2023-2024 California Indian Education for All Calendar of Events
The SDCOE and CIEFA invite PK-12 educators, administrators, Title VI committee members, Tribal Education staff, college/university faculty, school board members, and tribal community members to attend events on our 23-24 CIEFA calendar. Presenters and participants will share resources and programs related to American Indian Education, place-based learning, CA Native American Studies model curriculum, culturally responsive literacy, Native Youth Leadership, Native family and tribal community engagement, and improvement strategies to facilitate Native community leadership and agency in schools. We welcome those who share a commitment for improving belongingness, access, opportunities, and support to allow American Indian students to thrive in school.
2023/24 Ensuring Excellence and Equitable Learning for All American Indian Students Training Series
The SDCOE and CIEFA have a newly designed 2023/24 Ensuring Excellence and Equitable Learning for All American Indian Students Training Series. All trainings and resources are aligned to the SDCOE Equity Blueprint for Action. PK-12 educators, administrators, Title VI committee members, Tribal Education staff, and SDCOE American Indian Education Talking Circle Network members are invited to a free American Indian Education Leaders Training Series. As a community, we will gather to learn from American Indian Education experts to learn and share effective practices for engaging Native families and tribal communities. This series will provide resources to improve the educational programs for Native youth and families. This Community of Practice will share resources and programs in K-12 education related to American Indian Education, Title VI, tribal consultation protocols, tribal educational sovereignty, culturally responsive instructional materials, Native Youth Leadership, community engagement, and improvement strategies to facilitate Native community leadership and agency in schools. We welcome those who share a commitment for improving access, opportunities, and support to allow American Indian students to thrive in school. All live training will be digitized and placed in micro-courses with accompanying resources for ongoing professional learning.
Future institutes will include:
- May 2024 - Tribal Attendance Promising Practices Virtual Institute with Dr. Mona Halcomb
- September 2024 - Effective Practices in Indian Education Institute in San Diego County
Select the date you would like to register for below:
Blanket Exercise: Indigenous Empowerment and Resilience Training
The SDCOE and CIEFA are working with the National Indian Education Association to facilitate an Indigenous Empowerment and Resilience Training and Blanket Exercise. The Kairos Blanket Exercise program is a unique, participatory history lesson — developed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers and educators — that fosters truth, understanding, respect and reconciliation among Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.The Blanket Exercise is an experiential learning tool that leads a group of participants through 500+ years of Indigenous history that highlights our relationship with European explorers, colonial settlers, and the U.S. federal and state governments. The Blanket Exercise is an experiential learning tool that leads a group of participants through 500+ years of Indigenous history that highlights our relationship with European explorers, colonial settlers, and the U.S. federal and state governments. The Blanket Exercise was first created in Canada and has been used to educate general populations there and in the United States and in many other parts of the world. The Exercise does engage participants both intellectually and emotionally and can in some instances effect individuals deeply. All in-person Blanket Exercises will be held from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. PDT
Select the date you would like to register for below.
Native Ways of Knowing LIVE Webinars
Supporting Literacy and Culturally Responsive Instruction for Native American Students
San Diego County Office of Education and California Indian Education for All are hosting a free, Native Ways of Knowing Webinar Series. K-12 educators and leaders are invited to learn from several renowned Native American professors, scholars, and change makers. Participants will access free culturally responsive resources to improve representations and classroom climates for teaching and learning about California's first peoples. Live and interactive webinars are designed for participants to gain knowledge on supporting literacy, cultural competency, and culturally responsive instruction for Native American students. Each session will include access to free, open-source lesson plans, resources, and instructional materials.
Participants will reflect on the following:
- Whose stories do we chose to promote?
- How can we design more actively-centered Native stories and experiences?
- How can we use children's books to broaden our community conversation about race and decolonization?
- What ways can schools design programs and structures to honor Native Ways of Knowing?
All live, virtual webinars will be held on select Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. PDT
Register at: https://sdcoe.k12oms.org/902-224595
Audience: PK-12 teachers, administrators, tribal education staff, and school librarians
Native Ways of Knowing Book List
Decolonizing and Indigenizing Classrooms and Libraries
To help educators and parents choose high-quality Indigenous authored books, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) and California Indian Education (CIEFA) have designed this Native Ways of Knowing Book List: Decolonizing and Indigenizing Classrooms and Libraries. These books have been vetted by Native American scholars, CIEFA, and SDCOE staff. Please consider adding these insightful and vibrant Indigenous authored books to your school, classroom, or home library. Adding these books to your classroom will help teach young readers empathy, courage, resilience, sovereignty, and Native Ways of Knowing. These suggested Indigenous authors and illustrators utilize Indigenous storytelling and convey the breadth of Native cultures and sovereignty.
INDIGENIZED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Native Ways of Knowing Micro-Courses
Champion student learning while teaching the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of California Native Peoples
San Diego County Office of Education and California Indian Education for All (CIEFA) will be hosting Native Ways of Knowing micro-courses. Educators and leaders are invited to learn from Native American educational, cultural, and tribal experts. Digital resources and Native Ways of Knowing micro-courses will liberate teachers and schools to educate students about the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of California Native peoples. Educators and leaders will learn how to champion Indigenous education and design programs that support cultural and linguistic preservation and revitalization. The culturally responsive resources shared will improve representations and classroom climates for teaching and learning about California's First Peoples.
American Indian Education Talking Circle
San Diego County Office of Education and California Indian Education for All are hosting monthly American Indian Education Talking Circles. SDCOE and CIEFA are committed to closing the opportunity gap that exists between American Indian students and their peers. As a community, we will gather once a month to share our strengths and knowledge to improve the educational programs for Native youth. During monthly Talking Circles district/school American Indian Education Directors, Title VI TOSAs , tribal education leaders, and Title VI leaders are invited to learn from Native American education and tribal education experts. Meetings will discuss how to ensure Indigenous cultural values and history are honored and truthfully represented in schools. This Community of Practice will share resources and programs in K-12 education related to American Indian education and improvement strategies that are culturally responsive approaches based on holistic connections to tribal knowledge and Indigenous identity. Sessions include new resources and opportunities to engage with Native American professionals in the field. We welcome those who share a commitment for improving access, opportunities, and supports to allow American Indian students to thrive in school.
Monthly meeting topics and trainings will include:
- Tribal Consultation Toolkit
- Title VI Programs
- AI/AN Student Success
- Understanding Sovereignty
- Innovative Tribal Education Programs
- Indigenous Language Preservation
- AI/AN Family and Community Engagement
- Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Learning
- UC Opportunity Plan
- AI/AN College and Career Support
- Native American Studies Model Curriculum
- Grant Funding Updates
All live, virtual meetings will be held on select Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. PDT
Register at: https://sdcoe.k12oms.org/902-223504
Audience: District AI/AN Education Directors, Title VI TOSAs, Tribal Education Directors, and Title VI Leaders
About Us
MISSION
Our mission is to help teachers and schools educate children and youth about the diverse histories, cultures and contributions of California Native peoples.
GOAL
Our goal is to create culturally responsive resources that improve representations and classroom climates for teaching and learning about California's first people.