Teacher Decolonizes Science And Creates A Well of Opportunity and Learning For Ft. Hall Indian Reservation Students
24 May 2024 - 1:00AM
For educators, professors, and teachers who work with Indigenous
students, a new teaching guidebook enters the market that’s half
memoir/half instruction manual on Dr. Ed Galindo’s creative
science instruction method.
During his first few weeks teaching at Ft. Hall Indian
Reservation, Dr. Galindo realized the Western methods of education
had little value to students on the Reservation—and these bright
students needed a leader to foster a love of science. As Dr.
Galindo states, “To become scientists, Native American students
need to recognize the importance of how science impacts their lives
and how to develop a lasting interest in science.”
Enter Dr. Galindo’s idea: salmon. Specifically, a
life-sustaining resource that had waned on the Reservation for
years. He connected the community’s need with scientific principles
and created a project for his students. This book describes Dr.
Galindo and his class’s journey from desks and chairs to hands-on
learning and outdoor classrooms of salmon habitats to save the
endangered salmon species in their area.
“Dance of the Salmon is a story about my science students on the
Ft. Hall Indian Reservation … [their] curiosity, courage, and
determination to help an endangered species of fish … and in the
end, helping themselves,” said Dr. Galindo.
Dance of the Salmon is available for purchase online at
Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com.
About the Author:
Dr. Galindo (Yaqui, American Indian) is a faculty member at the
University of Idaho, Associate Director for Education and Diversity
for the NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium, Affiliate faculty member
at Idaho State University (Biology Department) and Affiliate
faculty member at Utah State University (Physics Department). He
has extensive education and research in working with Native
American students and was twice elected as the National Indian
Teacher of the Year. Dr. Galindo describes himself as “round and
brown,” full of curiosity for life and learning. He finds humor in
most things on this planet, including himself.
Media Contact: Ed Galindo & Lori Lambert,
ede.galindo@gmail.com
Available for interviews: Author, Ed Galindo & Lori
Lambert
Leah Joseph
Palmetto Publishing
publicity@palmettopublishing.com