Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 1991)
SlMLYAY TYMOO Warm Springs, Oregon NOVEMBER 29, 1991 PAGE 3 Support, education services offered Community Counseling's Children j Treatment Program is currently offering two support and education services for parents In the Warm Springs Community: Parenting class-a 10 week class for parents co veringa variety of topics in parenting and family life such as nurturing, children's learning, discipline, family harmony, dealing with family problems. This class is held every Wednesday,5:30to7;30 p.m.at the Community Counseling Center, For more Information contact John Chambers or Starcella Courtney at 553-3205. Parent Support Croup-an ongoing support and educational group for parents of teenagers, designed to help these parents deal with such things as adolescent rebellion, Increasing demands for independence, etc. The group meets Thursdaysfrom 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. For information contact Lorraine Roberts at 553-3205. Riley continues visits to W.S. School District superintendent Phil Riley visits Warm Springs each week on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. lie welcomes community members to talk with him about school matters. Call the Warm Springs administrative offices at 5533212 to make an appointment orjust drop by the administration building. Financial aid workshop set at MHS Recovery elements-Continued from page 2 Power Act. The drawdown would speed juvenile salmon to the ocean during the critical spring migration period. Additionally, the Council called for a study of the potential biological impacts of such a draw down on juvenile salmon. rVill1 fnr nn vnlii.itmn nl nlhrr possible sources of water to aid fish, including additional releases into the lower Snake River from Brownlcc Reservoir in Hells Canyon and energy conservation in winter. Conserving energy in the winter would allow more water to be stored for release in the spring. Richard Thompson. Director of Student Financial Aid at Central Or egon Community College, is offering free Financial Aid Workshops at high school "Parent Nights." The presentation covers forms preferred or required at all Oregon colleges. Thompson will explain in non-technical terms the types of aid available, the forms and the process. He will go through the forms ques tion by question and give information from the point of view of the person who reviews the completed forms. The following High icnool rar- December 2-Madras 1 lich School. 7 p.m. December 3-Nonh Lake High School, 7 p.m. December 4-Crook County High School. 6:30 n.m. December 5-Culvcr High School, 7 p.m. December 10-Rcdmond High school, y p.m. December 1 1 -Bend and Mountain View High Schools at Mountain view, 6:45 p.m. For more information, contact Thompson at 385-5521 or your local 'Laucaioranevaiuauonoiouicr uic spring. ...v.w....B...6..wv... -r-...r..-.. ent Nights are scheduled: high school. Minority students encouraged to pursue math, science careers 27,34, 12X4, ABC?,42. To fcrcd to" school "to encourage mi- a foreign language, with only the to frustration, fear and many.' mallicmatics is numbers, symbols and -formulas. And to be proficicnLia mathematics, a good memory is necessary. A recent workshop for 509-J Dis trict teachers dispelled this belief. Mathematics can be something fa miliar and it can be fun. Portland State University cur riculum coordinator Linda foreman facilitated "Math in the Mind's Eye" to help teachers become familiar with the concept that mathematics can be very visual. It can include visual materials other than symbols and numbers. Students learn that they can use experiences to solve math ematical problems and that math ematics really is a part of life. The $40,000 grant to the District and the SMILE Program from the U.S. Department of Energy was of fered to school "to encourage mi nority students to pursue studies of careers in math and science. Ac cording to recent research, the United States is not producing enough sci entific, engineering and profession als in related fields to meet projected future needs. And minorities in par ticular are very undcrrcprcscntcd. Studies have also examined barri ers that obstruct Native Americans in these fields and ways to overcome these. Educators stress sensory input in teaching and learning as an ef fective tool in teaching, visual im agery is important in developing mathematics insight and instruction, and presenting concepts and pro cesses. Many previous mathematics teaching methods have failed because they evoke no images or associations. "It is as if the words were uttered in most arbitrary connection between symbols and objects," says Robert Sonimcr in The Mind's Eye. He corjtinucs, 'The problem is not the symbols themselves, but that current teaching of arithmetic detaches numbers from the stuff of life...." Sommcr further contends, that if mathematical concepts and processes are presented to the learner in an environment that engages the senses with the use of objects, models, sketches and hands-on activities, the concepts and processes become ac cessible to the learner and "insight and instruction are developed, un derstanding takes place and the the learner has positive feelings about the experience." Otherwise, students who memorize and perform me chanical operations have little un derstanding and the learner lacks comprehension. Mathematics leads to frustration, fear and dislike. In using visual and sensory techniques in teaching students mathematics, Madras Jr. High chapter