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Education students practice profession by teaching Native traditions

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PABLO – Elk hides, games, and economics were on the agenda March 9 at Salish Kootenai College, as student teachers spent the day giving brief overviews of the changes on the Flathead Indian Reservation to students from C.S. Porter Middle School in Missoula. The future teachers are part of SKC instructor Doug Ruhman’s Intro to Indian Education class.

“It’s a great chance for them to get their feet in the water as far as teaching kids,” Ruhman said.

During the morning session, SKC students broke down the history of the Salish and Kootenai Tribes into four stations, focusing on economic, political, spiritual and educational changes on the reservation from 1800 to 1910.

After lunch, a new group of future teachers came in to teach about the cultural history of the tribes, including hunting and gathering, communal activities, sacredness of life, the environment, and the changes in education tribal members endured in the past 200 years.

SKC senior Merle McCready says he enjoyed preparing and then teaching the young students about the rich historical heritage of the tribes.

He even learned some interesting facts.

“It gives perspective on the history back then when Christians came to the Valley and cultures mixed,” McCready said. “I didn’t know about the wars and fights they had, or the culture of the Medicine man. I learned a lot about spirituality.”

“We organized into groups built around the Flathead Indian Reservation’s history,” Ruhman said. “It connects to cultural responsibility in education, and that’s what we’re doing at this school.”

The event was the first collaboration between SKC and C.S. Porter Schools. Ruhman believed his hardworking class was a successful learning experience for both the teachers and students.

“This year I’ve had a fantastic group of students,” he said.

“They’re very knowledgeable and have been great.”

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