To Remain an Indian: Lessons in Democracy from a Century of Native American Education (Multicultural Education (Cloth)) (Hardcover)

by K. Tsianina Lomawaima (Author), Teresa L. McCarty (Author)
Key Phrases: dangerous cultural difference, immersion students, tribal sovereignty, American Indian, Native American, Indian Service (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
''To Remain an Indian represents a unique and essential contribution because of its foundation of deep respect for Indigenous knowledge, community values, and students. While it is a must-read for Indigenous scholars and educators, this book offers an important message for all educators about the impact of federal policy and the importance of local communities' participation in education.'' -- Harvard Educational Review

''An excellent book. It is timely; it is important. It is well-written, thoroughly grounded in the research, and well-reasoned. It is also not a book that will lend itself to a single reading. I recommend it highly.'' -- TC Record

''The authors offer a thesis that convincingly relates history, indigenous epistemologies, and American democracy. The core of this book is its success stories…it offers a balm against despair [and] provides an inspiring theoretical frame for those who continue to fight for indigenous control.'' -- Tribal College Journal

''Each chapter is a gem that expands this revelation across the sweeping panorama of schools from the nation's capital all the way to Hawaii. Summing up: highly recommended.'' -- CHOICE Magazine

''A portrait of the journey of American Indian education over the past century, To Remain an Indian takes readers from instruction in Native homes and languages, to a critical evaluation of U.S. education policies and practices from the early 20th century.'' -- Inside Teachers College Newsletter

''The authors provide examples of numerous self-determined initiatives, such as bilingual education and Native charter schools, that remain responsive to the multifaceted needs of Indigenous communities and avoid the kind of essentialism charactering colonial education. These examples of successful civic endeavors provide the critical lessons of democracy the book's title promises to deliver.'' --Great Plains Quarterly

Product Description
What might we learn from Native experiences with schools to help us forge a new vision of the democratic ideal - a critical democracy that respects, protects, and promotes diversity and human rights? In this fascinating portrait of American Indian education over the past century, the authors critically evaluate U.S. education policies and practices - from early 20th century federal incarnations of colonial education through the contemporary standards movement. In the process, they reveal the falseness of fears attached to notions of "dangerous cultural difference," and convey the promise of diversity as a source of national strength. Featuring the voices and experiences of Native individuals that official history has silenced and pushed aside, this text: proposes a theoretical framework of the "safety zone" to explain shifts in federal educational policies and practices over the past century; offers lessons learned from Indigenous America's fight to protect and assert educational self-determination; overturns stereotypes of American Indians as one-dimensional learners; argues that the struggle to revitalize and maintain Indigenous languages is a fundamental human right; and, examines the standards movement as the most recent attempt to control the "dangerous difference" allegedly presented by students of color, poor and working class students, and English language learners in U.S. schools.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 213 pages
• Publisher: Teachers College Press (July 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807747173
• ISBN-13: 978-0807747179
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,829,489 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)