Indigenous Languages For Urban Alaskans

Alaska Native Education and Language Overview Alaska Native education and language are closely knitted together throughout history. During the 19th and 20th centuries, missionaries and Caucasian-dominated governments inflicted English-only schools in Native communities; thereby, damaging the twenty Alaska Native languages and multitude of dialects. A stark contrast rose between the elders and younger generations as the ability to speak their indigenous languages fluently increasingly grew more difficult over time. Thankfully, many corporations and impassioned individuals are actively working to ensure their languages refrain from extinction by creating dictionaries, mobile phone applications, and teaching classes to educate Alaska Natives and others who are interested in learning their indigenous language. Also, the condition of Alaska Native languages have improved with the United States government’s passage of the Native American Languages Act of 1990 and 1992; thus, indirectly improving the education of Alaska Native children.

I had the amazing privilege to serve as an informal ambassador for my country of birth (Italy), clearing up cultural stereotypes, and creating positive connections between two cultures. I had the joy of meeting people from other cultures. Sharing problems, connecting with cultural differences and similarities gave me the opportunity to learn not only about other cultures but also about local and global issues. The desire to understand these issues, and to solve them (like for example immigration issues with Mexican-born people living in the United States) inspired me to apply for the study abroad program-language immersion in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

My next opportunity presented itself with a chance to work with expelled and pre-expulsion Middle School Students at Passage Middle School. This alternative program was very small. In fact the entire program was my classroom. I worked within a

I needed to understand diversity to the ninth degree, so academically I chose to enroll in every course within my degree plan that contained the words “international,” “ethnic,” and “social.” Learning by immersion was a success in my transition to college, so I felt that international immersion within my international courses would be even better. I quickly jumped on the opportunity to participate in the United Kingdom Study Abroad Program to study international communications. The time I spent studying in the UK and traveling across Europe changed my life completely; my eyes were finally opened to the knowledge I always wanted. I departed from the French airport back to America with a more sophisticated understanding of worldviews and a respect for others that will never be

Teaching is an extremely important profession as we are responsible for training up the future generations of our community, country and in effect, the world. In order to be a successful and effective teacher there are some basic skills and competencies that one must possess. The experiences that students have inside (and outside) our classrooms, schools and various other institutes will shape and mould their approach to our subjects and to life in general. Therefore, it requires a certain level of skill and training to be deemed professionally fit to enter into this career path and even then, continuous

I am pursuing a Bachelors of Arts degree in International Security and Conflict Resolution with a Specialization in Environment and Security because it will further assist me in understanding the different cultural, economic and social dilemmas within global conflicts. After graduating from San Diego State University in 2017, I plan to obtain a Master’s degree in

Going into the teaching profession has been my passion for quite some time now. Although teaching can have many different stereotypes and misconceptions, I still choose to continue towards this career. Every job has it’s own stereotypes and misconceptions. I currently work at a school, which has offered me a lot of on the job training for my future career. My current job has allowed me to see the different stereotypes and misconceptions that come along with the teaching career field. I am fortunate to already be working in my career field so I can prepare for the future stereotypes and misconceptions when I am a teacher of my own classroom.

There I study Russian and German in addition to my personal study of Polish. Throughout my college experience I have studied at Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II in Lublin, Poland during the Summer of 2013 and Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg in Freiburg, Germany during the 2014 Fall Semester. In the past year I also taught English and Sports in Nerekhta, Russia at the International Youth Center (Международный молодежный центр) through the summer of 2014. I also was the 2014 United States Delegate for the G(irls)20 Summit in Sydney, Australia, which is how I discovered Girl’s Globe. Before interning at Peace Women, I interned at the Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute where I helped to empower local girls in the United States. On campus I enjoy being the training coordinator for Seton Hall’s Model United Nations Team as well as running events in correspondence with Girl UP of the United Nations Foundation and Seton Hall’s SAVE club (The Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act). I hope to continue my work towards the protection of adolescent girls in tandem with women’s rights following my

I have taught students ranging from five years old to nineteen years of age. Hence, being an educator, I have learned that learning is always shifting, therefore I must keep improving with the incessant changes. As a little girl, I have always dreamt of being a teacher and I have carried out that dream. My career journey started as a substitute teacher, a floater between classrooms, an assistant teacher, a teacher, a center supervisor, and an educational supervisor. I presently work as an Educational consultant for Danya International LLC. As an Educational Consultant, I able to review and aid with the learning environment of teachers and educational management in a school

I believe that education is the key in developing today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders. Education is the basis on which individuals develop their self-concept and the desire to become more knowledgeable. I want to become an educator because I am interested in helping elementary students become active learners and also to assist with their social skills. I believe I can make a difference to many students as they start their educational foundation. I feel that all teachers should possess the desire to devote their hard work and efforts to their students’ educational success. I view teaching as not only one of the most respected careers, but also as one in which the rewards are great and many

I always thought I would be a teacher and I would make differences in lives and it would be the greatest experience in the world for me, yet being a teacher wasn’t enough, I had a need to expand my education. I decided that perhaps I needed a new career, however, I felt certain education remained my passion. I began to explore new areas of education and I realized I still want to be a member of a classroom, a school and curriculum. I aspire to guide those leading our classrooms.

Most believe that Native American live deep within temperate forests, but one tribe lives within a much colder and frigid climate. This tribe is known as the Inuits. Inuit means “The Real People” (Santella 5). A group of Inuits traveled to the Americas from Asia, and they went towards the north pole. They eventually settled in the Arctic regions and began to thrive (7). They are widely dispersed throughout the Siberian, Alaskan, Canadian, and Greenland regions (6). The Inuits have an interesting history, lifestyle, and religion.

In my 24 years of experience employed with the Department of Education I have found that working with children watching as they grow is inspiring as much as it is rewarding. Teaching helps one to sharpen their skills on all levels for the curriculum is forever changing. Being an educator has its challenging moments but its something I want to accomplish. To be successful at educating others I must continue to grow, increase and improve within.

Alaska, “The Last Frontier”, is home to 739,828 people, 33,277 of those people live in the state capitol of Juneau. The state of Alaska is one fifth the size of the lower 48 states. Only 20% of Alaska’s roads are paved therefore travelling is difficult by vehicle so many people fly, boat, use ATVs or snowmobiles to get around. There are 11 different cultures of the Alaskan native Indians, among those cultures there are 11 different languages and 22 different dialects. (State of Alaska, 2017)

My decision to be a teacher did not come easily to me. This choice was dependent on a reflection about what I was passionate about and how I could make a difference. I have chosen to become a teacher, as I believe teachers have the ability to provide future generations the stimulation for one of the most significant roles in life; to become a lifelong learner. Many teachers that I have had during my education have had a positive impact on my decision to grow and develop the skills that are fundamental to pursue a successful teaching career. My aim is to be a part of an honorable profession with the optimism that one day I will become an efficacious teacher who can provide future teachers with inspiration, as my teachers have provided for me. Through personal educational experiences and peer-reviewed academic literature, I am able to shape my approach to my pre-service teaching, as it will influence my future practice. As a teacher, there is not just one singular approach to educating students; there is a need for flexibility, diversity, adaptation and reflection.