Professional Development
Workshops for early childhood teachers and providers.
This workshop was recorded July 12, 2024.
During this three-hour workshop, participants learned about and shared children’s books that celebrate native people and cultures. Morgan Smith (San Carlos Apache) presented the children’s books she has written and talked about the importance of indigenizing early literacy. Candi Running Bear, Ph.D., (Dinè) provided background information on the evidence-based intervention, Dialogic Reading, and how to make this intervention culturally relevant. Following these presentations, workshop participants broke into small groups to share books for young children written by native authors and/or that celebrate native people and cultures.
About the Presenters
Morgan Smith-Walton, hails from Whiteriver, Arizona and proudly represents the San Carlos Apache tribe. She has authored several children’s books, including A is for Apache, Give a Girl the Right Pair of Shoes, and You Are Your Ancestors’ Wildest Dream. Through her work, Morgan aims to share her culture and inspire young readers with engaging educational content.
Candi Running Bear, PhD, is Dinè (Navajo) and from St. Michaels, AZ. She earned a PhD from Northern Arizona University in the Curriculum and Instruction program with an emphasis in early childhood culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional education. She currently works as an assistant professor at Western New Mexico University.
Workshop Details
Book Sharing
Each participant will share a book for young children (0-6-year-olds) that is written by a native author and/or celebrates native people and cultures. Participants will break into small groups to share books and engage in a discussion about how they use the books with young children.
All attendees will receive a list of the books shared during the event and one of Morgan’s books.
When you register, you will be asked to provide the title and author for one book written by a native author and/or that celebrates native people or cultures as well as how you use that book with young children. Please bring that book or the title and author of the book to the workshop.
If you live and work in AZ, sign up at www.AZRegistry.org to receive three professional development hours.
During this three-hour workshop, participants learned about the importance of incorporating oral storytelling and books that celebrate native people and cultures into their work with young children. Daniel Vandever (Diné) talked about the process of writing the children’s books Fall in Line Holden! and Herizon and demonstrated how children’s books can be used to teach young children about native history and culture. Ken Duncan (San Carlos Apache) discussed how oral storytelling can be used to promote early literacy. He shared some of the stories that are important to the San Carlos Apache people and offered ideas for how to incorporate them into lessons and activities for young children. Following these two presentations, workshop participants broke into small groups to share books for young children written by native authors and/or that celebrate native people and cultures.
About the Presenters
Daniel Vandever (Diné) is a product of Small Wonders Day Care where his experiences as a Ninja Turtle helped shape the creativity behind his debut picture book, Fall in Line, Holden, a 2017 American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book. Vandever is the owner of South of Sunrise Creative, a strategic communications firm that helps advance education initiatives through community-based strategies. Herizon (2021) is Vandever’s second book, and first book published by South of Sunrise Creative. Vandever is from Haystack, NM and is the grandson of the late Joe Vandever Sr., Navajo Code Talker, USMC, and Bessie D. Vandever. Vandever's book Herizon follows the journey of a young Diné girl as she is asked by her grandmother to help retrieve a flock of sheep. Join the girl in her adventure across land and water aided by a magical scarf that will expand your imagination and transform what you think is possible.
Ken Duncan (San Carlos Apache) is an accomplished cultural teacher, flute player, artist and storyteller. He is a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts. Duncan is the founder/director of a renowned family-based business, Yellow Bird Productions. Duncan was named Culture Keeper of Arizona by Arizona’s Governor’s office in 2004 and was recognized with the Arizona Native American Business of the Year Award in 2015.
Short videos are a great way to engage families with young children. Videos can be used during early literacy programs or posted on social media. But, how do you create videos that reach your target audience and don't require expensive tools?
This workshop provided resources for capturing high-quality audio and video using a smartphone; editing videos using free programs available for smartphones; and finding free graphics and music for videos and navigating copyright issues associated with these resources.