A New Way to Teach Indigenous Perspectives at CDH
October 6, 2025
At Cretin-Derham Hall, U.S. History students are being invited not just to study the past, but to experience it through new and meaningful perspectives. In the summer of 2024, the Social Studies department launched an initiative to reframe Native American history - not as a side note, but as a foundational part of the American narrative. Through this work, students are engaging with Indigenous perspectives, resilience, and cultural legacies as central to understanding our shared present and future.
"This isn't a separate class - it’s just how we’re teaching U.S. History now," says Angie Keske, a longtime educator who has taught the course for 28 years. "Traditionally, we’d start with 1492 and colonization. For the past two years, we’ve started the year with a whole unit on Indigenous people. We don't even talk about colonization - we just celebrate their cultures and traditions."
The curriculum redesign is about doing justice to the full American story, and helping students connect the past to the present in meaningful ways.
"We begin by exploring the values and societal norms of Indigenous peoples and how they profoundly influenced the beginning of our country’s story," explains Tiffany Rosen. “Despite immense struggles, Indigenous peoples have survived, and their resilience in the face of adversity is something we can all learn from and be inspired by.”
For Isaiah Hanno '27, the theme of resilience hit home. “They were just driven out of their homeland,” he reflected, acknowledging the deep injustices Indigenous communities have faced.
Mia Anderson '27 reflected on the difference in depth and focus compared to her earlier education. “In middle school, we only focused on European history - how America came to be,” she recalls. “But at CDH, we had a huge lesson on Native Americans. We learned more in-depth about how they lived, and we mostly focused on the Dakota.”
Students aren’t just memorizing dates - they're using "historical thinking skills": analyzing multiple perspectives, drawing evidence from primary sources, and applying what they learn to the present. A recent gallery walk allowed students to explore Navajo and Iroquois artifacts and examine how Indigenous societies lived in harmony with the land.
Isaiah noted that what stood out most was “how the Europeans treated the Natives when we showed up.” Mia was particularly drawn to “learning new things about their artifacts and ceremonial roles.”
One of the most powerful shifts in the new curriculum is the narrative focus. Instead of centering on victimization, students explore stories of survival, innovation, and cultural strength.
"We looked at language revival, universities in Minnesota teaching Dakota, and places like the Owamni restaurant in Minneapolis serving Indigenous food," Keske shares. "It’s about showing students that Indigenous people are not just part of history - they’re part of our world today."
This approach has helped students connect emotionally and critically. "It makes it more interesting," says Isaiah. "So I can actually pay attention and learn more."
Although Mia acknowledges that she doesn’t personally feel represented in the history she's learning, she adds, "I connect to the Native people on not being understood correctly and being pushed off to the side."
Why It Matters
This new approach isn’t just about Indigenous history - it’s part of a broader goal: to build critical thinkers.
"In a world where kids are getting information from TikTok and Instagram reels, we’re not trying to tell them what to think - we’re teaching them how to think," says Keske.
And students are noticing the difference. "It’s exciting," says Isaiah. "You want to learn more." Mia agrees but offers a thoughtful caveat: "If you love learning about Native culture, I’d recommend it - but don’t expect a huge, deep dive into everything. Still, it’s a great start."
Much of the success stems from a unified effort within the Social Studies Professional Learning Community (PLC). As Rosen puts it, "We are truly better together. We have a 'Dream Team' - no egos, just a shared commitment to making this the best experience for students."
Despite the challenges of building a new curriculum from scratch, the effort was worth it. "We knew we needed a fresh, holistic approach that could be ‘AI-proof,’ and our first unit on Indigenous histories provided the perfect starting point," Rosen explains.
This new approach doesn’t avoid hard topics - it reframes them with honesty and context. "We’re still teaching colonization and conflict," says Keske. "But now, students already know a lot about Indigenous cultures. So when we talk about land ownership or worldviews, they understand why the conflict happened."
Students are also feeling the support. "The teachers are always available if you have questions or need something," Isaiah shares. Mia appreciated the accommodations too: "They’ve been great with giving us paper versions of the homework and group activities."
As for inclusivity in the classroom, Isaiah was unsure how to define it, but Mia offered a clear take: "Inclusivity in education means to accommodate and adapt to students with learning challenges. Make the questions straightforward - not riddles."
Ultimately, this isn’t just a new unit - it’s a new mindset. "In this model," Keske says, "more voices are included. And that’s what makes it powerful."