Each month, state-level American Indian education leaders gather in a virtual, cross-state community of practice to share insights about what’s working to support Native students. This learning network serves as a valuable connection to peers.
Five Promising Practices for Enabling Change
Sandoval identifies five community constructs as key to enabling change:
– Focus on priority issues articulated by Native Nations. Content is centered on what participants identify as a need or something they want to learn. “We strive to listen deeply and respond accordingly,” she reports.
– Organize as a freethinking learning opportunity. “We are not giving our colleagues another job to do. We are here to support them.”
– Balance learning opportunities with time for peers to connect. Evidence-based content is presented each month by scholars, researchers, practitioners, or participants themselves, followed by time for members to circle up and have frank conversations about approaches that can transform outcomes for students.
– Invite participants to share what is working well. Members share opportunities such as implementation highlights and successes of design in large groups or small groups or via pair-share discussions.
– Consistently convene. The community comes together on the last Wednesday of every month, and participants receive the schedule of topics in advance so that they can plan.
