Jolene Smith - Kayenta, AZ

Jolene Smith teaches 5th grade at the Kayenta Unified District, a school on the Navajo Reservation in Kayenta, Arizona. 

Jolene exemplifies a mission of culturally responsive teaching in her lessons. Her curriculum isn't just about the math, the social studies, or how to read. It’s also about incorporating the Navajo culture into those lessons, integrating community into the classroom.

Listen as she tells us about her own grade school experiences, teaching on the reservation where student's homes are quite spread out, and navigating COVID-19 precautions. 

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This podcast is part of the “I Am a Rural Teacher” national advocacy campaign. We’d like to thank our partners at the National Rural Education Association, Community Foundation of the Ozarks, Ozarks Teacher Corps, and The University of West Alabama’s Black Belt Teacher Corps. The “I Am a Rural Teacher” campaign is made possible by a grant from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The “I Am a Rural Teacher” Podcast is produced by Caitlin Whyte and Julia Levine, with music by Sam Douglass.