Pre-service and veteran teachers learn together at conference

On Thursday, October 15, four pre-service teachers from Aaniiih Nakoda College (ANC) and their instructor presented a workshop to an audience of teachers from across the state of Montana who were gathered in Billings for the annual MEA/MFT Educators' Conference. The presentation, "Evaluating Picture Books," shared their experiences with using a rubric to select picture books that align with the Common Core State Standards to complement content area curriculum while also meeting the literacy standards. The workshop provided an extension to a learning experience in EDU 383: Assessment in Education, a course taught by Dr. Donna L. Miller.

To complete Learning Experience #7, students selected a standard from the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for one content area at the grade level for which they are currently doing their junior field experience. Then, they selected three picture books with potential for meeting that standard. To determine which book would most effectively fulfill that objective and support their students' achievement, the pre-service teachers designed a rubric for assessing each one. Their rubric featured a modified list of criteria originally developed in 1978 by Dilys Evans, founder of Dilys Evans' Fine Illustration, who summarized ten characteristics that she believes all outstanding picture books have in common. Based on this list of criteria, the pre-service teachers read and assessed each text, assigning it a score.

Once they had identified a winner, the assessor selected a literacy standard also supported by the picture book. Because the developers of the CSSS recognize the value of learning to read, write, speak, listen, and use language effectively in a variety of content areas, the Core specifies the literacy skills and understandings required for college and career readiness in multiple disciplines. Students wrote objectives to meet both the content standard and this suitable literacy standard. If the book further supported one of the Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians, these pre-service teachers embraced that idea as a way to meet the Indian Education for All mandate. Then, they each constructed a presentation board to illustrate their findings.

From this learning experience, Jessica Cochran discovered that teaching the concept of seasons to first graders would be enhanced by Dave Horowitz's book The Ugly Pumpkin, who realizes he's a squash, oh my gosh! Horowitz's book facilitates the meeting of Science Content Standard 4, as well as Literacy Standard W.9, enabling students to say, "I can identify seasons and explain the difference between weather and climate."

For teaching the concept of the color wheel to second graders, Michelle Crazy shared that Bear Sees Colors by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman not only supports Art Content Standard 2 but also the first reading standard for literature.

In her search for a book that will help third graders to understand the concept of nocturnal creatures, Kayla Leo selected Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, which meets both Science Content Standard 3 and benchmark number 3 of the Reading Standards for Informational Text.

To empower students in their understanding of the impact of human interaction and cultural diversity on societies, Social Studies Content Standard 6, Shaylea Tatsey determined that Storm Maker's Tipi by Paul Goble, as well as The Star People: A Lakota Story by S.D. Nelson were only separated by a single point. "I also think Buffalo Woman by Paul Goble is a good picture book to use for this standard," Tatsey told the audience. Tatsey's presentation further detected how these three books address Essential Understandings 1 and 2 and can be used by teachers of art as well as those who teach math and wishing to fulfill objectives such as congruence and similarity in geometric reasoning. "This project taught me that picture books have a lot more information and learning activities to offer than the pure enjoyment of reading," Tatsey stated; "they're not just useful in language arts classes where we focus on key ideas and details or craft and structure."

Although Melinda Jones was unable to travel

to Billings, she sent her presentation board, which reveals her examination of The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin and David Shannon, Crazy Horse's Vision by Joseph Bruchac, and Brave Wolf and the Thunderbird by Joe Medicine Crow. The latter won out in her application of the rubric, a book that Jones determined as useful in teaching Essential Understanding 3, which speaks to the ideologies of Native traditional beliefs and spirituality as persisting into modern life. She further suggests that this book can facilitate a student's ability to discuss and identify similarities as well as differences between two cultures.

During the workshop, as these four EDU 383 students discussed their experiences with using Dilys Evans' list of criteria, they reported that they realized quite early in the assessment process that rubrics have limitations. "The rubric made no mention of audience appeal," reported Jessica Cochran, "and teachers want to engage their students with a story."

Michelle Crazy considered the importance of a balance between text and pictures, saying that "students want a book that will entertain and be aesthetically pleasing at the same time teachers are looking for one that will inform."

