Teaching Philosophy
My goals as an instructor, scholar, and community member of Diné College are not only to present the diversity and immensity of Native American realities, perspectives, and worldviews, they are also to bridge the Indigenous and Western approaches to reading, analyzing, and most importantly, experiencing research to benefit the lives of Diné people and our communities. My breath of research engages Native American Studies from a hemispheric perspective and also extends to include questions of indigeneity on a global level. This approach allows for students to not only analyze their own surroundings and reconnect to their personal communities and experiences but to also put forth a complicatedly dynamic understanding of how their individual narratives coincide, differ, and relate to global Indigenous realities. I draw from my personal experiences of not seeing Native American perspectives within a greater “American” narrative, questioning this exclusion, and finally, bringing Indigenous voices to the forefront of my studies, teachings, grant work, and community engagement.
Current Classes
I am back from my sabbatical. Here are my current semester classes:
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Classes Taught in the Past
Diné College: Face-to-Face; Hybrid; and Online Formats
ANT111: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. Teach a survey Anthropology, class offering students the opportunity to study the cultural development of humans.
ANT201: Ethnographic Research Methods. Provide students with methods and methodologies of conducting ethnographic research on the Navajo Reservation.
ANT225: Native Americans of North America. Provide students with a Native American Studies approach to the survey of Indigenous peoples of Mexico, the United States and Canada.
HST201: Colonial Latin American History. This course is a survey of the history and peoples of Latin America beginning with their origins, including European contacts, conquests, and the colonial era, and ending with the struggles for independence.
HST234: History of Native Americans. This course is a historical survey of Native American history from pre-Columbian times to the present.
HST245: History of the American West. Provided strategies for active reading, investigation techniques, analysis strategies, and research writing.
NAS111: Introduction to Native American Studies. This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary academic field of Native American Studies.
NAS200: Decolonization and Resilience in Indigenous Communities. Facilitate a class on the areas of colonization, internal colonization, and decolonization.
NAS370: Traditional Ecological Knowledge: This class addresses the Indigenous and traditional knowledge, beliefs and practices of local resource management and stewardship.
NAS413: Advanced Indigenous Research Methods. Facilitate a class on the areas of indigenous research methodologies, methods, analysis, and presentations.
NAS498: Undergraduate Indigenous Research. Mentors students through independent Indigenous research projects
NCA136: Navajo Cultural Art Business. Provided an academic and field trip experience throughout the Navajo Nation about the development of Navajo art markets, starting with the Shoe Game teachings to submission to the Heard Museum Indian Art guild.
NCA198: Navajo Cultural Arts Practicum I. This course provides practical (hands-on) learning in the areas of Navajo cultural arts. The first of two practicums, this class entails historical and philosophical applications of Navajo cultural arts through community research.
NCA298: Navajo Cultural Arts Practicum II. This course provides practical (hands-on) learning for the Navajo Cultural Arts Certificate students. The second of two practicums, this class includes student dissemination of Navajo Cultural Arts through community outreach activities and projects.
NIS225: Navajo History to Present. Presented strategies for critical interpretations and thinking as well as theoretical analysis and reasoning related to Navajo language, culture, history, and government.
SSC110: General Social Sciences. Facilitate students’ understandings of the Social Sciences. Classes focused on Indigenous Research Methodologies and critical thinking skills.
ANT111: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. Teach a survey Anthropology, class offering students the opportunity to study the cultural development of humans.
ANT201: Ethnographic Research Methods. Provide students with methods and methodologies of conducting ethnographic research on the Navajo Reservation.
ANT225: Native Americans of North America. Provide students with a Native American Studies approach to the survey of Indigenous peoples of Mexico, the United States and Canada.
HST201: Colonial Latin American History. This course is a survey of the history and peoples of Latin America beginning with their origins, including European contacts, conquests, and the colonial era, and ending with the struggles for independence.
HST234: History of Native Americans. This course is a historical survey of Native American history from pre-Columbian times to the present.
HST245: History of the American West. Provided strategies for active reading, investigation techniques, analysis strategies, and research writing.
NAS111: Introduction to Native American Studies. This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary academic field of Native American Studies.
NAS200: Decolonization and Resilience in Indigenous Communities. Facilitate a class on the areas of colonization, internal colonization, and decolonization.
NAS370: Traditional Ecological Knowledge: This class addresses the Indigenous and traditional knowledge, beliefs and practices of local resource management and stewardship.
NAS413: Advanced Indigenous Research Methods. Facilitate a class on the areas of indigenous research methodologies, methods, analysis, and presentations.
NAS498: Undergraduate Indigenous Research. Mentors students through independent Indigenous research projects
NCA136: Navajo Cultural Art Business. Provided an academic and field trip experience throughout the Navajo Nation about the development of Navajo art markets, starting with the Shoe Game teachings to submission to the Heard Museum Indian Art guild.
NCA198: Navajo Cultural Arts Practicum I. This course provides practical (hands-on) learning in the areas of Navajo cultural arts. The first of two practicums, this class entails historical and philosophical applications of Navajo cultural arts through community research.
NCA298: Navajo Cultural Arts Practicum II. This course provides practical (hands-on) learning for the Navajo Cultural Arts Certificate students. The second of two practicums, this class includes student dissemination of Navajo Cultural Arts through community outreach activities and projects.
NIS225: Navajo History to Present. Presented strategies for critical interpretations and thinking as well as theoretical analysis and reasoning related to Navajo language, culture, history, and government.
SSC110: General Social Sciences. Facilitate students’ understandings of the Social Sciences. Classes focused on Indigenous Research Methodologies and critical thinking skills.