As an aspiring academic librarian, I am always interested in learning more about pedagogy. During the first week of class, we read Lawrence Gross’s article “Some Elements of American Indian Pedagogy from an Anishinaabe Perspective,” which introduces us to the nineteen elements he sees in American Indian pedagogy.
In our TLAM class we discussed how our site experiences fit into these elements, and the one that stood out to me the most is the idea of balance. Balance is important in many aspects of life, such as in conserving natural resources. In a classroom, balance refers to the sense of equality between the teacher and the student, and how both should be able to trust one another. Part of this balance and sense of trust is understanding that everyone is both a learner and a teacher throughout their daily experiences.
Working at the College of Menominee Library showed me first-hand how I can be a learner and a teacher at the same time. My main project was creating LibGuides for the library. While I explained to Maria and Debbie the different ways to use LibGuides, they taught me about the needs of their students and community members who use the library.
Through discussions and feedback with each other, I learned how to make guides that would be useful for their library, and after the guides were finished, I taught the library staff how to create and edit the guides for the future. Working with everyone on the LibGuides allowed us all to be learners and teachers at one point or another.
I was a learner outside of the library as well. Bryan’s friend Patrick picked us up after work one day to take us around the reservation. He told us about the major landmarks, his experiences with rafting down the river, and hunting with his family.
Another day, we visited the Stockbridge-Munsee Arvid E. Miller Library/Museum, and Nathalee, the manager, taught us about the community’s history as well as how a small museum functions day-to-day. She also told us about her interest in learning how other tribal communities run their libraries and museums.
Overall, my site experience showed me how I, as well as others I look up to, can be both a teacher and a learner depending on the situation, and that the balance between these experiences can help all of us have better discussions, grow in our understanding of each other, and better serve our communities.
-Jenny Nygren McBurney