Seminar: Native Law
Program: DINÉ
Subject Area: Social Studies
Grade Level: 7th
Year of Publication: 2020
Abstract
In this unit I will be teaching the students in the Navajo classes about using the Navajo teaching morals to reinforce peacekeeping, also called peacemaking, which can lead to conflict resolution between student and student, or student and teacher.
This will be used as an alternative to normal school procedures. For example, usually once a student acts up or becomes uncooperative because of an action triggered by something in or out of school, the student is sent to a detention office and stays there until the end of the school day or until the next class period. Sometimes problems may get resolved there, but the tension may remain between the student and the class. Students come with problems that may have started at home, or with friends teasing them, or with relationship problems, and they hold onto their feelings until they’re no longer controlled and they take them out on someone. Peacemaking has the potential to more effectively resolve the resulting conflict and the classroom tension.