Working with several grants for funding, the Yukon Flats is part of a statewide project for cultural revitalization. Among the attributes of this program is language preservation. My students have almost an hour of Gwich'in native language instruction each day.
A recent college graduate from the village is working with a mini-grant to bring more traditional knowledge into the class room. He's been using my classroom 1-2 hours a week to bring in Elders from the village to teach classes.
Allen talks to the students about survival skills, trapping, hunting, and general Arctic Village type trivia. Students take notes and look on, afterwards I have them write a reflection in their journals on what they learned, or how they want to apply this knowledge.
Gideon begins his series of classes on trapping. Note the topographical map taped to the dry erase board. He was very specific about what animals are best trapped within different locations.
Todays lesson talked about foot prints or the difference in tracks animals leave.
He had students label a wonderful homemade worksheet showing animal tracks.
I feel so lucky to have these intelligent people living close at hand. The students are usually respectful and quite receptive when Elders teach.
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