Seminar: Indigenous Literature as a Window into Social and Emotional Learning
Program: DINÉ
Subject Area: Other
Grade Level: 6th
Year of Publication: 2022
Abstract
In this unit I will be teaching Navajo language and culture. The first part of school year I usually teach about “self”. Meaning that students will learn and discover about their identity, their simple but complex culture. They will learn about the Navajo morals about character building. I have noticed and have been reading about student behavior and what triggers the action, and often the student is sent to a detention or counseling office and stay there until the end of school or until something is resolved. Sometimes their problems may get resolved with having the student talk about their actions, but then the tension is still there with that one class or that one teacher. Students come from home or go home with social and or emotional problems that may have started with a simple tease or a simple action that turned into problems, and they hold on to it not knowing what to do until it’s no longer controlled, then it’s taken out on someone or something. By then what do they face? Many consequences or more problems. So, they show emotions of fear, anger, frustrations, confusion. And most often they would isolate themselves from friends, family, class, etc.