"Let His Voice Be Heard": A Community's Response to Inclusion of an Indigenous Counter-Narrative in the District Curriculum

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18251/ijme.v19i3.1385

Keywords:

Indigenous, Indian Education for All (IEFA), counter-narrative, youth voice, social action

Abstract

Curricular counter-narratives can affirm the experiences of marginalized youth, but, given their complexity and unfamiliarity, they can also generate discord between community members.  This case study analyzes documents, observations, and interviews to explore ways an Indigenous counter-narrative can create space for multicultural education within a Montana school district.  The findings demonstrate both positive and negative community responses to the focus novel, the importance of teaching about context and multiple perspectives, and the potential for student agency and social action.  The results also provide cautionary notes about the complexity of critical pedagogy and the importance of community consultation.

Author Biographies

Glenda McCarthy, Montana State University

Glenda McCarthy has over 25 years of experience as a teacher, instructional coach, and director of programs aimed to support Indigenous youth and communities in Australia and the United States. She recently completed her doctoral degree from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, USA.

Christine Rogers Stanton, Montana State University

Christine Rogers Stanton is an Assistant Professor of Education at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT, USA, where she teaches courses in social studies methods, multicultural education, and participatory research. She has published work in journals such as Qualitative Inquiry, Multicultural Perspectives, Curriculum Inquiry, and Theory and Research in Social Education.

Downloads

Published

2017-10-31

How to Cite

McCarthy, G., & Stanton, C. R. (2017). "Let His Voice Be Heard": A Community’s Response to Inclusion of an Indigenous Counter-Narrative in the District Curriculum. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 19(3), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.18251/ijme.v19i3.1385

Issue

Section

Articles (Peer-reviewed)