The Ancient Tribal Wisdom We Ignore in Modern Education

In this S1E5 interview, Dr. Anthony Craig (Yakama Nation) shares how he transformed his school by bringing Native elders into classrooms as cultural guides, creating a revolutionary approach to student engagement and classroom management. This addressed the challenges of disruptive students and low engagement by pairing certified teachers with cultural guides from the Tulalip Tribe. Instead of traditional discipline methods that remove students from learning, they developed culturally responsive teaching strategies that kept ALL students engaged and motivated.🎯 What You'll Learn:• How to handle difficult students without exclusion• Why traditional classroom management often fails Native students• The 'circling up' approach to student behavior• How to create inclusive classrooms that honor community wisdom• Professional development that transforms teaching practice• Building authentic home-school connections with familiesIdeal for teachers, education coaches, school administrators, and anyone seeking innovative teaching strategies to support student success. This isn't just about Native education - it's about creating inclusive, culturally responsive classrooms where all students thrive.Chapters0:00 - Introduction to Dr. Anthony Craig0:29 - Personal Story: What Inspired His Work1:03 - The Most Inspiring Educator2:05 - The Culture Mismatch Problem in Schools3:08 - Understanding Critical Historicity in Education4:18 - Introducing Cultural Guides into Schools5:55 - Building Community Around Children6:47 - How Cultural Guides and Teachers Collaborate7:36 - Real Example: Transforming First Grade Engagement9:33 - The Problem with Removing Students10:18 - The 'Circling Up' Approach to Behavior11:59 - Why This Approach is Complex and Nuanced13:12 - Teachers Experiencing Tribal Community14:56 - Learning from Ceremony and Tradition16:36 - Seeing Students as Leaders, Not Problems17:00 - Research Insights: Focusing on Future Possibilities18:27 - Building Schools for Communities, Not Assimilation19:16 - Closing Thoughts and GratitudeDr. Craig's Published Writing:Tradition Becomes the Teacher: Community Events Enrich Educators’ Professional Learning.Classroom Teachers and Cultural Guides: Collaborating to Transform Teaching and Learning Through the Use of Traditional Tribal Knowledge. Transforming Teaching and Learning Through Indigenous Strengths and Ways of Knowing. Indigenous Knowledges to Transform Public Education. When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.