Hopi Educators Reimagine Curriculum and Pedagogy as Nation Building

• In Event: Knowledge Keepers as Public Intellects: Indigenous Perspectives Toward Nation Building and Democracy

Abstract

Indigenous educators in the United States are in challenging positions that require them to continuously question how their curriculum and pedagogy can effectively contribute to fulfilling the cultural, linguistic and educational needs of Indigenous peoples. Unfortunately, the state of Indigenous education has a painful origin with policies that cannot be conceptualized without examining the history of oppression and colonialism. The politics of whose knowledge is of most value (Apple, 2004) has firm associations with the type of policies overseeing the curriculum, pedagogy and the evaluations of our Indigenous students and schools. Understanding the politics of knowledge are rooted in the history of colonialism; and central to this session is the examination of what democracy means for schools serving Indigenous students and communities.

In affiliation with these tensions around curriculum and pedagogy, this proposed presentation is rooted in a critical Indigenous qualitative research study that is grounded in recognizing the history of colonialism the importance of ancient and contemporary Indigenous knowledge systems. Specifically, this research study required K-12 Hopi/Tewa educators and principals to engage in self-analysis that questioned their decisions regarding the curriculum and pedagogy selected for Hopi/Tewa students in the community. By drawing on the critical theoretical frameworks of Red Pedagogy (Grande, 2004) and Tribal Critical Race Theory (Brayboy, 2006), this presentation will share how the Hopi educators made curricular and pedagogical choices for Hopi/Tewa learners. The qualitative methods of collecting data included two pre-post-interviews, focus group discussions, and curriculum and pedagogical documents.

The theoretical frameworks provided a lens through which they critically analyzed Western conceptions of curriculum and pedagogy and negotiated how they promoted an Indigenous worldview within their curriculum and pedagogy for Hopi/Tewa schools. The Hopi/Tewa educators and educational leaders engaged in a dialectical process that afforded deep levels of analysis and synthesis as they critically examined the Hopi/Tewa education system through critical Indigenous theoretical frameworks. As they examined and engaged in this research process of decolonization, the participants entered spaces of conscientization and praxis (Freire, 2002) around Hopi/Tewa education and gave meaning to what it means to enact a critical Indigenous consciousness (Lee, 2006). As Lee explains, “Critical indigenous consciousness emphasizes the notion that one’s worth is tied to their connection and service to their community” (2006, p. 7). Within the dialectical space of this research, the development of a critical Indigenous consciousness took on new meaning as the participants shared stories and encountered new terms that assisted in naming the ways in which notions of power, hegemony, and colonialism sustain themselves in varying circumstances. Through their voices and stories, they provide insightful and powerful points of analysis and tensions that speak to critically assessing and negotiating Hopi/Tewa ancient and contemporary knowledge systems. The significance of this work offers (1) American Indian students with critical tools to critique systems of domination, and (2) places Indigenous educators and administrators within positions to also engage and deconstruct systemic issues regarding curriculum and pedagogy—they become the knowledge keepers/intellects that problematize the role of education which leads to nation building.

Author

• Jeremy Garcia, University of Arizona