2.1.Bilingual Fellows and mentor teachers will participate in developing Navajo language and culture curriculum.

2.2. Community values and issues will be integrated into thematic units.

2.3. The Diné Learning Framework will serve as the foundation for curriculum development.

3.1. New bilingual teachers will work with a mentor teacher onsite.

3.2. The rate of teacher turnover will decline in each consortium site.

3.3. New bilingual teachers will demonstrate superior classroom performance.

3.4. The number of certified Navajo bilingual teachers will increase in each consortium district.

3.5. The number of bilingual teachers holding an M.Ed. will increase in each consortium district.

3.6. Bilingual teachers will increase participation in professional organizations.

The Center for Excellence in Education at Northern Arizona University will work with a consortium of seven rural Reservation schools which are currently working with the Diné Division of Education to change Navajo education and to bring systemic reform to rural schools. Each school has been identified as seeking to implement the Diné Language and Culture teaching perspective, a perspective based on the premises that 1)Education is best when it reflects a sense of place 2) education should be based on the philosophy and values of those being educated 3) preparation of teachers/mentors should reflect the Diné perspective of education. At each of these seven sites there is a reciprocal relationship between the schools and the community, involving the community in the identification of themes/ issues to be explored in the teaching process and involving students in field research. In each site a series of relational learning opportunities has been developed in which the values of "place" and culture are reinforced.

The seven sites have both a successful network of teachers holding a Navajo Bilingual Endorsement and bilingual teachers in their first years of teaching:

Rock Point Community School, a PL 93-638 contract school, implements a coordinated bilingual education program which recognizes both the Navajo and English language as equals and emphasizes maintenance and developmental aspects of both cultures. Rock Point Community School has exemplified community involvement in education. Rock Point School has developed and implemented culturally and linguistically authentic Diné curriculum units that are representative of local traditions such as clan affiliations.

Chinle Primary School serves 775 first through third grade students. Chinle Primary School provides all students with daily Navajo language instruction. Six classrooms participate in a dual language project which immerse students in community based thematic units in Navajo and English. At the District level the Dean C. Jackson Culture Center and the Chinle Unified School District Curriculum Center develop curriculum materials in Navajo and English.

Fort Defiance Elementary School implements a Navajo Language Immersion Program which serves 300 students a year. In this program students receive content area instruction in Navajo. They are required to communicate only in the Navajo language. Parents sign a contract to reinforce the use of the Navajo language at home.

The Kayenta Unified School District is recognized for innovation in technology-based instruction. The District has implemented a "learning on demand" interactive curriculum which allows students to use their prior knowledge as a springboard for further investigation into community issues.

The Tuba City Unified School District implements a Diné culturally integrated curriculum based on the Navajo Philosophy of Learning/ Beauty Way which has four components: respect for nature, standards (positive attributes) for life, social competence, and making a living. The District is engaged in a successful partnership with local businesses and employers through its school-to-work program.

Ganado Primary School serves 500 children in preschool through second grade. Ganado Primary School has received national recognition for its innovative educational program where students create much and learn on their own with guidance from their teachers, parents, and community citizens. For example, children publish their own newsletters, operate a post office, write letters to each other and to the principal, and have produced a video bulletin board using puppets. Ganado Primary School offers Navajo Language and culture as a part of the school curriculum and a Navajo language immersion class.

Little Singer Community School is operated as a community-controlled school in grant status. Little Singer Community School implements a successful Parent Model Program, which allows 25-30 parents to work in classrooms assisting with instruction. Parents attend training workshops and conferences. This program has increased parental support for learning.

An initial cohort of 35 Bilingual Master's Fellows from the seven consortium districts will be identified. The principal at each exemplary site will nominate five candidates.

Fellows will be selected on the basis of:

1. Academic excellence: a GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate work.
2. Be in their initial years of teaching (1-5)
3. Proficiency in the Navajo language as demonstrated by Navajo Tribal language certification.
4. Proficiency in the English language as demonstrated by the language arts component of the Arizona Teacher Proficiency exam.
5. Excellence in classroom performance based on the district observation measure.
6. Commitment to professionalism based on participation in community and professional organizations.

Mentor teachers at each site will be identified by the Learn in Beauty Advisory Council.

Mentors will be selected on the basis of:

1. Academic excellence: completion of a M.Ed. in bilingual education or curriculum and instruction with a GPA of at least 3.0.
2. Holding a valid Arizona Standard teaching certificate with a Bilingual or ESL endorsement.
3. At least 3 years of classroom experience in a bilingual setting.
4. Excellence in the Navajo language as demonstrated by Navajo Tribal language certification, and verification of oral presentations and community service.
5. Excellence in English communications skills as demonstrated by oral presentations, publications, and community service.
6. Excellence in classroom performance documented on the current district observation measure.
7. Commitment to professionalism based on participation in community and professional organizations.

These goals and objectives lead to an increased capacity of the seven consortium sites to provide a quality education to LEP students and to provide continual support to new bilingual teachers. The capacity of Northern Arizona University to provide graduate programs through the Navajo-Hopi Statewide Office will be strengthened during the five years of the project. This also project serves as a model of long-term collaboration between colleges, public, and tribal schools to serve language minority students in rural settings.

In the initial year of the project a cohort of 35 bilingual fellows will begin their participation in the project during the Learn in Beauty Institute sponsored by the Diné Division of Education at Navajo Community College July 6-31^st 1998. The fellows will attend an NAU class in the morning: BME 534 Science and Math for the LEP, and will work with the 14 mentor teachers in the afternoon developing culturally relevant thematic units for their schools following the Dine Learning framework. These thematic units will be pilot tested during the Fall semester and published and distributed to Mentor teachers and Master's Fellows in December. Other institute participants will attend training in Navajo reading writing and curriculum standards. All institute participants will attend a weekly general session featuring keynote speakers and panel discussions on concerns of local systemic initiatives in bilingual settings.

