Tyler Thomas

Culturally Responsive Teaching

One the key elements that stood out when talking with a student at the Tlingit Language camp was when I asked him about the advice that he could give me for when I was in the class room. He said to speak to the students as an equal and not down to them. At the camp, the elders are held in high regard and respected, but no one is above anyone else. It was a refreshing view point and a good reminder to not talk down to students. I will take his advice to heart when entering the classroom in the fall. It was amazing to hear the wisdom of the elders resonating in the voice of the teenager’s voice. The dancing was also very humbling and character building. It was quite exciting to hear how pumped up the kids were for another dance.

I also had a really good time on the Math Trail and the moss diaper experiment. I was never much into formulated recipe like experiments, and I was a little surprised with how much I was caught up in the process as we delved into our experiments. Working with the moss and discovering the saturation point was very cool. I had read about the use moss as a diaper and other hygiene products, so seeing it in action really brought everything to a better understanding. If ever I know someone in a diaper jam, I will look to the forest floor to help!

It was a great opportunity to listen to Ernestine Hayes, the author of Blonde Indian, read a few passages from her book which brought the reader to her classroom of Capital School and on the docks not far away. Growing up in Juneau, I know of these places. I heard stories of fetching halibut cheeks from the Juneau Cold Storage that burned to the ground. Realizing there was a parallel history between Ernestine’s experience and my families as she read, made for an uncomfortable listening for me albeit an important uncomfortable feeling. I worried that it was an aunt or an uncle that had been a part of her torment. Knowing there was an absence all together and how it shaped her and made her feel unwelcome, also proved to stir angst. Something was amiss and it is disheartening to hear about, but it is a reality that many students of color face everyday. She was also very adamant that little has changed. I have taken her words to heart and hope to right the ship not by saving the kids but by empowering them to help themselves. I asked my mom if she knew Ernestine and her book. She has read her book, but said she did not know of her growing up. She is about the same age, but shared that though they lived near by everything and everyone was more often than not separated.

Ernestine has an amazing story to tell and a great gift for telling her story. Sharing her story in the classroom, would resonate especially here in Juneau with it being at the heart of her story. Ideally, she would be willing to read another passage of her new book to a few more classrooms this year. Here’s hoping!

Idea: West Coast of Alaska Trade Route Map Game

I have started to formulate a lesson plan based on exploring traditional trade routes of the Yup’ik people. I would like to build a fun activity where the kids have a chance to think and plan a route to reach another region of Alaska and/or beyond.

After a short free write to brainstorm ideas, they will meet in small groups to discuss and decide where they want to trade, how they will transport their goods, and by what route they will use to reach their goal.

They will be provided various maps and links to help make their decisions and do further research on the materials needed to make the journey possible. There is a possibility that the activity can be developed into a board game of sorts, but the idea will need more time in the incubator to make into something more tangible.

As a final product for the lesson, I would have the students write about the differences and/or similarities of present day West Coast Alaska to the realities that the Yup’ik and early European settlers faced when seeking to trade goods. Besides looking at the past I would ask how those trade routes have been incorporated into the modern world and what unique logistics go into living on the West Coast of Alaska.

In their small groups, they will create a google map highlighting their route with points of interest to go into further detail and share their knowledge of the people and places they encounter along the way to their goal.

I have been fascinated with the vast network of trade routes that existed before contact with Europeans and hope to stimulate the students interest and get them thinking about the amount of activity that existed before the arrival of Europeans. For example, the mounds found in the Midwest of continental states contained artifacts from the entire breadth of North America before it was a continent to be “discovered”. By developing a greater understanding of trade routes that existed for thousands of years, We can begin to erode the myth that the “New World” was an empty land devoid of civilization.

The duration of activity could take any where from 1-2 or 2-3 days depending on how far and elaborate the board game aspect becomes. I am targeting a middle school aged class with room for variation. Let’s say 7th and 8th graders. The lesson will incorporate some geography, history and writing/communication skills.

At this point, I don’t know what is too much take on and how much class time will be needed. The lesson is in a rough- rough draft form at this point, but that’s alright. It is going to get somewhere in some form with a little help from my team.

Storytelling with Ivory

I found myself drawn to this Yup’ik “Hunting Scene” told through ivory figurines (gifted from R.A. Jones II-A-3366). It is attributed to the Yup’ik on the Western Coast of Alaska dating back to 20th century. Every angle seems to draw the eye further into the scene. I could imagine creating a stop motion film with these characters. It would be great to hear the story that goes along with this scene from a traditional Yup’ik storyteller. At the very least, I am hoping to find a story in the archives that goes along with this scene. Is this a particular epic story? What lessons are being passed on? Did the children play with these figurines acting out the hunts of their fathers and uncles?

It would be a fun project to create a short movie by moving the figurines around and capturing the action of the hunt with the voice over of an Elder telling the story along with sounds of the ocean in the background. Even at the museum, I found myself carried away with camera angles and the allusion of movement. The little figures pack a big punch!

http://museums.alaska.gov/lam/slam.html

Wisdom of our Elders

I love how David keeps going back to the empowerment of a child with the words “you are intelligent”. Self esteem is a huge issue especially for preteens/teenagers. Focusing on building up their self esteem and confidence, seems to be vital to reaching them and helping them reach the goal of thinking through myriad of topics.

Hearing Grandma Salina’s first hand account of her people’s Tlingit language being banned where they had spoken it for thousands of years in Angoon, struck a chord. I have heard and read about missionaries banning the use of native languages before, but never have I heard the quiver in someone who has lived the trauma. Thankfully, the Tlingit language survived through that period through Elders like Grandma Salina. It is uplifting and inspiring to hear of her activities in the schools, and the joy and relief that young children are speaking the Tlingit language. As a future English teacher, I hope to keep reminding students that English is only 500 odd years old compared to the 10,000 years of Tlingit. At the very least, the names of the people and places should be studied in Tlingit and used in the classroom.

Linda Belarde also gave a nice quick Tlingit lesson of how to properly pronounce “Tlingit”and “Gunalchéesh”. It is a goal of mine to eventually have an Elder compliment my pronunciation and not wince of the butchering of their language. The more of the Tlingit language and stories that I can bring to an English classroom that connects a student to an intimate understanding of language the better. Gunalchéesh ho ho!

Where I’m from- Tyler Thomas

Sitka Spruce tree climbing – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires;

I grew up in the Mendenhall Valley of Juneau, Alaska. With my first experiment with Haiku Deck, I attempted to give a whimsical series of memories tied together as a story that gives an impression of what it was like to grow up with a rain forest and glacier as a backyard.

Over the years, I have dabbled with poetry typically with a notepad and times a napkin generally chicken scratching some play of words. Though Haiku Deck challenged me, I found the form changed how I approached the poem and how it interacted with images I could find or couldn’t find. I only used one image from my own collection of pictures. With images generated from stock pictures, the story can go beyond my backyard and resonate with imagery of my community and beyond.

It was a nice change of pace to play around with poetry in a new media that is a bit more accessible than my old, notebooks piling dust. With Haiku Deck, I could see how it would make writing poetry more tangible to today’s youth. It is also a great jumping off point for story boarding and movie making. This could be a handy, fun tool in the classroom.