SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: NPS teacher wins Indian Education Teacher of the Year award

Brian D. King, The Norman Transcript, Okla.
Updated ·2 min read

Dec. 9—After having received the Oklahoma Council for Indian Education's prize for top educator in Indian Education last year, Matt Jackson, a Norman Public Schools high school teacher, recently took home the National Indian Education Teacher of the Year award, and was recognized by NPS in a recent school board meeting.

The NIEA recognizes teachers in native communities that are role models and provide service to their Native communities, and on Oct. 7 in Oklahoma City, Jackson had the chance to receive the award at the organization's 53rd annual convention.

He also spoke at the 43rd annual OCIE conference, which was held from Dec. 4-6 in Durant at the Choctaw Casino & Resort.

Jackson is a former history and social studies teacher who applied for a new position last year as an ethnic studies teacher.

The job requires him to teach at both Norman and Norman North high schools.

The class is popular among students, and Jackson feels like he is giving voice to populations that are not well represented in traditional U.S. social studies classes.

"We have a diverse population of students. I think about the past and think, what is the story of your community's experience, and how it relates to today's world. It is important for students to learn of their past," Jackson said.

He said that evidence shows that students of color perform better when they can learn about historical figures that look like themselves.

It is also historically accurate to include the experiences and vantage points of people of color, as many history books have disproportionately omitted the experiences of nonwhite people.

"The statistical payoff is that students have been known to perform better in high school if they have interaction with a curriculum like this. If they don't see themselves in the curriculum, and don't see positive portrayals of themselves, these classes allow them to see that," he said.

Jackson, a citizen of Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, has the ability to take from his own experiences. Native American themes are one of many topics that he teaches in his classes.

His teachings, he believes, are not just important for Native Americans, but anyone that takes his course.

He expressed his gratitude for the district and those who have supported him as he has taught this course.

"We are lucky to be part of the country where we have a strong voice for Indian education," he said.