IEFA

Native American history is a big part of United States history. It is also a very integral part of Montana history. Whether it be the beginnings of the country, or the wars fought in the 1800’s, Native Americans have always been a factor in the country’s lifetime.

It’s not just a good idea; it’s the Montana law. As stated in Article X Section 1 Part 2 of the Montana Constitution: “The state recognizes the distinct and unique cultural heritage of the American Indians and is committed in its educational goals to the preservation of their cultural integrity.

Montana O.P.I. accomplishes this goal through IEFA. IEFA stands for Indian Education For All, and focuses primarily on knowing the cultures of the different tribes. The program also holds events for people to go to and get a hands-on experience of the culture and teaches the “7 Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians.” The O.P.I. web site offers more detailed information: http://www.https://opi.mt.gov/

Mrs. Nicole Hedstrom is the IEFA coordinator for Belt Schools and controls what types of activities or units that the students will learn about. Some examples include English students reading Native literature, art students looking at Native artwork, etc. Indian education is a obviously a big part of U.S. and Montana history.

When asked how Belt complies with the IEFA, Mrs. Hedstrom replied, “Montana OPI (Office of Public Instruction) has a publication called “The Framework.” It is a guide that we use to implement IEFA through our subject standards in our school.” She was questioned about what the school has planned for this year, to which she responded, “The tipi will again be erected and available for classes to use throughout the week. There is a guest speaker coming for the high school, and we are waiting to hear back on a couple of other options for younger grades.”

Mrs. Hedstrom was asked if she had conferences to attend, she noted, “Although I do not have any conferences lined up to attend, there are webinars offered monthly that I can use for resources. Lastly, she was asked about how she became involved in the IEFA program, and she claimed, “I had just completed an online continuing education course on IEFA when the position at the school opened up. I applied for the position and got it.”

Indian Education is a valuable element in all curriculum areas in Montana and in the Belt school system.