Navajo Math Circles

Gr 7 Up—The Navajo Math Circles program introduces students to talented professors who integrate Native geometric and cultural patterns into math studies at summer math camps. The result: the Navajo students flourish. Led by Tatiana Shubin, a Kazak native, the instruction provides kinesthetic and manipulative methods, taking students beyond textbook or Eurocentric pedagogies. Viewers take in various scenic locations on the Navajo (Diné) Reservation, where students and teachers travel great distances to attend the prestigious camps. Tradition, enthusiasm, and commitment are emphasized in interviews with dozens of participants. Classroom scenes bubble with energy as eager participants solve complex equations using visual and physical models, based largely on Navajo weavings, architecture, and language. Both team and individual efforts strengthen the students' problem-solving skills. There are frequent references to the fun and cultural relevance combined in the learning and to the strategies that build confidence in these students. Parents, too, prove their commitment to ensure daily attendance and success, and in professional development sessions, Navajo school teachers are also trained in the same techniques as the students. This documentary will be inspiring to middle or high school schools, especially in Native communities. Bonus features are not to be missed, with each telling a supportive story to illuminate Navajo (and Native American) realities that profoundly impact the camps' participants. Students, parents, and teachers will want to view this film.