What we Learn From "Informal" Epistemology

When we talk about diversity we often talk about the physical differences between us. In this blog I have often looked at color of oneself as the primary tool of separation and discrimination. I have not looked at how the difference in thinking practices separate us. These thinking practices is known as epistemology and the study of the differences in thinking practices is known as epistemological diversity. As a note, epistemological diversity is not the study of ideologies of a governing body, rather it is what entails the practices of knowledge and education that encompass a way a society thinks.

In my future classroom I cannot forget that this epistemological diversity exist. This is the reason for a differentiated curriculum. That is a curriculum that caters to the different learning styles of the students. Students bring with them a learning style that is independent of the school system. It is one that may be based on a students family and cultural background. It may take into effect visual, audio or written discourses are better suited for that those learning styles.

It is important to remember that generalizations cannot be made based on a students skin color, gender or physical appearance and the learning style that works for them. Often society has “labeled” certain races to have a learning style that is not realistic. In Lomawaima and McCarty’s essay, “The Strengths of Indigenous Education: Overturning Myths About Indian Learners”, we see that “Native individuals were assumed to lack the verbal, cognitive, even motor skills necessary to succeed in schools” (16). This assumption leads to an image in society that Native Americans are “stoic and silent” (19). This is an assumption that only benefits the educational system and we see in the other blogs that it would be one that keeps Native Americans from being successful in the formal educational system, hence lacking the ability from entering the “culture of power”. Also formal education system are continually seeking ways to make sense of the world in simplistic and one-dimensional way. Therefore by making sense of Native Americans in this way it caters to the idea that, “standardizing institutions demand myths demand myths that simplify the world” (22). Lets look at the how Indigenous education system is set up that contradicts the idea that Native Americans are static and stolid.

When students in the United States think of formal education the image is usually clear. Formal education involves a location, usually with brick or concrete walls. There is also an individual who holds a certificate that deems them the title of a “teacher”. In contrast Indigenous education is considered to be informal, in that it does not take place within the confines of a concrete box. Although labeled as “informal” the Indigenous education is one that adheres to certain pedagogical goals. According to Lomawaima and McCarty the educational system is structured by, “gender, age, and clan or rank” and the reason for the education system is for “strength and leadership” (28-29). In our “formal” education system we measure success on rankings on standardized tests, whereas the educational goals of the Indigenous system is “to produce competent, caring adults” (30). I believe this a beautiful pedagogy that every educational system should be based off of. If the current educational system took into account the epistemologies of Native Americans I believe we would be in a very different world. See the video below for a greater understanding of this:



These ideas of Floyd Red Crow Westerman from the video would be passed down through songs, stories, observation, and through the simplistic acts of caring for animals and plants. Of course words and lectures are given also to instruct and discipline. In Lowawaima and McCarty’s essay, Buffalo Bird Woman “recalled that her Hidatsa grandfather often talked to her and scolded her when she was naughty” (36). So we can see that everything wasn’t song and dance as it is often thought to be.

The Indigenous system often took place in the home. All societies including the Native American see “the home as the central educational system” (38). Often to educated Native Americans they were taking away from their home. In my blog “How Languages are Lost and How they Are Important” we see that Native Americans were taken from their home to be taught in boarding schools. This went completely against the epistemology of Native Americans and seen as the primary means to create control.

From this we can see many of the primary differences from the formal US education. How can these epistemologies be incorporated into the formal education system? In a similar way to my “Embracing Mathematics” blog, we need to not dismiss the culture’s contributions to a education system. Rather I need to show students how their culture contributed to the subject matter and in turn the students may feel that they too can have a part in it. Therefore it has a relevance and meaning to their lives.