In Montana, Native Americans represent a little more than 6.2 percent of the total state population of 917,000. Native American students make up 11 percent of the total student population, which is much larger than the national average of just one percent.

Montana is the only state that has a constitutional obligation to educate about American Indians.* The 1999 Indian Education for All law requires that all Montanans, Indian and non-Indian, must understand the history, culture, and contemporary contributions of Montana's Native American people. The bill requires that educators work with tribes to develop curriculum that includes cultural heritage and contemporary contributions of American Indians, especially Montana Indians. School staff members must have an understanding of Montana tribes to effectively relate to Indian students and their families, and professional development will be provided for these understandings to occur.

In 2004, the state Supreme Court declared that the current funding system violates the constitution and "has shown no commitment in its educational goals to the preservation of Indian cultural identity" (Supreme Court Decision, November 9, 2004. Statement printed on a flyer prepared by the Montana Indian Education Association, February 15, 2005). State Representative Carol Juneau has introduced a bill to provide such funding for the 2005–2006 school year.

To respond to this concern, educators and community leaders are working with the Office of Public Instruction to develop an action plan to focus on closing the achievement gap for American Indian students and ensure that all schools can successfully implement Indian Education for All. Mike Jetty (Spirit Lake Dakota), OPI American Indian Dropout Prevention specialist, and other staff provide resources and assistance for schools to create culturally responsive instruction and curriculum.

Jetty notes that schools are at different stages—some school staff members are ready to implement strategies and others are just becoming aware of them. He tailors curriculum and activities for novices to experts; no one is considered culturally "incompetent." He teaches that you can only become truly culturally competent when you recognize that each person is a cultural human being.

*American Indian and Indian (rather than Native American) are the terms most often used in Montana legislation, Office of Public Instruction, and by many Montana educators and tribal members across the state.

Location

Culture Camp Provides Staff Development on Culture and Develops Trust With the Community

The Flathead Indian Reservation is in the Mission Valley of Northwest Montana, north of Missoula and south of Kalispell. The reservation is the remnant homeland that the Salish, Pend d'Oreille, and Kootenai Tribes were able to reserve in the 1855 Treaty of Hell Gate. Of the 7,014 tribal members, about 4,200 live on the reservation. Indian people from other tribes around the state and country also live on the reservation. Local public schools enroll students that represent more than 25 different tribal nations. Even with the presence of Indian people from other tribes, Indian people are still outnumbered by non-Indian reservation residents.

For the past two summers, the Indigenous Math and Science Institute of Salish Kootenai College has organized a Culture Camp for K–12 reservation school staff. During a period of three to five days, tribal elders teach school staff members important aspects of tribal culture and the Salish and Kootenai languages. The goal is to provide sustained professional development that addresses the issues of cultural competency for teachers. The significant impacts that culture and language have on teaching and learning are explored through hands-on activities, language lessons, and conversation and dialogue with tribal elders. This is the first time that many teachers have had any direct interactions with elders and members of the Indian community.

On the first day of the camp, there was some apprehension on the part of both teachers and elders. Roger McClure of SKC's Indigenous Math and Science Institute remarked on the noticeable distance between the two groups.

"The teachers sat on one side of the room, the tribal members on the other." However, by the end of the week, McClure could see that they were able to come together and collaborate on improving school environments and learning opportunities for Indian students.

Classroom teachers and presenters agree that the camp brought them together in a meaningful way that resulted in both groups finding a new level of trust and openness with each other. The teachers are now more comfortable inviting tribal members to come into the school to teach the children, and know who to call. In turn, the elders and tribal members are more willing to come to the schools as guests and presenters. "So often," explains one Culture Camp presenter, "we feel like we are just giving presentations and teachers only observe but don't participate. At the culture camp, teachers were participants, not just observers."

Tribal member Naida Lefthand remembers the first year of the camp when a teacher said he just wanted to observe but not participate in the cultural lessons. Lefthand did not take "no" for an answer, but instead said, "I have a special project for you" and got the man involved in the day's activities. At the end of the day, he came up to Lefthand and thanked her for making him participate.

In 1910 the reservation was opened up to homesteading by non-Indians, a significant factor in the relationship between the non-Native and Native peoples in this region. In addition to losing some of their land base, the tribes were also faced with having non-Indian neighbors who often had no understanding of tribal histories, government, culture, or languages. Consequently, the Indian and non-Indian communities have lived socially and culturally segregated from one another. This segregation has persisted and affects the content and instructional practices of teachers. Some schools enroll more than 50 percent Native students and others enroll a higher percentage of non-Native students. These student demographics present a unique opportunity and challenge to teachers.

Vernon Finley, one of the camp language instructors, says that a racist environment resulted from non-Indian people homesteading on the reservation. The local school systems were based on white culture, excluding the voices of Native culture. Many tribal members say that even though some school administrators believe they are being culturally responsive, they show cultural insensitivity when they maintain an Indian mascot or require Indian children to cut their hair for sports activities. The tone and response of administrators makes the difference in the school's cultural responsiveness, Finley observes.

The Indian community believes that one of the most important things school staff can do is be "present and accountable in the community." They suggest that teachers participate in community gatherings and read the tribal newspaper to find out what is going on that will affect their students. Camp participants who have done these things have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation for important events and activities taking place in the Indian community.

Elizabeth Edson, a reading specialist at Cherry Valley Elementary School in Pablo, said that the camp helped her feel more comfortable with reaching out to families. She understands now why students are sometimes absent and the important reasons why. "When students used to say, 'I will be out of school for jump dance or a wake,' I didn't understand the gravity of the event, what that means for the whole family." Now Edson realizes why it is important for students to attend these events.

Julie Cajune, one of the camp coordinators, reflected that this staff development activity has been one of the most successful she has been involved in. "Most teachers have been waiting for just such an opportunity to learn more about the history and culture of Indian students and their families. The camp provided a gracious space for teachers to feel comfortable asking questions and being students themselves. The teachers' willingness to learn and value what the elders are teaching helped build a bridge between the schools and the Indian community." The camp coordinators and the teachers hope that the trust and understanding they have established will be continued and sustained.