Kayla Leo mentioned the rubric's lack of a score point for presenting credible information. "Teachers need to know that a book is giving accurate information," she said.

From these observations, Dr. Miller led the workshop attendees in a discussion during which she invited their participation in developing a more accurate rubric for evaluating picture books in their classrooms.

Besides the ten items on the Dilys Evans' list, workshop participants decided that a rubric would not be complete without categories to assess Content, Reading Level, and Audience Appeal.

After Miller asked what those might look like, the group collaboratively resolved that Content would include such descriptors as credible information, authenticity, rich language (vocabulary) cultural relativism, and relatable content; that Reading Level would encompass text complexity, age/grade appropriate vocabulary, clear purpose or use considerations, and flexibility across age and grade levels; and that Audience Appeal would consider a reader's affective response and ability to make connections; a book's relevance to both culture and context and its ability to match the demographic or the context in which it will be used; in addition to its media excellence (artistic technique) and how well it balances pictures and text. "A book with audience appeal must also hook readers, grabbing their attention early so that they will continue reading or paying attention," one workshop participant suggested.

During a discussion of the age-appropriateness and interdisciplinary power of picture books, Miller commented that she frequently used picture books when she taught high school English. As an example, she shared Thomas Locker's Water Dance, a non-fiction account of the water cycle. The narrative begins with the rain, and readers travel with the water as it progresses to the sea and then back to evaporation to once again become rain. Although the book lends itself to use in a science lesson, Miller reported using Locker's book to teach concepts such as personification, parallel structure, and the effective use of participles, she claims that it additionally works to teach a multitude of other literacy aptitudes as well as an art lesson on watercolor.

"Picture books also make good mentor texts for writers," Miller said. "As nascent writers read, teachers can strategically steer their inquiry, leading them to notice how writers use punctuation in powerful ways to craft their texts, how writers use description effectively to enhance their texts, or how writers craft a particular genre so that it is compelling for readers. As they notice and name these features, producing them may follow."

After the presentation, the group received several compliments and comments of appreciation from the audience, who conducted a gallery walk of the posters and asked questions of the presenters. The students' advisor from MSU-Billings, Kathy Holt joined the workshop at this point, admiring their work and telling them that Lynette Schwalbe, the instructor for EDU 353: Junior Field Experience, "will be so impressed."

For attending the conference, Schwalbe will award each of these four students with five hours of observation credit toward their 65 hours required for junior field experience. Holt talked with the quartet for a period of time and took pictures of them and their work to share with MSU-B colleagues. Their presentation boards will also be on display in Little River Learning Lodge on ANC's campus.

About their conference experience, the group admitted their initial nervousness. As they were setting up for the workshop, one member said, "I feel sick."

Another noted some deep cleansing breaths and asked, "Dr. Miller, you're not nervous, are you?"

Despite these initial jitters, at the workshop's conclusion, Dr. Miller thanked the quartet for "being fabulous."

One member of the group reported having enjoyed herself, another "had a blast," and Michelle Crazy said, "Thank you for the experience. I had so much fun and appreciate everything you do for us."

The ANC teacher training cohort, which also includes Terri Long Fox and Johnathan Walker, will perform their student teaching this coming spring semester. They hope to graduate in May 2016 with their Bachelor of Science Education degrees in Elementary Education Broadfield.

The ultimate goal of the Nee-tha-hatsa-nak/Wa'Uspe-Wicakiya Preparation Program at Aaniiih Nakoda College (ANC) has been to prepare teachers who possess the personal experience, connection to community, and academic preparation needed to increase teaching effectiveness and to improve Indian student achievement.

ANC undertook this important goal, by making a professional teacher training program available for American Indians living on and near the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and hoping to address the shortage of American Indian teachers throughout Montana and across the United States.

The seven teacher candidates-Jessica Cochran, Michelle Crazy, Melinda Jones, Kayla Leo, Terri Long Fox, Shaylea Tatsey, and Johnathan Walker-will be looking for teaching jobs in the fall of 2016.