#83 Surviving Columbus; Sc83; Interview with Joseph Abeyta

Well, not my kids. That's good. Yeah, not my guys. That also falls. I think it also falls. Why don't we just go ahead and get to a common myth is that probably people are not aggressive, they're very quiet, they're very shy, and therefore that people have lower expectations on the problem of people in education. How do you address that? From time to time, people say in the literature and otherwise that Indian students are withdrawn, they're non -competitive, they have low self -esteem, not my kids, not my students. I think it has to do with attitude more than anything else in the

world. At this school, they are the best that are around. There's nothing better than being an Indian. Some places kids are intimidated about speaking their language. God, it's encouraged here. As a matter of fact, people that can speak their language are embraced as being very, very special. And as a matter of fact, from time to time, I talk about kids, Gigi, sit down in the classroom and you're having difficulty understanding a problem or solving, addressing a question. Think about it in two languages. That's an advantage, not a weakness. We talk about kids during the Christmas holidays that have had an opportunity to participate and contribute to their communities. Those are the models. Those are the examples. Those are the youngsters that we hold up as being de -exceptional. Again, in some situations, there are ones that are put down on it. You talk with an accent, or you can't speak English very well because you've got another language. No, no, no, no,

no, no, no. You're able to communicate in two languages. If you're accepted in your community and you're able to participate in roles that the community expects you, you, that's power, that strength, that's what you build off of. And for you, you other kids that have trouble with, with your native language, you have trouble in your community. Go ask for help because what we want you to go is to be a functioning member of your community, comfortable in your, because that's the strength that you need to operate off of. To an extent, there's a myth, there's a lie that says, forget who you are, forget where you come from. I'm going to show you a new way, and I'm going to teach you some. I'm going to teach you, give you an education for a new era, for the new world. What a lie. What we've done is completely taking people away from their strength and their power and

attempted, attempted to suggest that that's a way that you survive. No, the way you survive, in my opinion, that you work off of the power, you work off of a strength, you work off of who you are, not of who you, not off of who you'd like to be. I love talking to kids about being proud of who you are. That's your strength. You know, recognize that your parents and your communities are your power. You accept that, you can take on the world and succeed. If you allow educators or other people to tell you know, leave that behind, become somebody else and out of this new position, you're going to succeed. It's a lie, in my opinion. You don't know as maybe I'm wrong, but a lot of people preach that. If you weren't bilingual, if you weren't hung up by your Indian tradition or your Indian custom, you'd be better off in understanding the world and its lessons and you'd be more successful. So a lot of people say that was a policy in the 50s. It's a lie. How is that implemented in this school? How is that implemented through the teachers, through curriculum? I'd like to think that it

is a matter of our entire environment. That concept I want to believe is fostered throughout the school. That it's encouraged in every way, shape and form, I'll tell you. I went to an Indian school and I can recall that after the day was done in the privacy of the dormitory with the lights up, there'd be lots of communication between the kids from Laguna and the kids from San Felipe. The Apache kids and the Naval kids after the lights were out talking about their home and about perspectives that they had. Stories that they share. One student would say, tell a story about their community another kid would respond about this. Here's a slight twist on that same story. Here's what I've heard. God, I'd like to tell the kids in this school at the senate bring it out of the dormitory. It's worthwhile. You don't have to talk about, you don't have to discuss it at night in the privacy of the dormitory until

this is our school feel comfortable. It's recognized here. It's appreciated here. It's an attitude, what's accepted and what's not accepted, what's encouraged, what's not encouraged. Being an Indian is accepted on this campus. An Indian perspective is the basis for our entire curriculum. It's good to be an Indian. It's positive to be an Indian. It's significant for God's sake to be an Indian. And out of that, you hopefully heard, I want to develop a pride. These kids do well in the city of Santa Fe. They compete for scholarships with a lot of not a lot of other non -Indians. I'll share with you a thought and outcome. You know, I don't know. It's significant at this point, but it really concerns me. At one point when kids, when Indians weren't competing because they were told not to, and that that wasn't their role, I think that a lot of people had a tendency to just sort of

