What We Teach

Wówalitake - Fortitude: This is about sticking to something that is worthwhile. It relates to enduring until the goal is reached. Fortitude requires the willingness to suffer some, if necessary, to do what is right, good or healthful in the long haul. When people have this character trait, they do not allow the easy way out or an emphasis on convenience to overshadow these things.

Wóohitike - Courage/Bravery: Courage or bravery was defined by Lakota educator, Pat Locke, as the "strength of character which equips us to meet danger and trouble, to live our values, and to tell the truth in the face of ignorance." We cannot think of a better one. Courage is the quality of mind that enables us to risk what we value for a higher purpose.

Wóowotȟaŋla - Integrity: We use this word to describe what one has when one firmly adheres to and identifies with the virtues for the right reasons and when no one is looking. Integrity is acting on the awareness of spirituality. The origins of the word, "integer," are about "oneness." Integrity is a synonym for "good character," except that good character also, by our definition, calls for the following trait (peacefulness) as well.

Wówičakȟe - Honesty: An honest person, in our opinion, does what he or she says. Honesty is about being trustworthy. People with this character trait truly care about truth and here we want to repeat Parker Palmer's definition of truth as being a "conversation about things that matter conducted with passion and discipline." The passion is about sincerity and the discipline relates to the five inner skills in the conceptual model. We see honesty as a subcategory of integrity.

Wóuŋšiič’iye - Humility: We regard humility as the essential ingredient for learning with all of our senses. We can only listen and pay true attention to something when we let go of our preconceptions. We cannot feel any arrogance over nature and its creatures. We cannot assume we already know the answers or that we are better or higher than another. To us, humility is not about humiliation, self-abasement, penitence for sin or being unworthy in the sight of God, according to our interpretation. Humility, as we are defining it, is a freedom from pride and arrogance that recognizes equity and equality. It is manifested by a great appreciation for the many gifts life and God have to offer us.

Wówačhaŋtognake - Generosity: Generosity is one of the most obvious virtues among American Indians. Lakota people actually measured their worth by how much they gave away. Those unadulterated too much by western culture's emphasis on material wealth still do. Generosity is about giving and/or sharing our time, our wealth, our ideas or our possessions in behalf of others. One way to think of it is as the opposite of greed or selfishness. A person with this trait has a good balance between taking care of self and taking care of others.

Taken from: http://www.teachingvirtues.net/virtues.html

A middle school orientation and transition program that tries to welcome all students and makes them feel comfortable throughout their school experience. Built on the belief that students can help students succeed, the program trains mentors from our 8th grade class to be Leaders. As positive role models, the Peace Maker Leaders are mentors and student leaders who guide the other students to discover what it takes to be successful during the transition to middle school and help facilitate 6th/7th grade success.

More and more studies show that if students have a positive experience their first year in middle school, their chances for success increase dramatically. Peace Makers provides the structure for middle school students to receive support and guidance from 8th graders who have been through the challenges that middle school poses and understand that the transition to a larger school can sometimes be overwhelming.

Peace Makers also acts as an anti-bullying program for our school by providing it with a cadre of student leaders who look for bullying behavior and help stop it. Peace Makers gives older students permission to be aware of and report any negative behavior they see, creating a safer school for everybody.

Peace Makers is a yearlong transition program with four components that contribute to its success:

• Middle School Orientation - Leaders and other students start building the mentor relationship and receive information about how to be successful in middle school
• Academic Follow Ups - Leaders support others' academic success and character development through classroom visits
• Social Follow Ups - Leaders and other students connect outside the classroom at social events to increase student engagement and promote positive school climate
• Leader Initiated Contacts - Leaders connect with younger students on a more individual basis

The (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is designed to increase school-wide learning and performance. The mission of AVID is to ensure that all students, and most especially the least served students in the middle capable of completing a college path

• will succeed in a rigorous curriculum,
• will enter mainstream activities of the school,
• will increase their enrollment in 4-year colleges, and
• will become educated and responsible participants and leaders in a democratic society.

Mission

• Voluntary participation by students and staff
• AVID elective class availability within the regular academic day
• Student enrollment in a rigorous, college-prep course of study
• Bases of instruction include WICOR Strategies (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading)
• Trained tutors in the AVID classroom
• Data-intensive program monitoring
• Active interdisciplinary site team.

AVID program essentials include:

A sample week in the AVID elective class includes two days of tutorials, two days of AVID curriculum, and Friday as activity day and for binder evaluation. The AVID curriculum includes a writing curriculum, college and career information, and strategies for success. Tutorials include collaborative study groups, writing groups, and Socratic seminars. Cornell note taking is stressed in all facets of the program.

AVID at American Indian Magnet

We have an AVID elective at 7th and 8th grade, plus an Indigenous AVID.  The essentials of AVID are taught to all students in most middle school classes.  The AVID Elective Teachers at AIMS are:

Mr. Besette - AVID Coordinator, Elective Teacher and Indigenous AVID jason.bresette@spps.org

Mr. Kurtti - 8th Grade AVID Elective kenneth.kurtti@spps.org

7th grades are saying...

AVID has made me think about college and to have a future

AVID is helping me keep up on my grades.  And good grades will get me into a good college.

AVID got me thinking about what college I want to go to.

AVID taught me how to take Cornell Notes and it helped me with me Ojibwe class.

AVID helps me understand what I don’t understand.  Cornell Notes helps me remember stuff.

AVID is helping me get ready for college by going on college field trips.  And it helps me get good grades.

AVID helps me with organization.

AVID is helping me keep my grades up.

AVID helps me stay neat and organized.

AVID helps me understand problems I have in my classes.

AVID has helped me through Tutorial Request Forms (TRFs).  Since then, I have gotten better grades.

AVID has made me less shy and now I am doing much better in Lakota because I speak up more in class.

AVID has helped me learn how to study in classes like Ojibwe.

AVID encourages me to keep my grades up!

Cornell Notes has helped me get organized in math.

 

Along with reading, writing and math, students at AIMS are provided with many opportunities for enrichment.  We offer Ojibwe Scholars, Drum and Dance, Language Bowl Competitions, and Flipside (after-school) enrichment programs.

For more information, please contact:

Michele Fairbanks 744-6156  (Ojibwe Specialist) 

Thomas Draskovic 744-6155  (Lakota Specialist)

Tianna Rouillard,  Community Learning Site Coordinator