This week my Cascadia ENGL& 102 students are writing an Analysis paper on The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. We are starting with the question what is Sherman Alexie trying to say about any number of issues he brings up in this book, and then analysing it through what has also been said in the academic research body on these topics. We know academic research is not the be all and end all of knowledge, it is just what we have access to and part of the skill set students are meant to learn in this class.
While Mr Alexie is great at connecting his stories to the universal as well as personal and local, I've asked my students to try and focus on how these universals are affecting people in Native communities. Cascadia students are processing lots of information on all kinds of stuff, like the academic articles on multicultural/anti-racist issues, their position in US society, and now diving into to a whole new area of awareness, all while also trying to blog about it. This Analysis paper will be most people's first time having to do college level research in an area of Native American Studies, so we are mainly learning together. Everyone I've spoken with is looking forward to learning more and getting to hear/read from students at NWIC-Tulalip and other community members. We are working on educating ourselves, yet appreciate the chance to possibly hear/read other people's voices as well.
We spent a few hours in the CCC/UWB Library last week and looked at various sources in Native American Studies and Indian Country sources online in the UW library system. Students also worked in groups to create presentations on local communities using official tribal websites, with the caveat that these are just one public version of Northern Coastal Salish people and their communities, yet we need to start somewhere. They will give their presentations tomorrow in class.
I was at NWIC-Tulalip last Thursday and got to see people come in to pick up books and share the excitement about the read, it was so cool! The plans for the gatherings are also exciting, and it is great to see this read building momentum! Thanks for letting us participate!!!
While Mr Alexie is great at connecting his stories to the universal as well as personal and local, I've asked my students to try and focus on how these universals are affecting people in Native communities. Cascadia students are processing lots of information on all kinds of stuff, like the academic articles on multicultural/anti-racist issues, their position in US society, and now diving into to a whole new area of awareness, all while also trying to blog about it. This Analysis paper will be most people's first time having to do college level research in an area of Native American Studies, so we are mainly learning together. Everyone I've spoken with is looking forward to learning more and getting to hear/read from students at NWIC-Tulalip and other community members. We are working on educating ourselves, yet appreciate the chance to possibly hear/read other people's voices as well.
We spent a few hours in the CCC/UWB Library last week and looked at various sources in Native American Studies and Indian Country sources online in the UW library system. Students also worked in groups to create presentations on local communities using official tribal websites, with the caveat that these are just one public version of Northern Coastal Salish people and their communities, yet we need to start somewhere. They will give their presentations tomorrow in class.
I was at NWIC-Tulalip last Thursday and got to see people come in to pick up books and share the excitement about the read, it was so cool! The plans for the gatherings are also exciting, and it is great to see this read building momentum! Thanks for letting us participate!!!
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