This documentary gives the history of Native American boarding schools and policies that were established to assimilate Native American students by stripping them of their culture and replacing them with western values. Survivor and descendents are also interviewed. Purchase Documentary Here Source: Our Spirits Don’t Speak English: Indian Boarding School. Directed by Chip Richie. 2008. DVD.
Boarding schools were seen as a way to assimilate Native American students into the dominant culture and teach them western values. Usually, little emphasis was placed on education, and students often were abused and lived in unsanitary conditions. In contrast, some students who attended boarding schools had positive experiences. In the present day, schools like […]
This site provides educational resources for those who are looking to teach students about Native American Boarding Schools. The lesson plans are broken down into three categories: preparation, procedure, and evaluation. The recommended grade levels for these lessons are 6-12. Get Resources Here Source: Niki Childers, and Gayle Lawrence. “Indian Boarding Schools: Lesson Overview. Library […]
This interactive timelines gives an overview of Native American boarding schools, including the motives for the schools and curriculum. Educational policies and the current state of Native American education is also included. See Timeline Here Source: Jon Reyhner and Education Week Staff. “1819-2013:a History of American Indian Education.” Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/ew/projects/2013/native-american-education/history-of-american-indian-education.html
In order to gain a better understanding of the impacts boarding schools had on former students, survivors from the Indian Boarding School era were interviewed. The students attended various schools, some in the state of Alaska, and some out of state. Experiences ranged from good to bad, with some students saying they were pushed to […]
A legal case in Alaska set the foundation for the state building high schools in rural Alaska villages. Previously, students had to attend residential schools or live with host families during the school year. Living with host families was a largely unpleasant experience for many students who were mistreated. Boarding schools were also ineffective, and […]
In the beginning the author, Ivan F. Star Comes Out, tells of a conversation he overheard where a group of Native American youth conveyed they have little knowledge of boarding schools, and how this is connected to the problems plaguing Native communities today. Star Comes Out tells the story of his own boarding school experience […]
Isaac Longshore was a student at Carlisle. He came from Oklahoma, specifically from the Sac and Fox tribe. He went on several outing programs as a student and attended Carlisle for a little over two years. During this time, he and his mother pleaded with school officials to let Isaac return home, but their requests […]
This article focuses on two Native American boys, a Seminole student named Wallace Berryman, and a student from Alaska named Henry Rose. Berryman went on several ‘outing’ programs and ran away twice, but was always brought back to school. He had an operation while at Carlisle, and was a student for two more months post […]
This statement was made on behalf of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) by Denise Lajimodiere and Andrea Carmen. This statement explains the history of boarding schools, the impact boarding schools have had on Native American communities, languages, and cultures, and outlines steps needed in order for reconciliation to take place. Download […]
In this article the author initially explains what sparked her interest in researching boarding school survivor stories. She gives a detailed history of boarding schools, specifically that many children were abused, contracted diseases, and were subjected to forced assimilation. 20 boarding school survivors were interviewed and four major themes were present: 1) the participants attending […]
This video provides a history of Native American boarding school in the U.S., specifically how the goals of the schools was not education, but cultural assimilation. Watch Video Here Source: KUED “Unspoken: Native American Boarding Schools.” Public Broadcasting Service, February 16, 2016, https://www.pbs.org/video/unspoken-americas-native-american-boarding-schools-oobt1r/
