Educators in Deep
FreezeEducators in Deep
FreezeEducators from San Juan County traveled to Siberia January
4, 1996, to meet with their Russian counterparts.
The group presented their own methods and programs on bilingual
education to the National Teacher Conference in Moscow. After
two days in the Russian capitol, they traveled by Trans-Siberian
Railroad to Kanty-Nansyisk in Siberia. From there, they took a
helicopter to the Tumen Province of Siberia where they worked
with their Russian counterparts who are involved in bilingual
education.
They spent four days in Moscow on the return trip where they stayed
with Russian families.
The participants were Garth Wilson and Clayton Long from the College
of Eastern Utah, San Juan Campus, Diana Cortez and Shirley Waite
from the State Office of Education, and Pete Black, Bill Todachinnie,
Lynette Johnson, Tony Turk, Jim Dandy, Don Mose, and Eric Aasheim
from the San Juan School District.
Through the years that I have worked as an educator in the San Juan School District, I have always had a great interest in the Navajo culture and the Bilingual programs in our district. Because of the work I have done in curriculum development for the district, I have had the opportunity to travel Moscow and Siberia. While in Siberia, I realized how much our experience in San Juan School District has to offer to the development of a Bilingual Program in Siberia. Particularly, the program at the Cultural-Anthropological School in Kazym.
My heart went out to the Cultural Curriculum Specialist who reminded me so much of myself when I first started in curriculum development. She faced the excitement and challenge that is ahead of her in dealing with her own Khanty-Mansi Culture. I feel we can be a great asset to her challenge, our experience being a stepping-stone to her progress. I feel that we have similar problems in our district, therefore, our gains can be shared and learned from.
I feel strongly that the administrators need to be convinced of the vast importance of preserving, strengthening, and supporting the language and culture of the Khanty-Mansi. Technology can have an important role in this process. I would like to help convince them of the relevance of computer technology in preserving culture. It is for this reason I feel so strongly that our 'Ndahoo'aah program is successful and should be shared.
I hope to see our high school students work together and investigate the similarities of the two cultures. This will include languages, ceremonies, dances, songs, and philosophies. This cultural exchange will be a good resource for students to be proud of their own culutre along with the learning of another similar to our own.
I will never forget first meeting the Khanty people in their village. It felt as though I was greeting my own people. When leaving, I felt a warm sense of unity, and I knew that this was not the end. Our educational purposes are the same. Together, we will help each other preserve our culture for the younger generations of today and for those to come.
Copyright 1996-2000