understanding the medicine wheel: a whole student approach to advising native american and ...
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Understanding the Medicine Wheel: A Whole Student Approach to Advising Native American and Alaskan Native Students. Katie Nester, Senior Academic Success Advisor, Admission & Advising Elizabeth Perrault, Science & Math Advisor, Native American Center. Fort Lewis College Durango, Colorado. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
UNDERSTANDING THE MEDICINE WHEEL:
A WHOLE STUDENT APPROACH TO ADVISING NATIVE AMERICAN AND
ALASKAN NATIVE STUDENTS
Katie Nester, Senior Academic Success Advisor, Admission & AdvisingElizabeth Perrault, Science & Math Advisor, Native American Center
Fort Lewis College Durango,
Colorado
Outline Fort Lewis College introduction and historical
highlights Native American education historical
highlights Native American college students today The medicine wheel Advising Native American students from a
whole-student perspective Case study practice session Best practices
Fort Lewis College – Who We Are
Designated as Colorado’s public liberal arts college Total student population: 3,893 Student-to-faculty ratio: 19:1 Advising model - decentralized, faculty-led, supported by many secondary advisors
Most popular majors:Business (20%), Biology (9%), Education (8%) Psychology (7%), Exercise Science (7%), Art (6%)
Unique majors:Native American & Indigenous Studies, Public Health, Adventure Education, Student Constructed
Fort Lewis College – Who We Are Native American population: 790 students (20%) Number of tribes and Alaska Native villages represented: 144 Most common tribal affiliations
Navajo (58%) Alaskan Native (11.6%) Cherokee (6.5%)
Most popular Native American student majors:
Business Administration (15%), Biology (9%), Undeclared (8%), Psychology (7%), Art (7%), Exercise Science (6%), Engineering (6%)
Most common degree earned by Native American students:
Business Administration (10%), Sociology (10%), Biology (9%), English (8%), Exercise Science (8%)
Fort Lewis College – History 1878 – Fort Lewis is established as a US Army Post to maintain
a military presence near the southern branch of the Utes. 1891 – The US government closed the site as a military post
and established in its place an Indian boarding school.
Adams, David W. (1995); Photo courtesy of Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies.
Circa 1895
Fort Lewis College – History
1910 – The U.S. government deeded the property to the State of Colorado stipulating as a condition of the grant “that Indian Pupils shall at all times be admitted to such school free of charge for tuition and on terms of equality with white pupils.”
Sacred Trust was createdFederal Indian Appropriation Bill of April 4, 1910, 36 Stat. 269 (1910)
Fort Lewis College – Native American Tuition Waiver
Waives tuition ONLY Students are responsible for paying
fees, books, room and board, etc Tuition waiver applies to in-
state AND out-of-state students Requirements for eligibility:
Provide enrollment or census number verification
Prove Native American descendancy
Native Americans and Higher Education Federal Era
Late 1700s to early 1900s 1860- Federal government establishes 1st Indian Boarding School 1892 – “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” – Captain Richard H. Pratt Historical trauma
Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)
Native Americans and Higher Education
Self-Determination Era Began in the 1930s, but did not
gain momentum until the 1960s 1972 – Indian Education Act of
1972 Provides federal assistance “to help
close the gap which now exists between Indian education and the general educational level of the United States.”
Created the Office of Indian Education within the US Department of Education
Established the National Advisory Council for Indian Education
1975 – The Indian Self-Determination Act gives tribes (not government officials) authority to prioritize federal funds for education.Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)
Native American College Students Today – Enrollment, Retention & Graduation
In past 40 years, NA enrollment in higher education has doubled (.5% to 1%).
American Indians have the lowest retention rate of any minority group in higher education.
2002 four-year national graduation rates from public institutions of higher education Overall 29.9% Native Americans 16%Native Americans are the smallest population of
individuals graduating with a bachelor’s degree
Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)National Center for Education Statistics (2011).
2nd Year
(2000)
2nd Year
(2010)
2nd year (2008)
3rd Year
(2000)
3rd Year
(2008)
4th Year
(2000)
4th Year
(2008)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
55
6559
68
37
5460 61
All Students Caucasian American Indian/Alaskan Native
Fort Lewis College Retention Rates2000 vs. 2010
Rete
ntion
Rat
e (%
)
4th Year (2000)
4th Year (2007)
6th Year (2000)
6th Year (2005)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
1317
3337
1620
36
42
3
8
1820
All Students White
Fort Lewis College - Graduation RatesG
radu
atio
n R
ate
(%)
Factors Affecting Native American Student Retention and Graduation
Striving to adjust to the college environment; lack of knowledge on the culture of higher education Difference in world view Cultural differences with white majority culture (returning home for ceremonies, conflicts with Western
science and tradition) Preserving cultural identity; “Living in two worlds” Cultural and family isolation Academic preparedness Lack of financial resources Perceived discriminatory climate
DeVoe, J., & Darling-Churchill, K. (2008); Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005); Garland, J. (2011); Springer, M. (2011)
Indicators for Native American Student Success Support from family Institutional commitment Personal commitment Participation in campus groups, establishing
meaningful social networks Involvement with NA campus community,
particularly NA faculty and staff Strong retention programs and student services;
participation in the institution’s Native American Center
Experiencing a sense of belonging Living and working on campus Supportive faculty and staff; mentoring
relationships
DeVoe, J., & Darling-Churchill, K. (2008); Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005); Garland, J. (2011); Springer, M. (2011)
Understanding the Medicine WheelNorth
West East
South
Asian
European
African
North &South American
Fire & Sun
Air & Animals
Earth & Minerals
Water & Plants
Mind
Body
Heart
SoulAsian
Fire & SunSoulNorth &
South AmericanWater & Plants
Heart
AfricanEarth & Minerals
Body
EuropeanAir & Animals
Mind
Warne, Donald, Oglala Lakota
Interpret
Decisions
Implement
Actions
Feelings
Reactions
Feedback
Understanding the Medicine Wheel
Values
Warne, Donald, Oglala Lakota
MindMent
alBody
Physical
HeartEmotional
SoulSpiritual
Developmental Advising
Burns B. Crookston Advising within the
context of a student’s “rational processes, environmental and interpersonal interactions, behavioral awareness, and problem-solving, decision-making, and evaluation skills”
Advising as teaching Prescriptive versus
developmental advisingCrookston, B. (1972)
A Whole Student Approach to Advising Native American Students
Whole-student approach an understanding that a
wide variety of developmental, academic, personal, social, financial, emotional, and cultural factors may affect student academic performance
A Whole Student Approach to Advising Native American Students
Abilities What informs an advisor about
a student’s potential?
