Dances with teachers

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, August 24, 2006

More and more professors are stepping out of the classroom for lesson inspiration. The latest example comes from Montana State University-Billings, where educators spent five nights this summer on an American Indian reservation, living in teepees to get a first-hand lesson in the cultures of the Northern Cheyenne tribe.

The program was created by American Indian Education for All, a statewide statute designed to recognize the cultural heritage of American Indians. Also collaborating on the project were faculty from Chief Dull Knife College and the tribe's historic preservation office. The professors watched Cheyenne dancers, listened to Cheyenne storytellers and shared a traditional meal. High school teachers and professors are expected to create a lesson plan on American Indians in Montana to use in the classroom.