suggestions anyone?

Thu Dec 9 20:12:37 UTC 2010

kweh Beth,
I don't remember if i responded to your nice note...?   so tizhamëh
(thanks!)

It's a really interesting time in Wyandot tribal history.
If we're represented as a spiraling ...we're wound down to the very center,
just about couldn't collapse any further(assimilated) if we tried.
Presently there is a slight flexing at the center and an "effort" at
"bending back"
to possibly reverse bend TOWARDS revitalization(unwinding the spiral),but
its only a flexing
creating an amazing amount of friction and tension on the downward curve.

Teachers and administrators for the Wyandotte Preschool have little interest
in learning the language.
There are a couple teachers who sit and "learn/participate" with the
kids...but thats it.
No (LOCAL) tribal member seems to be aware of the IMMENSE VALUE of their own
language.
Most of the encouragements i receive come from people like yourself .
and i so appreciate it, because i know YOU KNOW how important these efforts
can be.

The TPR techniques are going great and we all get a full body exercise
performing
all kinds of imperatives and folding them in with the songs.
we're gonna start singing these imperatives soon I can just tell.

try to say   tsa-tah-ma-wah ... tsa-tah-ma-wah .. (turn around)   without
singing it!

 One teacher just sits emotionless, head staring down scribbling at her
desk,
 like :  "this guy has got to be insane"
when we're all down on the floor on our backs jabbing one leg in the air!
 HA!

but the Teachers ALL help out when we get the kids organized for performance
social dances
for the Turtle Tot "pow-wow" event in the spring. HUNDREDS of kinfolk show
up!

thanks again for all the support and encouragement
one day i'll get the TPR book... wonder if the tribal admin. MIGHT even pay
for it?
naaah, probably not.

ske:noh
Richard

On Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 4:56 PM, Beth Brown <brow0857 at umn.edu> wrote:

> Hi Richard,
>
> I'm not sure that I have any advice to offer, but I wanted to wish you well
> and commend you on your efforts. I was a Dakota language immersion preschool
> teacher within the Minneapolis Public Schools for several years and my
> experience was very similar to what you're describing. The classroom teacher
> and prep teachers in our Dakota IMMERSION room would come in and use
> English, despite our objections and justifications. We too did not have
> regular meetings between language speakers and teachers, so communication
> was stymied. Furthermore, our knowledge of language acquisition was
> considered sub-par, since the majority of our speakers are not licensed
> teachers. I still work at the school, but in a different capacity and I've
> found allies in the school who DO value our knowledge as speakers and who DO
> want our input. It seems like sometimes it's just about finding the right
> people to stand behind us.
>
> Do the teachers have to be in your classroom? We had to have licensed
> teachers in the room because we were not licensed, but I'm not sure if
> that's the case for you. Also, do the teachers know or are they learning
> some of the language? Maybe someone had suggested it already, but doing a
> TPR demonstration with the teachers in a language they DON'T know can be
> pretty convincing! Or, sometimes it helps for them to see research data that
> supports the effectiveness of immersion. That said, there are some who seem
> as if they will never understand or don't want to, no matter what evidence
> you present them with. I've worked with those people and it's very
> challenging on many levels, but what brought me through was the support and
> encouragement of other language activists, which is why I wanted to write to
> you. The work you're doing -as a volunteer, no less!- seems very admirable
> and I'm sure it's making a difference for those kids far beyond what you can
> even see now.
>
> Best wishes to you,
>
> Beth Brown
>
> Program Associate, Dakota Language
> American Indian Studies
> University of Minnesota
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 12:04 PM, Richard Zane Smith <rzs at wildblue.net>wrote:
>
>> I'm working with preschool kids
>> introducing the Wyandot language...which is great..but
>> its not ideal.I can only volunteer so much time as its not a funded
>> position.
>> So far the tribal council hasn't considered our Language as
>> essential...(another topic!)
>>
>> Relationships are good with teachers BUT
>> I'm finding I'm having conflict when I'm using ONLY "wandat"
>> and teachers keep "helping" -- interpreting into english for the
>> students!!!
>>
>> they don't seem to understand that KIDS DON'T NEED ENGLISH INTERPRETATION
>> and if something isn't working, its MY problem and i'll try using
>> the "new" words in a different context...
>> maybe stressing the new words less, and wrapping it with familiar words.
>>
>> But what can i tell these teachers!?! I don't want to offend them
>> by correcting them in class...though , in a couple classes i shook my head
>> smiling saying "no interpreting!" but they looked offended.
>> I requested a meeting,that isn't happening...
>>
>> Is there some "easy to comprehend" instruction about this kind of problem?
>> ske:noh
>> Richard
>>
>> --
>> *
>>
>> "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."
>>
>> - Frederick Douglass
>>
>> *
>>
>
>

-- 
*

Bread for myself is a material question. Bread for my neighbor is a
spiritual one."

- Nicholas Berdyaev

"its easier to build strong children than repair broken men" Frederick
Douglas

*
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