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| Just Amazing by � giwinadisikwe I am a teacher at a shinabe school here in northern minnesota. My students are wonderful, dreadful, hyperactive, quiet, excited, excitable 7th and 8th graders. This last school year we did some activities around stereotypes in the world. When they handed in their writing I thought I lost them all. I was looking for them to find something they found to be a sterotype and give me 3 facts to back up why the sterotype was arguable. The responses I got back were helarious, if they handed in anything at all (a typical response from an 8th grader) but I chalked it up to --- well i get these guys next year for US and Tribal Government we will take another stab at it and let it go. Then a week ago I went to a meeting on Racism here in Bemidji. Bemidji is your typical - next to a rez town, with a ton of norwegians and germans. We commonly refer to their treatment as "Minnesota Nice"....lol....but anyway I got to the meeting and lo and behold there was one of my students. Not just one of my students, but one of the ones who loves to goof around and talk in class and you think she is never paying attention. Well the facilitator had asked her and her friend to help moderate with the talking stick. Perfect for her, he must know her already I thought to myself. Well in the midst of discussion about recent incidents in Bemidji and a run we are putting together, a white guy stands up and talks. His discussion starts with him explaining his roots and why he understands our plight. He then starts discussing the wonderful statues we have around bemidji - this isn't an exact quote but "the city of bemidji continues to promote sterotypes such as..." well i didn't hear the rest of his comments, because behind me I hear a familar voice say "Sterotypes, hey I know, what that is, Tami, (which I then look back), you taught me what sterotypes were....." She then begins to explain to her friend what they are, gave her examples and even brought it back to what the guy was discussing. I was so proud of her. I thought about it ever sense.....It just goes to show, never underestimate a young persons mind. They can think and do a million things at the same time. miigwetch for listening,,,,,,,,giwii |