I teacher Sandy Loomis states, "The majority of my Chapter i siuucnis arc iwcxican Americans and Native American. These students often enter junior high haling math and feeling like failures....! have witnesses a real change from the "I can t attitude to I can do this at titude" with Visual Math concepts. Visual Math workshops were presented last year to teachers in the 509-J District and again this summer. The grant provides in struction for two weeks to teachers, classroom materials and 15 follow- up visits. Portland State University curriculum specialist Linda Foreman conducts the class. Foreman is the 1986 Presidential Awardec for Excel lence in Teaching Mathematics. , v t . - I . ... vi -4 y : i i i ' . aw- i i 9 4 .W . - 1 jt 1 - v. , H-; 1 Warm Springs Elementary fifth grade teachers (left to right) Kathy Bishop, Earline Anderson and Harry Phillips learn to use blocks to teach students wmhntin Wnrithnn nrnvuied narticinatlnv teachers with classroom aids and knowledge abou t "Visual Math concepts. IIIHMiVI'iWttVtft r v f " - ' g- g 0 Math students sometimes fear, misunderstand, lack enthusiasm for subject Mathematics is a science of patter and form. It does not explore mol ecules and cells, but it looks at numbers, chance, change and logic. It uses observation and experimen tation to arrive at answers. It requires thinking. The need for a strong educational background in mathematics is appar ;nt. Yet mathematics curriculum re mains stagnant, unable to reach the riajority of students. Students can' t be blamed for their lack of interest in mathematics. All they see are abstract concepts. They see math as a series of strict rules which require accuracy and memo rization. Excessive emphasis on the rules keeps a student from having enthusi asm for mathematics. Math as a natural mode of thought is never stressed. The feeling left at the end of a math course is misunderstanding and fear. Students should be learning con fidence in problem-solving along with mathematical literacy. They mould be seeing mathematics in jvery day life and utilizing it. Stu dents should be learning "number sense." Students, as they continue math ematics study, should be moving from concrete mathematics to con ceptual mathematics. Students should have enough mathematical knowledge to leave school and enter society and participate as a citizen. Practical applicationsof math should be stressed. Over three-fourths of the courses in degree programs at colleges and universities require courses in cal culus, discrete mathematics, statis tics or other math. Mathematical ideas form the foundation for science, business and engineering. A strong basic math background is needed by all students. V J i . , 5-. - . Mathematics learning must be improved to ensure success Fourth grade student Darreck Palmer says he likes math. In class he enjoys using blocks which help him visualize mathematics concepts better, he hasn 'tthoughtmuch about what his future plans may be, but he is giving some thought to a career which involves math The way children learn math ematics must be improved. Most children leave school without suffi cient preparation in mathematics to fulfill problem-solving job require ments or to mectcollege mathematics literacy requirements. Mathematics play a major role in determining the strength of the na tion. It is the basis of science and technology. But changes in math ematics education are necessary to meet the demands of society and to provide opportunity for students. Mathematics fillers students out of programs leading to scientific and Erofessional careers. On the average, alf the students in mathematics drop from mathematics study each year. Mathematics is rated as being very effective in creating failure in stu dents. Mathematical literacy is necessary today simply to know what is occur ring in society. Graphs, logic and business activities are explored daily in newspapers. Mathematics is the language used to discuss health and environmental issues. Low performance in mathemaucs has become socially acceptable. Low expectations for students does not put demands on them to learn math ematics. Peer pressure also has it 's impact, making it socially unac ceptable to do well in math. Women and minorities are particular affected by these attitudes. Adults remember mathematics as being torture, an extreme test of memorization skills. This unpleasant experience is unnecessary. Most adults have not applied math in their adult careers, so they put little value on it. It also creates the image that mathematics is only for geniuses. Children's attitudes toward math is generated by adult attitudes. As much is spent on remedial mathematics programs beyond high school than is spent on mathematics education in schools, colleges and universities. Sixty percent of college mathematics courses are those ordi narily taught in high school. Even these remedial programs are not very effective. Mathematics stu dents continue experiencing low achievement and failure. Repetition in previous teaching and learning techniques does not work. By the year 2020, minorities will be the majority in this nation. These minorities are significantly underrcpresented in all scientific, engineering and professional fields. A lack of mathematical education keeps these minorities from many scientific and business careers. Women too, are underrcpresented in fields requiring mathematical skills. Women perform as well as men in college mathematics courses, but usually drop out at a high rate. Lack of ability is not