Motivation What does an advisor need to
know about what motivates a student to be successful in college?
Relationships What role does the
advisor/advisee relationship play in developmental advising?
Crookston, B. (1972)
A Whole-Student Approach to Advising Native American Students
Coll & Draves Effective advising is
sensitive to advisee worldviews because “these frameworks provide students with the personal information they use to make decisions about remaining in their school”
Student satisfaction positively related to time spent discussing personal values
Coll & Draves (2009)
Appointment topic: student is having difficulty with course work Native American, freshman, biology major,
female, age 21 1st semester grades: Cumulative GPA after 1st semester: 2.18 Mid-term grades: D, B, C-, D (16 credits) Remedial math placement, college level
English Hold on account for unpaid bill
Case Study
Class 1 4 B-Class 2 4 C+Class 3 4 C+Class 4 3 D+
Best Practices for Interpreting Values
Spend time building trust and rapport Ask some general get to know you questions -where are you from? How is your living situation? Ask students about course rigor, course load,
involvement on campus, personal interests Explore the causes of their academic issue
Academic, social, personal, fianacial, family Explore their motivation
Determine strengths Level of family support
Three Golden Rules1. Do not assume students know the “language of higher education”
2. Empower your advisees to find their voice.3. Provide information about the goals of advising relationships
Case Study continued…. Lives on campus in family housing Has a 2 year old daughter, and custody of 7
year old sister Homesick; misses extended family First generation college student On a tribal scholarship, needs to be above 2.0 Has Pell and Workstudy, not using workstudy Not involved on campus Has no idea who her faculty advisor is
Best Practices for Implementing Action
Orient the student to the University/College, both as a campus and as a system.
Orient the student to the local area and to living in the area. Help the students feel they are a part of the campus community. Students must have some place where they feel they belong. Find out what local services are available to Native Americans. Provide help and be proactive about it. Never generalize; treat each student as a unique person. Orient yourself to Native models or ways of thinking. Foster and support the student’s Native Identity. Focus on the importance of schoolwork and classes. Find ways to identify and nurture the students’ strengths. Perceive and treat each Native student as able to succeed.
Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)
Best Practices: Campus Wide Collaborative Advising Efforts
New Student Advising & Registration Early Alert and midterm outreach Upward Bound – bridge program Campus-wide advising meetings: Admission
& Advising, Native American Center, Academic Success, TRIO programs
Spiritual
Emotional
MentalStudent AdvisingAcademic OutreachTutoringMedia LoanWorkshops
Elder-In-ResidenceCeremonies (RSOs)Blessings
Wilderness ProgramHealthy EatingDinner with a Doctor Social Activities
AdvocatesOops HourRSOsCommunity Engagement
Physical
Best Practices: Native American Center
Student Advice to Advisors
Student feedback on advising: Play to student strengths Don’t be a “know it all” Listen and ask questions End on a positive note
Contact Information Katie Nester
[email protected] (970) 382-6903
Elizabeth Perrault [email protected] (970) 247-7225
Admission & Advising: www.fortlewis.edu/advising Native American Center: www.fortlewis.edu/nac
References Adams, D. (1995). Education for Extinction: American Indians and the Boarding School Experience
1875-1928. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas. Coll, J., & Draves, P. (2009). Traditional age students: Worldviews and satisfaction with advising; a
homogenous study of student and advisors. The College Student Affairs Journal, 27(2), 215-223. Crookston, B. (1972). A developmental view of academic advising as teaching. Journal of College
Student Personnel, 13, 12-17. DeVoe, J., & Darling-Churchill, K. (2008). Status and Trends in the Education of American Indians
and Alaska Natives: 2008 (NCES 2008-084). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC.
Federal Indian Appropriation Bill of April 4, 1910, 36 Stat. 269 (1910) Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005). Serving Native American Students. New Directions for
Student Services, no. 109. Hunt, B. & Harrington, C. (2008). The Impending Educational Crisis for American Indians: Higher
Education at the Crossroads. Journal of Multicultural, Gender and Minority Studies, 2(2). Garland, J. (2011). Exploring the College Student Involvement “Research Asterisk”: Identifying and
Rethinking Predictors of American Indian College Student Involvement. National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher Education presentation, 2011 Annual National Institute.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). Graduation rates of first-time postsec students who start as fill-time degree seeking students, by sex, race/ethnicity, time betwn starting and graduating, and lvl and control of inst. where student started: Sl’d cohort entry years, 1996 through 2005. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d10/tables/dt10_341.asp
Springer, M. (2011). Defining the Intricacies, Needs, and Good Work of the Native American Student Services Unit. National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher Education presentation, 2011 Annual National Institute.