Being Late or Absent from the Naming
You remember the Nimíipuu oral tradition, when the Creator called in all the Animal People to give them their names and particular characteristics. While most attended the naming event, some were late, and some didn’t attend at all. And we can see the consequences for those who came late or not at all, as we travel along the Clearwater River and look up at the hillside . . . . . .
And you remember that a story is only brought to life, with Coyote and Chipmunk "swirling around you," when its listeners are transformed into story participants, when the participants verbally acknowledge their participation to the storyteller. Should there be no participation, the story would cease. It takes everyone in the "canoe" to paddle the story up the river!
During this seminar critical materials will be covered in class, all essential for the various learning activities, and for attaining the seminar’s learning outcomes. This is a seminar designed around a participatory pedagogy. Your full participation is expected and needed. Expect your "name" will be called upon during the seminar sessions.
Besides being completely disrespectful to fellow students, to your instructor, and to the many Indigenous elders who so kindly shared their wisdom in order to create the seminar's content and pedagogy,
using your cell phone or laptop (no texting, nor phone conversations; switch the phone's audible alert off ; laptops only for note taking),
falling asleep during class,
visiting and talking with another student while the instructor or another student is speaking,
being repeatedly late to or leaving early during the seminar,
having unexcused absences, from either the seminar sessions or from out-of-class family meetings (other then for family emergency, illness, field trip, athletic team commitment, etc. can be excused; notifying within 24 hours before or after the absence, the student must make arrangements with the instructor or a fellow family member to make up the seminar materials missed),
being called upon, by name, and having either no response or a response that is uniformed or inappropriate given the seminar topic (which means being "attentive" during the seminar, and coming to the seminar prepared, having read the assigned readings),
turning in your seminar assignments late,
not turning in notes you have taken after a class session,
not participating with your "family," by not attending their meetings, responding to emails, and/or assisting with preparations for exams and learning activities. To not participate with one's family is to be ostracized from that family and considered "Cosechin" (from Stories That Make the World, pp. 177-179).
You can, in fact, elect to go "Cosechin," and engage in the exams and projects as an individual. Or you can be "selected" by your family members and/or the instructor for this distinction.
in all the above instances, you will be render as a “ROCK,”
and . . . rocks don’t get good grades.
Each "rock" garnered will be noted by the instructor. There are no winners for those with the most rocks! Given all the inert weight now shouldered on their backs, those with rocks are certainly slowed down from reaching their pilgrimage destination, . . . . and perhaps when the burden is so great they will never reach their own desired Mecca!
For every three rocks "earned," you will lose 2 points.