accept our existence and tolerate our presence. We kind of pass it about who we are and what we're doing. Now, I think that there is a growing attitude about who is, you know, what is that school on Serious Road? They're taking scholarships that used to be ours. They're getting recognized in a newspaper for accomplishments that we used to have. I mean, for God's sake, they're winning championships. They're winning tournaments. They're competitive. They're succeeding. I'm concerned that there's a growing resistance because there is a change in the status quo. And I think that that change as it emerges going to be the final, it's going to be a significant test for my kids. Are we secure? Are we strong? You know, it's coming. Because right now, I think that we've been allowed to grow to develop, because we're a non -threat. As these kids become those critical

thinkers that they're capable of becoming, and they start to vote, and they start participating in elections that affect the state and the nation. They're going to become a force to continue. Their opinions are going to be significant opinions. And I think it's going to represent a change in all of the communities around us. That's the test that I'm anxious to take. That's where I want to be. I want to see how we pan out. Are we as strong as we think we are? Are we as good as we think we are? That's the test for the future. I'm interested. What pushes you to make the school what it is? What probably influence has made you want to make the school what it is? How does it run there? How do you run the school? Oh, quite honestly. There's probably two very, very important,

significant things in my life personally. One, and probably the most important, are my parents. I feel absolutely blessed, and I feel absolutely... Geez, I feel good about my parents, who they are, and what they've done for me. They've had a significant influence in my life. And the influence has been that, Joe, you're as good as you want to be. You work as hard as you can, and there's going to be a product. And we'll encourage you, we'll help you, we'll support you. Parents are extremely significant. My parents are probably the most significant influence in my life. And an attitude that I've got now in regard to other kids and working with other kids and trying to help them in communicating the lessons that I think I've learned from my parents. That's one. Number two, in terms of an influence, is a concern about survival.

I believe that Indian people are good. I believe that an Indian way of life is significant. There's value to it. It worries me that we are going to lose, we're going to lose our way of life. If we don't have young people, filling leadership, growing up, and filling leadership roles, I think that the demands on Indian people are growing every day. And if Indian people don't control their own destiny through the education of their kids, we've got some problems off in the future. And again, from a parent as old and redundant as this might sound, you know, my dad says, depending on other people to do something for you is going to yield product A. You accepting responsibility, and you doing something about it is going to yield a different product. I have a sense of responsibility that is a result of conversation with my dad. You know,

somebody else isn't going to do it for us. We've got to do it for ourselves. We've got to control our destiny. I love this opportunity to be a superintendent at the Sanfayn School. A lot of other people like to have a job. This is the first time as I understand it, and Indian has ever had this role. And there are some people that say, these are the only reason you've got the jobs because you're an Indian. You really don't have that kind of experience as the background that you really need to make a program go. People may not care what they say. I believe that this is a good place. I believe that I have a role or responsibility here. But the things that really impact my life in terms of something personal. A. Parents. And B. A sense of responsibility regarding the future of our communities. And I guess in the words of Del Avato, it's going to be it's up to me. You know, that man always walks around preaching that, saying that can't be dependent on other people all your life. You're going to make a difference. You've got to do it.

When I first took this job several years ago, it was a result of a lot of conversation. And the final analysis I was told by one of the leaders in our communities. Joe, you've talked so much about education. We hear you talking, complaining about how it should be. And now you're even doubting whether or not you want to do it. It seems like such a contradiction, Joe. You've got all these ideas, you've got all these opinions, you've got all these criticisms. Now you have a chance to do it. Why don't you want to do it? I took a step back and considered what the gentleman was saying and realized he's right. You know, it's going to be, Indian people have got to realize that it's up to them to participate, to contribute and to do to the best of their ability. That's going to make the difference. One final question related to, what are your students involved with? How is this consententary? How are you dealing with this year? What are the total students? What are the students?

