Going into the week, I was nervous because this was my first time designing my own curriculum, and I wasn’t sure how much prior knowledge the students had, or if the material would be relatable to them. However, my nerves were eased once I saw how excited and enthusiastic the students were to see us there. I was especially happy that the older kids had so much fun doing the water filtration experiment. One of the students who hardly talked at all during the week, excitedly asked us, “Is this what scientists do?!” I was so happy to hear this, and am glad my lesson gave them a taste of what it means to be a scientist. Through teaching I learned how to be flexible, and not get caught up in the curriculum. For example, I had many discussion questions for the older kids that I wanted to go over more in-depth, but I realized that giving them time to experiment and record their observations was equally valuable.
Although initially I felt like an outsider, the La Push community quickly made me feel welcome. We were fortunate enough to watch the students prepare for their Whale Ceremony (taking place on April 3rd), and it was a joy to see them perform traditional songs and dances. Additionally, we had the privilege of attending their weekly drum circle. We witnessed the blessing of two new wolf masks, and were even invited to participate in their dances. They opened with their traditional paddle songs, which were important because to approach another tribe quietly by canoe was considered sneaky, so the paddle songs were a way for the tribe to announce their arrival and that they come bearing no ill-will. We also saw a whale dance, friendship dance, and elk dance where Sierra and Emily were picked up off the ground by two of the tribal members! It was truly a memorable experience and an honor to be a part of.
-Sara Mar