Ithaca High School teachers Jill Kautz and Paul Heiland believe the history of our country should center Indigenous voices; here in Ithaca, this means a focus on the Haudenosaunee.
ICSD campuses occupy the traditional lands of the Gayogohó:nǫˀ, or Cayuga Nation. The Gayogohó:nǫˀ are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of the ICSD, New York State, and the United States of America.
On September 27, Kautz and Heiland invited Perry Ground to work with their U.S. History students. Perry is a Turtle Clan member of the Onondaga Nation and part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. A storyteller and educator, Ground shares his gifts and knowledge with students and the surrounding communities. During his several presentations throughout the day, Ground showcased exciting storytelling, movement, and props, which engaged students in hands-on learning. The presentation highlighted the history and culture of the people on whose land the district resides, as well as their creativity, genius, legacy, and future.
Kautz and Heiland believe teaching well involves collaboration with community members. "The most powerful learning happens when it is done as a partnership -- with the community, with families, and with the students themselves,” Heiland said. “Connecting with individuals such as Perry Ground helps make learning, particularly learning about the history of this land, more meaningful, more inclusive, more fun, and more real."
Structures of Support - such as building connections with community partners like Perry Ground – and Anti-Racist Curriculum for All that de-centers dominant narratives are two of the tenets of Learning Forward ICSD. Indigenous history and cultures represent a crucial part of the ICSD’s curricula, centered on the fundamental acknowledgment that Indigenous history is American history.