National Association
for Bilingual Education
Special Interest Group
American Indian/
Alaska Native

Minutes: Annual Business Meeting
Thursday, February 26, 1998
3:30 - 4:15 pm Room C 256

This is the first business meeting of the AIAN SIG since beingauthorized last summer. The meeting was convened by Roy Howardas requested by Nancy Zelasko, conference chair. Roy providedthe group with background from last year's formation of this SIG- this group formed after disbanding the Language and CultureRetention SIG. Notes were taken by Cris Hill.

1. Discussion. A major reason for forming this group is to provideNABE members involved in the education of American Indians andAlaska Natives a voice in the organization.

A. Reviewed today's agenda - requested that all sign in with directoryinformation. Roy described how membership can be considered amember of this SIG - members must sign a registration form withNABE indicating that they have selected this SIG.

B. We will need to elect officers today - after this first yearonly one chair will need to be elected annually.

C. Sign -in sheet with data was passed around the room

D. Many of this membership present have had papers and articlespublished. Another responsibility is to review potential presentationsand papers for upcoming NABE conferences etc. Reports must alsobe submitted annually to the NABE organization outlining activities,positions etc.

E. Responsibilities will be described when nominations are taken

2. Introductions of each individual present occurred - See sign-insheets for names and home areas and district representations -we are rich in diversity and knowledge.
Possible interest areas mentioned by those present:
Organize American Indian Institutes
Language Retention
Loss of Identity in Urban areas
Youth concerns
Teacher PreService
Tribal organizations and Public Schools
History of Tribes
Title VII- Title I, Title IX representatives
Urban issues of American Indians in Schools
Presentations for Future NABE, entertainment and ProfessionalPresentations
Future scheduling for Native concerns, workshops or issues, includingentertainment
Input in NABE scheduling
PAC issues
Talking Circles
MAINTAIN A PRESENCE WITHIN NABE - A NATIVE VOICE

3. Word from our esteemed former NABE president - Janice Schroeder
Remember this effort is not for our children - It is for the childrenof the next seven generations unborn. Iroquois. Appreciation wasexpressed to the new members for their efforts at home but toconsider being involved in this effort at the National level.Roy discussed the need for officers -

4. Roy opened the floor for nominations Individuals nominated:

Rebecca Benally
Lucille Watahomigie
Janice Schroeder
Zelma Peltier
Cris Hill
Leon Rattler
Roy Howard

Roy requested a motion :

A member moved that all seven become a Council and they selecta chair. Discussion... 2nd Janice S. Call for question calledby Mike T. Motion passed . The new Council stepped forward.

Meeting Adjourned 4:20 pm 2-26-98

Council meeting immediately following
All AIAN Council members attended, with two observers fromthe membership who also contributed to the discussion

1. Discussion
We need to plan for seven generations unborn.
We need to strive for excellence our children.
Education is so inappropriate for the learning style of our kids,they don't respond well to the schooling unless the schoolingis appropriate. The students are extremely intelligent, but adultstalk too much about how poor they do. We should empower the studentsby giving them the opportunity to learn with the best methods.
We have 98% Indian students and 98% White teachers, who are aptto say the students are not bright. "If the teacher is notlearning from the child, the child is not learning from the teacher"(Cummins).
The students are seen as second class citizens by the teachersand the students meet their expectations. Their low achievementreinforces the self concept of the students. My goal is to raiseteachers' expectations, so the students' expectations can be raised.These children are my future. We need an appropriate curriculum.
Yvette Joseph of the Nez Perce said, feel your pulse, that isblood from generation to generation, that is you as a person,a history, a nation. We should not forget that knowledge of whowe are.
The skills we have used to survive throughout the generationsare the skills we need to rely upon now, even though the technologyhas changed. We must change the way the community thinks aboutus, not beads and feathers, but who we are based on the best ofwho we have been.

2. Goal. We need to promote our SIG interests to the NABE Board
a strand without conflicting times for Indian interest presentations
promote a change in stereotypical representations among educatorsabout Indians
we need to make people aware of who are the indigenous peopleand their situation, because immigrants are not the only peopleswith special needs.
encourage materials development for Indian students through funding.Native American materials development is not self supporting.
encourage materials development through panel presentations atconferences
connect with other organizations that develop materials
NABE is bilingual, not Hispanic, even the bags should have a differentlanguage and other outward representations of diversity shouldbe apparent in NABE
NABE should assign the AIAN Council to review the AIAN strandproposals, and be assigned a certain number and a schedule throughoutthe week.

We are the First Americans. We became U.S. citizens in 1924. Ifwe don't use those rights, we are not using the powers we have.We need to organize and lobby the Board and the NABE members tostart being recognized as the First People. We have the rightof law due to the treaties.
Number one, we need to let others know who we are and that weare here. We need a map of Indian country showing people who andwhere we are and what languages we speak.

The following resolution was drafted by the AIAN Council: |go to Resolutions