There are many groups consisting of students and teachers that have shared interests. Courtney Tsotigh, an Edmond Memorial High School teacher, Tsotigh teaches Native American Expressions. Her involvement with the Indigenous community throughout the school district has shown her dedication and love toward all students.
Tsotigh has been a part of the EMHS community for eight years. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, she continued to earn her Master of Education in Adult and Higher Education at the University of Oklahoma. During Tsotigh’s time at EMHS, she taught Native American Expressions, and during the day, she worked with the Indian Education program as the high school adviser for Native American students. Tsotigh is proud of her heritage, and for her and many other Indigenous people, involvement with the tribes is integral to her identity.
“[I am a part of the] Kiowa Tribe,” Tsotigh said. “It is one of 39 tribes in Oklahoma and 574 in the United States.”
Tsotigh is one of the few teachers at EMHS who is only present during the sixth hour. During this class period, Tsotigh focuses on teaching her students a basic understanding of Native American Expressions. One of the students, junior Natalee Clemmons, a Choctaw native, is the captain of the Oklahoma Council for Indian Education challenge bowl team, which competes in academic team-style tournaments to showcase their knowledge of Native American history and culture. Clemmons has known Tsotigh for four years but has recently become more involved since starting high school.
“[I’ve known Tsotigh since] 7th grade, and I’ve tried to be involved in the Indian Education program,” Clemmons said. “but freshman year is really when I got involved.”
In every school, some classrooms have a special place in some students’ lives. Tsotigh’s classroom has Native American decorations such as woven brackets, hand-beaded bracelets, and artwork that her students create during this one-semester course.
“Her Native American Expressions class is fun,” Clemmons said. “She’s a great teacher, and we learned a lot about Native American history and how the tribes lived and moved their lifestyles.”
One of the juniors, Samuel Johnson, who is also on the OCIE Challenge Bowl team, mentions that during his time in her class, he learned the basics of a Native American sport as a class activity.
“I love how she brings [guest speakers] into the classroom to teach us certain topics,” Johnson said. “She brought a person in, and he was a stickball coach [who] taught [us] the origins of stickball.”
Tsotigh changes the curriculum she teaches every year to try and put the new things she learns into practice. Tsotigh making a difference in not only her students’ lives but also in teaching the native culture.
Contact Jordan Moore at [email protected].