What does it mean for Santa Fe to do school? I think that it is an extraordinary opportunity to assess. I think the consententary is an exception. Oh, I'm sorry. In regard to the celebration of the Quinson tenure, it's an excellent opportunity, in my opinion, for kids to look at where they've been in terms of their parents, their grandparents, their ancestors. It's an opportunity to take a look at experiences in our past and how they have impacted our present situation. It's an opportunity to learn from the past. It's an opportunity to strengthen our commitment to the future based on those experiences. In my

opinion, it's not an opportunity to why. It's not an opportunity to complain. It's not an opportunity to be negative. It's an opportunity to be as positive as we possibly can regarding organizing what we want our future to be. What we want our future to be is ending people. And I believe that we're capable of organizing that future. Again, from time to time, I read in the paper and listen to people talk about a negative view and almost like whining or crying or feeling sad. I guess there's room for that. There's a lot of injustice that has occurred. There's a lot of problems that have resulted from past attitudes. It's done. What can we learn from it? How can we adjust in terms of organizing our future? What we commit ourselves to based on what has happened? That's what I think is so valuable about this celebration. Hopefully it's going to be inspiring for kids. This is where

we've been. These are the circumstances that existed. Here's the problems that our ancestors were confronted with. And I want to sit back and marvel at how extraordinary our ancestors were. There were people from different parts of the world that came to the public community and tried to run it over. To try to do it in. I'd like to tell my students, see where we've been, see what they've done, see the strength. What is it about those people that made them so strong? And what are we going to do to continue to not make it all for nothing? God, as you read the history, so many people died, so many people suffered, so many people paid the price. What do we have as a responsibility to carry on what they fought so hard for? That's what I'd like to learn from, or that's what I'd like to consider as we celebrate this reminder. Of the last several hundred years.

Okay, this one's up. No, that's right. That's right. John is up there.

Clear. Half. I've got one, two, three, four, five, six, seven people here, eagerly away and they're going to have to go. We're really going to have to go. Kind of. Last one. Oops. Careful. Kind of step.

Okay. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Hi. That's my computer. The number is capital S and everything else lower. Okay. They need to connect to a blocky as the main is the main area we'll be working from. And that also has to flip after that. You need to throw any art into this. It should come up in the form you need to try to pull. Okay, you can't get it yet. You're okay. Now it'll go ahead and bring up the drive you need. Go ahead and

return on okay. That's what either way. You see how that box is fat and that box is skinny returning. Well, automatically choose a big fat box. Can we just copy it? Yes, that's what I want you to do is go ahead and start copying the format. Notice that you've got a bar. Okay. This is a reverse notice, right? Or you're going to have to find some way to block out that zone and I can show you that. Are you? You could start that notice you. Yeah, notice you got little squares, which we can put in. You've got numbered items to do that. So go ahead and choose any side of this trifold. And we'll go through and embolden and set the spaces later. You should be all set there. You're reaching. No, but you know what I did. I just the name and I don't know the password. Okay. Well, the name. Okay. This is a pretty generic. I don't need any of that. You can ask where we use around here for almost all of our art programs. You can see the art culture. Not that he's a generic art teacher.

Okay. Tisuki. So what we need is we also need to put one. We didn't get that. I'm not. Okay. This is it. Right. This is it. See, it's a tool box. Oh. Okay. I want more than that. Okay. Now, remember how to change your type size. Do you know how to change type size and font and all that stuff? Okay. What you need is your toolbox to get started. Now, you should be familiar with this stuff. You've never used this one before. Okay. This will get you started typing. Right there. And it comes in all those characters. Have you used a word processor before? You know how to change when you highlight it? You change your font. All right. And you can change the size just by choosing it. But notice that you have to highlight it first. It will only work on the items you highlight. If I want to make those alone large, we can change those.

Okay. You might want to check. I bet you're working at right here. Well, we'll see how it runs down the page. But I think you're probably going to have to go down to about the end point type one. You're working it up. Can I just type it? Yeah, that's okay. Go ahead and do your typing first. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. All right. Okay. Okay. Okay. So. So what we're going to have is this little box is, which is a round box, right?

Not a square box. So you can draw you, you can type that in. And then I'll show you how to do boxes. And if you've got written like that. I'm just going to do the typing first. Excuse me, Christopher. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to

go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the

other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. I'm going to go to the other side of the room. Ok. Now I'll bring it across. It'sersung. Same level. And then I'll put it on right in the case case. Files. So for

example... We're going to have to use the code and the quotation marks for everything done with I'm going to

start with the default. It was my friend in arms. There's only one tean right out. Okay make sure you have that E before I and receiver I'm sorry I'm sorry

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