A hot November day

Saturday, November 6, 2010

The sun actually felt hot this afternoon as I walked around campus. It doesn’t seem like November, and I would have gladly traded this day for the cold day in September when we had our Powwow.

The girl scouts were busy planting tulip bulbs in the flower beds outside Our Lady of the Sioux Chapel. We’ll appreciate the fruits of their labor next spring when they come up. Other groups of students were playing dodge ball, or making their way to the pool for some swim time.

Several groups were traveling. The football team wrapped up their year with a trip to see a college ballgame at SDSU in Brookings. They had field level seats right by the band, and got the taste of a college campus on game day. Besides a fun reward for a year of hard work on the gridiron, we hope that such trips also peak their interest in attending college themselves.

One of the houseparents, Mike, talked to me about some of the challenges our students face when they transition from St. Joseph to the public High School. Our students here are given more chances and time to correct homework assignments. In High School if they don’t get corrections back right away, those are counted as missing assignments, which quickly lower their grades. Besides teaching students to master content, we must also teach organization and discipline to meet those standards and expectations.

Author: St. Joseph's Indian School

At St. Joseph's Indian School, our privately-funded programs for Lakota (Sioux) children in need have evolved over 90 years of family partnership, experience and education. Because of generous friends who share tax-deductible donations, Native American youth receive a safe, stable home life; individual counseling and guidance; carefully planned curriculum based on Lakota culture and individual student needs and tools to help build confidence, boost self-esteem and improve cultural awareness. All of this helps children to live a bright, productive, possibility-filled future.

4 thoughts on “A hot November day”

  1. Good luck to those transferring to public highschool. Please know that our thoughts and prayers go along with you.

  2. Having spent a great deal of time teaching on the Navajo Reservation, I can tell you this. “Indian time ” is not a bad thing. We lived by it..and we got everything done efficiently and well. I know..white man rules ..so the indian children need to learn..but..a lot the white man teaches is in error.
    Indians learn to be Catholic easily, and carry it in their hearts forever, but Jesus was not a white man. He was for everyone and was part of everyone.
    Indians understand.
    Prayers and Hugs to All,
    Mia and Bob

  3. There should be more monitoring of the public schools, as children are not treated are taught as they use to be; and it is completely;…Negative to what it use to be. I do feel bad for the ones that have to cross over to public schools, as I truly believe that most all of PUBLIC is political in every manner,and not to benefit children, as it was when WE, or I attended school. I applaud the Indian Schools, and think Public Schools should consider learning from them.Many should sit back and look at the achievements of yesterday, compared to the achievements of today.—“Honest Breeds Honesty, Lies Breed Lies”. I do believe the Indian Schools can be PROUD of their teachings, in every manner.

    GOD BLESS’-
    Cynthia

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