Practices While Building Pathways Towards Student Success

Abstract

American Indian cultural traditions and practices are presented for their merit in promoting student learning within the K-12 educational system. Spe-cific culturally imbedded practices are provided as examples by which student learning can be enhanced while honoring First Nation’s teaching and learn-ing practices. Five developmental theorists noted in this concept paper speak to pedagogical practices that are in alignment with American Indian cultural orientations and that support their inherent value for application in the classroom. This paper asserts that by valuing and promoting American Indian culture and practices in the K-12 curriculum, that the United States would make greater strides in not only affect-ing the achievement gap, but in taking steps toward equity and achieving social justice goals.