Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/a-program-showcase-mother-earths-childrens-charter-school/5019192/
An elder told a story of a man in a sweat lodge who cursed when a hot ember from the fire landed on his bare leg. Laughingly he told the man he should thank the fire because it just kissed him. By the end of the sweat, the man didn’t have a mark on him from the ember...It was while I listened to the elder’s story of the ember I grasped the power of hope in the indigenous way of learning (Janzen & Skalski, 2009).In the indigenous understandings, each child is a gift, and it is the community’s responsibility to care for the child in a way that allows the gifts of the child to grow into skills that ultimately produce caring and responsible children who willingly contribute back to the community. This understanding is encapsulated in Brendtro, Brokenleg, and Van Bockern’s Circle of Courage (McIntyre, n.d.). Children have a need for:
* Belonging (I mean something to you)
* Mastery (I am good at something)
* Independence (I have power to make decisions)
* Generosity (I have a purpose in life)
In the indigenous way, skills are developed through practice, hands-on experience. ...