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| Stephen Joyce |
Yesterday I woke up just in time to take a shower and eat breakfast before we left for DLSBS. On the van ride over I sat next to Mr. Saulle, and we talked about the differences between Central and DLSBS. For me I see the classes at DLSBS as less structured than Central and even my grade school. I first noticed this when the students switched classes without a bell. I still question the effectiveness of this approach. Although some proponents of a "no-bell" school argue that it prepares students for the real world, I think that may cause some confusion for the younger, more struggling students.
From there, we went to Language Arts and the students started a review worksheet on punctuation in quotations. After the students corrected their papers, we moved on to Life Science. Yesterday's lesson was on seeds in fruit, and each student had two pieces of fruit which they cut in half to examine the seeds. Last week the fifth grade did an experiment with beans in dry and moist environments. Each table got one of the four containers, two were set in a dry environment and the other two were in a moist one. They recorded the changes in the beans and drew what the beans looked like now. After Life Science we went to lunch, and after lunch we went to Native Studies. This was by far my favorite class that I have sat in on for the past two days. The teacher who comes in once a week to teach this class started the class with an introduction by every student. "OKI NII TA NIK KO Stephen Joyce" translates from the Blackfeet language to "Hello, my name is Stephen Joyce." She told us of the seven Indian reservations in Montana and that there is an eighth trying to gain the same rights as the other seven. She told us that the Blackfeet people consists of the North Peigan, the South Piegan, the Blood Nation, and the Siksika Nation. She gave us papers that showed the stars at any given moment.
After Native Studies the fifth grade went to P.E. The P.E. teacher had the girls practice volleyball because they had a game that night against the Browning Middle School. It turns out that the girls upset the Browning Indians and won the game. We went from P.E. to religion class. Because the school had mass today, the students practiced their readings. I think that it is interesting to note that mass is supposed to be on Thursday, but it is taking place on Wednesday this week because there is a funeral on Thursday. We were told that this parish has more funerals per year than every other parish in Montana. The abuse of alcohol is in my opinion an epidemic on the rez. We were told that Friday and Saturday nights are extremely dangerous to be on the streets because of the drunken drivers. Although some of the residents may be used to having so many funerals, it is still extremely unsettling and unnerving for me to think of all the lives that have been cut short because of alcohol. While practicing for mass I noticed that some kids are behind the level of reading that they should be. One student in particular would substitute words into the reading that were not even there, which would change the message of the passage. This is very sad for me but it is understandable because before attending DLSBS students did not receive the same personalized education in K-3 at the local public school.
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| Stephen Joyce closely examines an authentic war bonnett from the nineteenth century |
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| Native selections in the DLSBS Library |
Before DLSBS, the students were forced to take part in a broken system which neglects their varying wants and needs. As a result of the public school's lack of preparation, the 4th and 5th grade teachers have the extremely hard job of raising everyone's level of understanding to an equal one. I would love to see DLSBS expand into a K-12 school, but that is much easier said than done. I am sure that there are many different reasons why DLSBS cannot expand. Even without any prior education before 4th grade, DLSBS graduates have done extremely well. 19 of 29 or 65% of DLSBS students have gone on to some form of education after high school whether it be college, junior college, or trade schools. Fourteen of the fifteen high school seniors who graduated from DLSBS have received their high school diploma or GED. This is compared to only 56% of American Indians in Montana who graduate from high school. Some graduates have gone on to University of Montana, Montana State University, Gonzaga, Blackfeet Community College, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Stanford University among others. These statistics speak volumes on how effective and positive a DLSBS education is on the students and the community. This combined with the dedicated and patient teachers makes for a beneficial and non-judgmental learning environment.
After religion class we had a snack, and after the snack we went to reading. The students took a practice spelling test on words that they have been practicing for the past week. In the middle of checking answers, the P.E. teacher came into our class and took all of the girls for the volleyball game last night. So only five students stayed behind. After they finished checking the words, the students did their class jobs and cleaned up their room, together. After the clean-up, the students who did not go the volleyball game went to the clubs. This interesting 45 minute long "class" allows the students to relax at the end of the school day. The clubs range from practicing volleyball, playing in the gym, playing board games, or even doing one's homework. Overall, I think an extended school day and by extension an extended school year makes for a more learned and engaged student body. Although I was tired and exhausted at the start of the clubs, it was really fulfilling to be in a more relaxed and less tense setting with the students. I had the opportunity to play board games with a few students and a teacher, and it was really enjoyable. I was able to get some of the students to open up to me more than they did in the school day. Overall, my experience so far at DLSBS has been very fulfilling and enlightening. I am excited to spend more time with the kids and learn from them about subjects that range from Blackfeet language and culture to the bond of friendship.
S. Joyce '11
