Office of Accreditation & Teacher Quality

Human Relations & South Dakota Indian Studies

Teacher education programs in South Dakota require verification of successful completion of an approved three-semester-hour course in Human Relations and an approved three-semester-hour South Dakota Indian Studies course. Courses are approved based on course strands listed below.

Human Relations Course Strands

1. An awareness and understanding of the values, lifestyles, contributions and history of a pluralistic society.
2. The ability to recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases, including, but not limited to, sexism, racism, prejudice and discrimination, and an awareness of the impact such biases have on interpersonal relations.
3. The ability to translate knowledge of human relations into attitudes, skills and techniques which result in favorable experiences for students.
4. The ability to recognize the ways in which dehumanizing biases may be reflected in instructional materials.
5. Respect for human dignity and individual rights.
6. The ability to relate effectively to other individuals and to groups in pluralistic society other than the teacher's own.

South Dakota Indian Studies Course Strands

1. Culture Dynamics:
   1. Establish a fundamental awareness of cultural dynamics such as race and gender bias, stereotyping, assumptions, etc.
   2. Examine the culture of Lakota/Dakota people, their world view, values, kinship system, oral tradition, health, economy and environment.
2. History:
   1. Survey the history of Indian/White encounters and that of South Dakota from early contact to the present.
   2. Study U.S. federal Indian policy, land and trade conflicts, treaty and legislative history.
   3. Cover contemporary legal and political issues such as sovereignty and jurisdiction on and off the reservation.
3. Educational Theory and Background:
   1. Inquire into traditional tribal education.
   2. Summarize the history of church, federal, public and tribal education of Indian leaders.
   3. Explore legislative issues regarding Indian education such as Title V or Title VII.
4. Implementation and strategies:
   1. Examine school and community relations.
   2. Analyze questions of Indian learning and teaching styles.
   3. Conceptualize and encourage integrated curriculum development.
   4. Evaluate authentic assessment.

Approved Courses at South Dakota Institutions