Integrating Local Native American Perspectives into the Conserve School Semester Program

Abstract

This project demonstrates how Conserve School, an environmentally-focused semester program for high school juniors, can effectively and appropriately expose students to local Native American environmental perspectives via collaboration with educators and local Native American community members. One of Conserve School’s learning goals entails understanding how culture influences environmental perspectives, but according to past student surveys this goal is one of the least met. Research suggests that comparing cultural perspectives helps students to realize the many legitimate ways of relating to the environment. Comparing cultural perspectives also challenges students to examine assumptions they hold and consequently may help weaken stereotypes, ignorance, and prejudice. This project created a resource guide to assist Conserve School in undertaking this particular learning goal more explicitly than it currently does, and consequently may strengthen mutually beneficial community ties. Data was primarily collected via interviews with Conserve School staff, local Native American community members, and educators. The conclusion indicated that although CS already engages in a considerable amount of collaboration with local Native American community members, the staff desired additional local Native American contacts, activities, and media resources in the resource guide. Also contained in the resource guide are best practice recommendations such as clarifying the intention of the learning goal with specific outcomes and professional development opportunities for staff.