Investigating curricular policy as a tool to dismantle the master’s house: Indian Education for All and social studies teacher education

Abstract

US curricular policies frequently bolster neoliberal power structures within both pre-K to 12 schools and universities by privileging settler–colonial narratives and excluding Indigenous knowledge. However, curricular policies can also serve to enhance social reconstructionist and social justice education. In this article, we describe two case studies focused on a state-level policy—Montana’s Indian Education for All—aimed at advancing understandings about Indigenous experiences and worldviews. The first study’s findings demonstrate Indian Education for All’s potential to support practicing teachers, including teachers with limited experience working with Indigenous communities, in their efforts to confront settler-colonialism and neoliberalism within curricula. The results from our second study suggest the potential for Indian Education for All to create space for Indigenous student leadership. However, our research also provides cautionary notes about the potential for “tools,” such as Indian Education for All, to unintentionally reinforce settler-colonialism, neoliberalism, and racism, as they can create opportunities for racial microaggressions and inequitable expectations. We conclude with recommendations for teacher education programs, institutional leaders, and policymakers.

Desettling History: Non-Indigenous Teachers’ Practices and Tensions Engaging Indigenous Knowledges

“…Despite common pressures for content coverage, teachers expressed a critical approach to school/district history curriculum and accepted the need to curate curriculum independently. Neither used textbooks regularly, or for curriculum planning, unlike most history teachers (Bain, 2006; Levstik & Barton, 2015) and those teaching tribal curriculum in Montana (Stanton & Morrison, 2018). Teachers identified three useful published curricula: Native Knowledge 360° (Smithsonian, 2019); a state-based Indigenous curriculum; and an online Native history/humanities unit (Coffin, 2017).…”

Toward a Healthy Racial Climate: Systemically Centering the Well-being of Teacher Candidates of Color

“…Sleeter (2001) has attributed this to the "overwhelming presence of Whiteness," where mostly white teacher educators are training primarily white teacher candidates through a white-centered curricula. For the past two decades, scholars have reiterated this phenomenon, demonstrating how raceinformed ideologies, such as neoliberal racism (Picower & Mayorga, 2015), settler colonialism (Stanton & Morrison, 2018), and whiteness (Matias et al, 2016), guide the development of curricula and policies for teacher education programs. Over the years, scholars have additionally used terms such as new racism (Cross, 2005), "innocent" racism (Pirbhai-Illich et al, 2011), and covert racism (Marom, 2019) to describe how racism is embedded and invisibilized in the structures governing teacher education programs.…”

The Digital Storywork Partnership: Community-Centered Social Studies to Revitalize Indigenous Histories and Cultural Knowledges

“…Several other states have based their own state-level policies and frameworks on IEFA, although no other state's work is as comprehensive. Efforts like IEFA offer substantial benefits, as they encourage retention of teachers of color (Achinstein, Ogawa, Sexton, & Freitas, 2010), increase historical accuracy (Banks and Nguyen, 2008;Bennett, 2001), and support enhanced use of culturally responsive pedagogy by and professional development for non-Indigenous teachers ( Carjuzaa, Jetty, Munson, & Veltkamp, 2010;Goldenberg, 2014;Stanton & Morrison, 2018). Since identity is a key factor in student achievement, implementing culturally sustaining and revitalizing pedagogy and preserving Indigenous languages, histories, and knowledges offers tremendous potential to narrow the achievement gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students (Carjuzaa, Jetty, Munson, & Veltkamp, 2010;McCarty & Lee, 2014).…”