Diné College Hosts Event on Culturally Revitalizing and Sustaining Pedagogy for K-12 Educators
SHIPROCK, N.M., April 25, 2026. Diné College’s Teacher Education Program hosted an in-person conference today at the Shiprock South Campus John Pinto Library to promote culturally sustaining and revitalizing pedagogy for K-12 teachers. The event provided educators with land-based, culturally responsive strategies to empower Indigenous youth and reshape classroom learning.
The gathering featured keynote presentations from University of New Mexico faculty members Dr. Shiv Desai and Dr. Vincent Werito. The speakers guided attendees through deep discussions centered on three main themes: identity, community, and storytelling. Participants explored practical ways to integrate Indigenous knowledge, counter-storytelling, and cultural humility into modern educational environments.
Dr. Werito emphasized the importance of tribal strengths and the use of the native language to preserve core values. “We use a cultural revitalizing and sustaining approach, which isn’t just about bringing back the language, but thinking more about how we use the language still,” Dr. Werito said. “How can we continue to make that connection between our language and the values?”
Dr. Desai urged attendees to critically examine the past and future objectives of education within communities of color. “Remember your roots—return to your community and rebuild it in a way that uplifts people rather than displacing them,” Dr. Desai emphasized. He encouraged participants to reconsider the role of education in their lives and communities. “Our goal is to inspire broader, more ambitious thinking. Pursue learning, aim for a college degree, but always stay connected to where you come from and find ways to rebuild and support your community,” Dr. Desai stated.
The program drew active participation from Diné College education majors, local K-12 teachers, and community members. Dr. Kimberly Dominguez noted the value of giving educators practical frameworks for their schools. “The teachers are thankful that we’re providing an opportunity for them to hear about different perspectives on how to use culturally revitalizing and sustaining pedagogies, and examples of what strategies they can use in the classroom for teaching those concepts to their students that are land-based,” Dr. Dominguez said. She also thanked the New Mexico Department of Higher Education for funding the vital workshop.
Diné College education student Rayshaunnon Claleson shared how the conference impacted her path toward becoming an elementary school teacher. “The main thing that really stood out to me was where they learn respect, responsibilities, and hearing that being enforced in schools,” Claleson said. “Students have to be respectful towards one another, be responsible for their acts, and caring, basically, and just learning what they can in order to go up into the real world and come back to the Navajo reservation to help the next generation of students.”
For more information: https://www.dinecollege.edu/…/school-of-dine-studies…/
