"The Seventh Generation, Native
Students Speak About Finding the Good Path."
I wrote this review in September 2003.
This month I am going to review the book "The Seventh Generation, Native
Students Speak About Finding the Good Path."
Gina Boltz, Director of Native Village Publications, recommended this
book to me. I have enjoyed reading through it. Primarily, it is a
textbook for middle and high school students. One of the most common
complaints I have heard from teachers with American Indian or First
Nations students is finding material the students can relate to. (Since
we are discussing instructional material, I will regress for a moment.
Yes, you can end a sentence in a preposition. Richard Lederer and
Charles Herrington Elster, two expects in grammar and language usage,
say this is an old myth, which continues to be propagated by many
teachers.) This book talks with over 100 "native" students to see how
they have handled trying times in their lives. These stories are then
used to promote discussions among the students.
The Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) have an ancient prophecy. Seven prophets came
among them and told of their future. The seventh prophet, or the
seventh fire, told them of a future when a young generation would return
them greatness after a period of loss, tragedy and alienation.
Some people feel that this "seventh generation" has been born, and is
now walking the earth. It is from this that the book gets its title.
From the book's press release: "Candid interviews with 120 American
Indian, Alaska Native, and First Nations youth across North America
bring their trials and triumphs to
life in a new book published by the EPIC Clearinghouse on Rural
Education and Small Schools. "The Seventh Generation: Native Students
Speak About Finding the Good Path" is written especially for today's
Native middle and high school students, but its insights into the
day-to-day experiences of Native youth make it a valuable resource for
practicing teachers, teachers in training, social workers, and others
who work with youth."
The authors had two goals: "help educational and spiritual leaders
understand what Indigenous youth think about their schooling and their
communities;" and, "to provide Native youth with a 'mirror' through
which they could examine their own lives."
The book won the 2003 Skipping Stones Honor Awards. here is their
comments about the book: Educational, Entertaining & Exceptional!
Contact: Arun Toke, editor; e-mail: Edi-@SkippingStones.org; tel.
(541) 342-4956. Their selection committee was comprised of over 20
reviewers: editors, librarians, parents, students and teachers. Reviews
of the Tenth Annual Skipping Stones Award winners appear in the summer
issue (Vol. 15, no. 3).
I mentioned that Gina Boltz recommended the book to me. Here is her
review of the book as it appears on Amazon.com. "I am currently
re-reading "The Seventh Generation, Native Students Speak About Finding
the Good Path" by Amy Bergstrom, Linda Miller Cleary, and Thomas D.
Peacock. Written as a textbook for Native students in j.h and h.s,
Seventh Generation goes far beyond these perimeters and offers educators
a fascinating exploration into the lives of Native American youth and
their attitudes/approaches towards life and education. Seventh
Generation also suggests educational ideas and methods to help Native
students meet success. My favorite thing about Seventh
Generation?...It's written by both students and educators who share
mutual respect for their cultures and each other. Gina Boltz, Director,
Native Village Publications"
I highly recommend this book for educators to use as a resource, even if
it does not become your official text. It will provide you with lots of
ideas to spark discussions. For non-teachers, it can provide you with a
look into a part of todays American Indian youth.
Click on the title for more information with no obligation
Click on "Buy from Amazon" to order a copy
