Interesting Points of Reading

I found it tough to reflect on one particular point I found interesting from the reading, mostly because I could directly self identify with the material. Coming from a cultural perspective I have presented personal viewpoints about this subject  to Native American serving institutions so they could better understand how to effectively communicate and teach.

Many Native American Students are easily identified as dualists, as I have been, and still am at times. Cognitively as children, many Native people are taught concepts in a hands on setting using examples and displays for learning. This style of learning is nurtured in tribal K-12 schools and creates many difficulties in large university settings because the learning style is drastically different.

Cultural differences also contribute to dualism characterization because many Native Americans are raised  with common teachings among tribes. A large one that I personally have trouble with overcoming is making direct eye contact with people. For many Native Americans making direct eye contact with someone is an act of aggression, which is why many times when I speak to people it is respectful to sit and listen or look else where when speaking. In western society this is not the case and most people are taught to look people in the eye when speaking to them.

A second characteristic among Native people is to remain quiet and listen respectively unless asked to speak. This makes learning and asking questions for Native students difficult to overcome. This was the point I found myself in the reading material of Chapter 8. For myself I have learned to separate my professional life and my personal life to accommodate two styles of learning as well as teaching.