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Sacred Purpose: Transformative Indigenous Teachings

Informing Education and Beyond

Paper Presentation:

American Indian/Indigenous Teacher Education Conference

Ricardo A. Medina, Ph.D.

July 11, 2014

[email protected]

Sacred purpose: A Qualitative Indigenous

Research Study

1. Background:

Researcher & Research

3. Analysis of Data, Findings, Curriculum,

Discussion and Questions

2. Methodology: Research Question,

Design, Data Collection

Presentation Road

Map

Sacred purpose

Thousands of years ago

Eagle

Today the potential to

reunite

Condor

Prophecy of the Eagle and the Condor

Background

Sacred purpose: A Qualitative Indigenous Research Study

Framework


Research Study

“The essence of knowing one’s [sacred purpose]

was seen as the most significant element of

keeping balanced and being well rooted.”

Background

Sacred purpose:

You have a Sacred Purpose. Within you

are gifts that were sent to you in this

world to fulfill. Use your Sacred Purpose

to contribute in a positive way to the

world.

Research from the 21st Century

Victor Frankl Psychological

well being, life

satisfaction

Pro-social,

moral action,

generosity,

altruism

Boredom,

depression,

disengagement,

suicide

Holocaust survivor Purpose promotes

psychological well

being

Helping others is

beneficial to finding

one’s purpose in life

Lack of purpose is an

important factor in

producing feelings of

boredom.

Logotherapy High levels of purpose

= strong subjective

well being

Higher purpose =

greater involvement in

social and political

activities

A connection between

sense of purpose and

an individual’s level of

depression.

Existentialism Having identified a

purpose in life =

greater life satisfaction

in adolescence,

emerging adulthood,

and adulthood

High levels of purpose,

more likely to be

characterized as

extrovert and enjoy

social situations

Lack of purpose leads

to greater usage of

drugs; alcohol

dependence; suicide

Purpose and AdolescentsStage of

Adolescence

Damon’s Path to

Purpose

Adolescent

Purpose

Benefits of

Adolescent

Purpose

Adolescents have a

great expectation that

something tremendous

is supposed to happen

in their lives around the

age of 15 or 16; a

greatness exist within

them; an intense

longing within them.

(Pearce, J.C.)

1,200 young people

surveyed about how

today’s youth are

finding – or not finding

– purpose in their lives.

Findings:20%

Purposeful/ 25%

Dabblers/ 31%

Dreamers/

25% Disengaged.

Adolescent purpose

linked to psychological

health, overall physical

health and well being.

More able to cope with

developmental crises.

Committing to an

inspiring purpose is an

important component of

healthy identity

development. Purpose

in life serves as a

powerful source of long

term motivation

Erickson’s 8 stages of

psychosocial (1968)

development suggest

this is a time period

where there is a conflict

between identity and

role diffusion; in search

of an identity and

purpose plays a key

role in helping to

resolve identity crisis

Discussion and

Implications: Purpose

can be facilitated and

developed. Those with

purpose are motivated,

full of energy,

optimistic, happy,

compassionate, agents

of change. Those who

lack aimlessly drift with

indecision, confusion,

depression.

High ability youth are

not more likely to

commit to purpose

compared to typical

adolescents.

Strong academic

abilities are NOT

required or even

preferred for the pursuit

of purpose.

When students take on

purpose and connect it

to their daily lives, it

serves as an important

source of academic

motivation.

Purpose in Educational Settings

The Need for Purpose

in Schools

Benefits of Purpose

in Schools

Purpose Interventions

in Schools

Flow Theory

Students need schools

that are more than test

prep training grounds.

“They need schools

that will help them to

find a compelling

purpose to guide them

through life” Damon,

2008).

Promoting purpose

may lead to successful

youth development and

prevent high school

dropout rate.

Make Your Work Matter

– brief intervention

designed to help

adolescents explore,

discover, and enact

purpose in early career

development. No

significant measures

found

Optimal experience –

deep sense of

enjoyment; when

people enjoy a specific

activity and are not

distracted they will do it

longer and approach

more creatively.

