Teachers Institute To Explore Indigenous Histories, Cultures
June 21, 2025
The South Dakota Humanities Council invites current and prospective K-12 teachers to take part in the 2025 Teachers Institute: Oceti Sakowin Immersion Seminar, July 14-17 in Brookings.
Presented by the South Dakota State University School of American and Global Studies and the SDSU Wokini Initiative, this transformative, credit-bearing, professional development experience will center Indigenous histories, cultures, and educational practices in South Dakota. The course, conducted on the SDSU Brookings campus and at several field sites, allows participants to earn three continuing education credits from SDSU.
The seminar’s in-person activities will include the following:
- Immersive field excursions to Sisseton and Pipestone
- Interactive workshops with Native scholars, educators, and students
- Culturally responsive teaching strategies and classroom-ready resources
- A guided Common Read and online learning modules
- Networking with peers and tribal community members
In addition to these activities, the course will incorporate pre-seminar readings and post-seminar reflection and classroom integration support. Participants will take away new experiences, a framework for processing Indigenous histories and cultures, and resources to bring this information to classrooms all over South Dakota.
Registration for the course will cover breakfasts and lunches, lodging, and instructional materials. Each participant will also receive a $250 scholarship to help cover travel and dinners.
Seminar scholars will include Dr. Jamie Folsom, Dr. Erin Griffin, Dr. Joshua Rudnik, Dr. Derek Stewart, Angel Lee, Whitney Rencountre II, and Jessica Arkeketa.
The Teachers Institute is funded through an SDHC endowment and resources from the SDSU partners.
To register, contact Joshua Rudnik at Joshua.Rudnik@sdstate.edu
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