In the Fall of 1999, NAU will offer BME 630 Foundations of Bilingual Multicultural Education. This course will be taught in Chinle to the initial cohort of 35 bilingual fellows. The class will meet on Friday evening and on Saturday for four weekends. This cohort will continue to work with mentor teachers and with the project director to develop culturally bound curriculum during the remainder of the 1998-99 academic year. In June, during Summer Session I 1999 at Northern Arizona University Fellows will enroll in two selected graduate courses in accordance with their program. In July during the Second Annual Learn in Beauty Summer Institute at Diné College they will be joined by 35 new Master's fellows in cohort II The 70 Bilingual Fellows in Cohorts I and II will enroll in Sections 1 and 2 of BME 533 Curricula and Materials for the Bilingual and ESL Classroom. They will attend class in the morning and they will work on culturally bound thematic units in the afternoon. In the Fall of 1999 cohort I Fellows will enroll in BME 637: The Cultural Component of Bilingual ESL Instruction in Ganado following the weekend schedule. They will return to the Flagstaff campus for Summer Session I 2000 to enroll in two selected courses. At this stage in the project they will complete the bilingual or ESL endorsement. They will continue five additional classes to obtain their M. Ed. Degree: enrolling in two selected courses during Summer Session II. In the Fall of 2000 they will enroll in BME 634: Testing and Evaluation of Minority Students in Kayenta. In the Summer 2001 they will return to Flagstaff to complete the Master's program with BME 698: Graduate Seminar.

A new cohort of 35 teachers will begin in years two and three of the project. Cohort I will graduate in 2001, Cohort II in 2002 and Cohort III in 2003. Participants from Cohorts I, II, and III will be invited to attend the Summer 2003 Institute to share their use of Navajo language curriculum in the classroom and to plan to assume the role of mentors with new bilingual teachers. The Director will work with mentor teachers and with students during the final year of the project to assure that all students complete their M.Ed. degrees. Because the demands of work, family and study often require additional time to complete degree requirements, the Director will meet with individuals to discuss options for completing coursework and obtaining financial support when the project has ended. Fellowship assistance will be provided to members of cohorts I, II, and III in Year 5 of the project to assure that all Bilingual Fellows complete the M. Ed.

The following graduate courses in BME will be offered on the Navajo Nation and adapted to the needs of the local community and the Diné Language Framework.

BME 533 Curricula and Materials for Bilingual Methodology Practice in developing curricula and materials for minority students in their native language and in English.

BME 534 Science and Mathematics Education for LEP Students Provides teachers with pedagogical information and experiences to develop and implement science and mathematics curriculum with Limited English Proficient students.

BME 637 The Cultural Component of Bilingual and ESL Instruction How to develop and implement programs and practices relevant to local cultures and subcultures to promote parental and community involvement.

BME 630 Foundations in Bilingual and ESL Instruction The theoretical, historical, and legal background of bilingual and ESL instruction, including an overview of current models.

BME 634 Testing and Evaluation of Minorities This course provides an in-depth study of assessment policies, practices and equity issues; the use of alternative assessment methods such as portfolios and authentic assessment and the development and implementation of assessment in students’ native languages.

This project will empower teachers to make instructional choices that honor their professionalism and their language background. Knowledge learned in one language paves the way for knowledge acquisition in a second language. Cummins writes, "In social situations where there is likely to be serious erosion of the first (minority) language there is a need for the development and maintenance of the language if intellectual performance is not to suffer. Curriculum is contextualized on the knowledge, skills and experiences the students bring to class. Navajo language curriculum will extend through experiential learning in a community setting in which the values of "place" and culture will be reinforced.

The Learn in Beauty Project will be coordinated with efforts of the Division of Diné Education to implement the new Learn in Beauty curriculum framework and with efforts of the participating districts to provide quality education for LEP students in accord with schoolwide plans of the project schools. Staff development funds from schoolwide projects will be integrated into training activities for mentor teachers. Districts will provide release time in-kind for mentor teachers to collaborate with bilingual fellows.

The Learn in Beauty Project is part of a comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support rigorous academic standards for students. National Standards in selected content areas will be revised in accordance with the Diné Learning Framework.

Fellowship recipients and mentor teachers will be selected on the basis of academic excellence and will be required to attain a GPA of 3.0. Two mentor teachers will be selected from each of the consortium sites and will meet monthly with project teachers and the project staff to develop Navajo language curriculum using the Diné Language and Culture Framework. The mentor teachers will meet with the Project Director three times a year to discuss curriculum and to share stories of success in the classroom. By meeting on a regular basis with project teachers and mentor teachers in a community-based setting, the program will enhance the skills and knowledge of higher education faculty to better prepare all teachers in content and pedagogy related to the needs of LEP students.

There is continuing need for teachers holding a Navajo bilingual endorsement in each of the seven consortium districts. Window Rock consortium advisory board member Gloria Hale-Showalter writes, " …..there are so many diverse needs to address that it is difficult to keep up, especially with a certified staff turnover that averages over 20%. Over the past two decades, using whatever funds were available we have been able to assist over 25 Navajo teacher aides in obtaining their college degrees and becoming classroom teachers. We have several others presently attempting to complete their degrees, but we have been able to provide very limited assistance and they have to juggle jobs, families and studies." The Learn in Beauty Fellowship project will assist teachers in Window Rock and in the six other districts in completing coursework for a Bilingual Navajo endorsement and an M.Ed. and in providing continued support as they "juggle jobs, families and studies".