If students lack

meaning and purpose

in their lives then they

are less motivated to

learn (Kessler, 2000)

Purpose linked to a

desire to be actively

involved in social

situations and

leadership roles at

school.

Dialogue sessions

focusing on perceptions

of control and purpose.

Findings indicated that

it is possible to

enhance a student’s

sense of purpose

through a short term

intervention.

Best moments occur

when a body or mind is

stretched to its limits in

order to accomplish

something difficult and

worthwhile.

Academic subject

matter can integrate

purpose into

curriculum.

Provide engaging

curriculum tied to each

student’s purpose and

gains will occur in

student achievement.

Schools providing

purpose through action

research projects,

games, service

activities,

apprenticeships, extra-

Schools tap in to

exotelic experiences –

tasks to accomplish for

external reasons.

Purpose helps to seek

autoelic.


Research Study

Stories Metaphors Absence of

Teachings and

the Effects

Healing

La LLorona Sacred gifts spiritual amnesia

as a result of

conquest

“In this time for all

of us on the Earth,

the youth are

being asked to

find their true

purpose.

Aztec Calendar Instructions,

blueprint

intergenerational

trauma

When the youth

search for sacred

purpose, the old

wise spirits you

were born with will

be activated.”

A song of purpose

and identity

Seed, soil, song,

Acorn Theory

contrasting

western

viewpoints

Literature Review

What are the principles

derived from indigenous

elders that can guide the

development of a curriculum that promotes sacred

purpose?

What is sacred purpose and its

guiding principles?

What stories/teachings/themes of Sacred Purpose that can be identified by

indigenous elders and how do they see it actualized?

How does Sacred Purpose,

according to indigenous elders,

contribute to adolescent

development?

How can the teachings/elements of Sacred Purpose,

based on the conversations with

elders, be actualized in education?


Research Study

- Maestro Jerry Tello

- Angelbertha Cobb (Mama Cobb)

- Maestro Roberto CintliRodriguez

- Maestra Grace Sesma

Phase 2: Acquiring Entry and Trust

*Protocols & Palabra*

Participants, Protocols, &

Values

•Gender

•Geography

•Community Identification

•Must embrace an

Indigenous Epistemology

•Familiarity and

willingness to share

teachings about sacred

purpose

Phase 1: Acquiring

Access to Indigenous

Elders

Sacred purpose:

Dignity (Dignidad)-

You are SACRED just the way you

are..

Respect (Respeto) -Honoring

Someone's sacredness

Confianza -(Trust)

Creating a sacred place to

grow, learn, heal

Carino -(Love)

Living your life with love and

value

Teachings of

Maestro Jerry

Tello

Sacred purpose:

Sacred purpose:

For Example:

Teach ethically,

compassionately,

lovingly

For Example:

Our ability to inspire

and seek inspiration

from others who

walk with their

sacred purpose

For Example:

Balancing internal

needs with external

world around us

For Example:

We all have our own

lugar and none is

better than the

other.

Sacred Purpose –Calling of the Grandmas –

Different Process for Each

Individual

Sacred purpose

Teachings of Maestro

Roberto Cintli Rodriguez

Synthesis of

the Teachings

Sacred purpose:

Multidimensional

Responsibility to learn, teach, create, resist

Lived Experience: The

Journey

Balance & Healing

Relational

Sharing your gifts, talents, passions

Sacred purpose:

Sacred purpose:

Implications for Education

Curriculum Brainstorm

Sacred purpose:

Curriculum– Non-Traditional

Sacred purpose:

Implications

An Honored Role in the Community; Fulfillment of Sacred Purpose

What does this provide?

Your ability to provide physically, emotionally, spiritually for others.

What does this provide?

a degree healthy relationships wisdom BalanceA Developed/Enhanced

Sacred PurposeAbility to Read the Word

and World

What is the purpose of education?

General facts and constructs Pedagogy of the Eagle and the Condor

What’s Next? Nation

al Compadr es

Network

Culturally Based

Programs

Individual/Group

Counsel, Mentorship

and Life Coaching

Inspirational Keynotes

Facilitator Training

Align to Educational Settings (ie.

Common Core, Specific Subject Areas)

Technology

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