Tyler is a 7-12th grade Social Studies Teacher at Quileute Tribal School. During her Master’s program at the University of Oregon she was part of the Sapsikwala program, a program that helps Indigenous students become teachers, encourages students to go back to their communities, and increases Native representation in the education system. Her school is making a strong effort to infuse Quileute culture and language into their curriculum, and to learn how to effectively do this Tyler use her $1,000 grant to invest in professional development by attending the National Indian Education Conference.
Through workshops and by networking with other Native educators, she will gain insight into how they implemented their own language and culture into their curricula and schools. She will share what she learned from other tribal schools, Native educators, and professionals with her colleagues, many non-Native educators who work at a school with 95% a Native student population.
All the educators at Quileute Tribal School will benefit from understanding culturally responsive teaching as they all begin to implement culture and language into the school and create a more inclusive space for Native students at her school.