K'winya'nya:n-ma'awhiniw: Creating a Space for Indigenous Knowledge in the Classroom

Abstract

Abstract:This Indigenous research project foregrounds the voices of Hupa, Yurok, and Karuk tribal members who reside on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation (HVIR), located in northern California. In an effort to shift the paradigm of education from monological to multilogical, this qualitative study examines the concept of giftedness as it is defined and practiced by an Indigenous community. This study opens a discussion of how identifying giftedness influences a child's self-concept, self-esteem, and social identity. The article thus provides a knowledge base for Native American teacher preparation programs, tribal education programs, public and private school systems, gifted and talented programs, school site councils, researchers, and curriculum developers to create a space for Indigenous knowledge in the classroom.