ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CHILDREN'S READERS NEEDED for Altai school libraries. If you have sources for these, please write Carol@AltaiMir.org. Thank you!

FEDERAL INDIGENOUS CURRICULUM PROJECT
A federal initiative is underway in 2009-2010 in Onguday and Kosh Agach regions to develop a curriculum that reflects indigenous world view. Such curricula are especially critical to the socialization/education of indigenous children into their own cultures.

Now, halfway through, promised funding for the program is in question. In January 2010, Danil Mamyev wrote:

"The Federal Experimental Site (FEP in Russian) has reached a sensitive phase and there is a threat that it will quietly fade away without financial support. As you know, Berdnikov [Governor of Altai Republic] has been reappointed, but his team is uninterested in the development of indigenous education (including the Republic and culture as a whole). Because of this, things are difficult.

"The FEP was established with the goal of 'winning' a small spot for ethnic culture and philosophy within the federal education curriculum. As a Protected Area, we are trying to create the prospect of developing the entire area holistically (not just nature protection, but also the social conditions of the population) so that in the future there will be a Turkic culture center here ("Cradle of the Turks") as well as developing the Tengri philosophy that places the highest value on Nature and the Cosmos."

SUPPORT FOR FUTURE FUNDING IS CURRENTLY BEING SOUGHT.

US EARTH-CONSCIOUS CURRICULA
Altai Mir University is supporting the work of Glacier Creek Publishing of Seattle to develop and market their grades K-5 "Perspectives" curriculum, which develops critical thinking, deep comprehension, and cultural awareness.

Glacier Creek Publishing is also working with large environmental groups to adapt already-developed Earth-conscious curricula into a format that will get them into the schools.