the reason. Often it is the role model. Women are stereotyped with the message that math is not feminine of "girls can't do math." Americans are a minority in mathematics graduate programs. Many foreign students take up the slack in the employment market, by securing jobs in the United States. This calls attention once again to the fact that American mathematics education is not healthy. Old days Sir I havt the honor to transmit herewith tht reports of my Physician and Teacher for the month ending Dec 31 ' 1890, and submit the following as my own report, for the same month. The Inspector etc. The principal event of the month was the arrival of Hon W. J. Pollock Inspector, who reached this Agency on 12' and left on the 16' of the month. He seemed quite well satisfied with the general management of affairs at this Asency: particularly the advancement made by these Indians. I thought it very necessary that 1 should ..... ... immediately procure some needed clothing and subsistence supplies, for the Plutes located at this Agency, and also purchase the grist mill stones you gave me authority to buy, and so accompanied the Inspector as far as the Dalles. Proceeding to Port tana I made the ajorenamea purchases, and consider that by being there in person 1 fully saved to the Department enough to pay my necessary expenses. It was my purpose to return by the 31' inst but upon reaching Tygh Valley, I found the roads so blocked with snow that it was uncertain ana even dangerous to proceed further, hence had to delay several days, which explains the delay In forwarding this report and other papers. Tht Indian Population remains unchanged in numbers. Nearly all belonging to this Reservation are now at home, and in winter quarters. The Indians at m .a I. J this Agency or near to it commenced preparing for the nouaay festivities about the 21 ' of the month. Many of the families moved in, and the school houses were turned over to them. All who saw the Christmas dinner prepared by the Indian women say it excells sic any previous meals ever prepared at this Agency, by Indians, an improvement over former years as so marked that even those who have been among them for years, can note the change. To strangers it is perfectly surprising. Births during the month There were three of these 1 male and 2 females. The Deaths were also three, one a very old woman. , Number Treated This was 75 of which 52 were restored leaving 21 on sick list. The Boarding and Day School During the month this was principally superintended by the Asst Teacher, assisted by the gratuitous services of Hon J. N. Smith and a portion of the time by the Industrial Teacher. The regular Teacher M. W. Walker being a good mechanic, it was found almost absolutely necessary that he should Instruct the Indian apprentices in running the new saw mill, and also make some necessary repairs to Department Wagons, hence he could not consistently sign the school report, as regards the attendance etc, so the Asst has signed. The school was dismissed on the 30" of the month. Number of scholars enrolled and attending was 75, with an average of 45 517. Many came in towards the close of the school or the average would have been larger. The Apprentices have done all that could be done, considering the severe winter weather we had during the entire month. The Policemen have done all that was required of them. Some arrests were made, but no severe service was required. Those out with the various hunting parties, have all returned and bring no unfavorable reports regarding the conduct of the Indians, nor have any complaints been made to me by the white settlers. The Mills During most of the month the saw mill was frozen up. The Crist mill was frozen up a few days. ? ? has done all the grinding that was required. It is difficult to give the number of bushels ground as it is mostly in small grists and while the Indian Miller and his Assistants understand weighing, they cannot write down the several amounts. The amount of lumber sawed is more readily arrived at. About 2,000 ft was sawed, during the month. Our Annual Supplies These are nearly all hauled out from the Dalles. The two last trips made were unusually difficult and expensive, owing to heavy snow storms, which blocked the roads and delayed the teams. It is to be regretted that all our supplies cannot be purchased and shipped so as to be in the Dalles by not later than the 15' of October. After that time it is uncertain about making quick trips, and the expense is correspondingly great. Aside from this in the earlier years up to within 3 or 4 years last passed, there was plenty of grass and good camping places, while now many of the camping places are fenced up and the grass eaten off so that the teams have to be stabled and fed. this making more expense. The Employes During the month the Supt of Farming and Sawyer each of them made a trip to the Dalles after Indian Supplies. The Sawyer has put the balance of his time in, in making repairs to wagons etc. The Supt of Farming has looked after the Agency teams, and Department animals within range. The regular Teacher since the 24' of Dec has been studying and noting down the Warm Springs language so as to enable him to properly take the census and write the Indian names. The Millers time has been divided between the Mill the wagon shop and blacksmith shop. The Clerk has been very busy in the performing of his varied duties. Moral and Religious Work This has been successfully and satisfactorily carried on and good results are hoped for.