The Teacher Leadership Shiłgozhóó Institute (TLSI)

In 2025, the Institute for Native-serving Educators is sponsoring two TLSI seminars.  Teachers accepted as Fellows into the TLSI program will receive a certificate of completion indicating up to 65 hours of professional development, will complete a culturally sustaining and responsive curriculum unit to implement in their classrooms, and will receive a stipend to supplement costs not covered by the INE (i.e. travel/lodging/ meals).

Educating About and With Technology: Empowering Indigenous Students and Communities (Catharyn Shelton & Ashley Esparza)

This seminar looks at the role of new technologies in schools and youth culture, focusing on teaching practices to support and engage Indigenous students and communities. We will explore two main areas: teaching about technology and teaching with technology. First, participants will learn how to teach children about technology, including how it works, how to use it safely and responsibly, and how it affects our lives. Next, we will learn how to teach with technology across academic content areas, focusing on ways to design and use technology in classrooms through the lens of culturally sustaining and responsive education.  No prior experience with technology is needed. This seminar is a space for learning and growing together, no matter your starting skill level and is intended for K-12 educators. K-12 teachers will be engaged in discussions, with readings and activities. The teachers will identify teaching topics and develop a curriculum unit that is relevant for their students and implement them in their classrooms.

TLSI Seminar schedule 2025 Shelton & Esparza*

Downloadable PDF above *please share with your administrator

The Complexities of Apache History: Western Apachean Peoples After the “Apache Wars” (Marcus Macktima)

This seminar will examine how Apache history has been viewed and interpreted through a Western lens, creating misconceptions of Apachean peoples as one group of Apache rather than diverse groups of peoples. The name “Apache” is a misnomer and insinuates that ALL Apachean peoples are the same, when this is far from the truth. Educators in this seminar will engage with diverse cultural perspectives to understand moments in “Apache” history including a review of the separation of the reservation into the two respective tribes (White Mountain and San Carlos Apache), the implementation of the Indian Reorganization Act, and the contemporary issues of 20th and early 21st centuries. K-12 teachers will engage with readings, activities, and videos to identify relationships that can be made between the history, culture, and identity of “Apache” peoples with teaching practices that are culturally sustaining and responsive to make learning more relevant for students.

TLSI Seminar schedule 2025 Macktima*

Downloadable PDF above *please share with your administrator

Benefits of program participation

• Increased knowledge of best practices in culturally responsive curriculum development
• Completion of a published, self-authored curriculum unit for use in your classroom
• Recognition by the school/district of their accomplishments
• Faculty affiliate status at Northern Arizona University during the program dates, which gives full access to Cline Library resources
• A certificate indicating their completion of 60 hours of professional development
• Access to colleague’s self-authored curriculum units for use in your classroom
• Networking and learning from other educators in Native-serving schools
• A stipend provided upon program completion

Applications due: Friday, February 14, 2025

Application Process

Step 1: Get your principal’s support

You will need to confirm that your principal supports your application. Please discuss this with your principal before you apply.

Step 2: Confirm your eligibility 

Please carefully read the “Eligibility criteria” and “Expectations of accepted applicants” sections to confirm your eligibility. This includes ensuring that you can attend ALL in-person and virtual meetings.

Eligibility criteria

1. Employed as a K-12 teacher full-time in a school serving Apache students
2. Employed in a publicly-funded or tribally-funded school in Arizona
3. Completed at least one full year of teaching
4. Ability to attend ALL meetings in-person and online meetings (See 2025 TLSI Program Calendar here Shelton & Esparza) (See 2025 TLSI Program Calendar Macktima)
5. *Garner support from your school principal to participate in the program by providing them with a copy of the seminar description and schedule to ensure they understand the level of commitment asked of you to participate. Please have this conversation prior to applying to TLSI

Teachers must also commit to remaining in the classroom in their current district or school on the Native Nation for at least three years. Due to the workload, first-year teachers are not typically a good fit for the TLSI.

Time Commitment 

Through successful completion of TLSI, you will earn up to 65 Seat Hours for Professional Development which entails:

• (1) 2.5-hour online seminar meeting
• (5) 1.5-hour online seminar meetings
• (1) 4-day in-person summer residency at NAU’s Flagstaff campus
• (3) 1-day Saturday seminar meetings (1 at NAU’s Flagstaff campus, 2 on Tribal Homelands)
• Attend the American Indian/Indigenous Teacher Education Conference
• Attend 1-day in-person Showcase in November at NAU’s Flagstaff campus
• Scheduled time for reading/writing each week

Step 3: Submit your application

The application is completed via Google forms, which requires you to complete and submit the entire application at one time. Please be sure you allow sufficient time to do this; we recommend approximately one hour. 

The application includes two questions that should be answered in 300-600 words. The questions are:

“Part of the TLSI’s mission is to work with teachers who are leaders in their schools or communities. How do you demonstrate leadership in your role as a teacher?”

&

“Please explain why you are interested in your FIRST choice seminar topic, and describe a specific way you could integrate this seminar topic into your teaching.”

It may be helpful to draft your response in a Word/Google Document (or something similar) then copy and paste your response into the application when you are ready to submit. 

Step 4: Notification of acceptance

The Institute for Native-serving Educators will inform you of your application status by March 3, 2025.  If you are selected to be a fellow of TLSI in 2025, you will receive information about this year’s seminar topics. 

Ready to get started?

Apply to TLSI!

Click the link above to be taken to the application page.