Alaska Staff Development Network

Working Together To Make Schools Better

Alaska History and Multi-Cultural Education Certification

ED 555B Multicultural Studies for Alaska’s Teachers with Dr. Panigkaq Agatha John-Shields

New Teachers and Teachers New to Alaska
Meet your Multicultural Studies Requirement

  • This 3-credit Course is approved through the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development to meet the Multicultural/Cross-Cultural Communications requirement for teacher certification.
  • Approved in Anchorage School District MLP.  Class size limited to 40.
  • Required Texts: Culturally Proficient Instruction and Culturally Responsive Standards-Based Teaching
  • Dates:  September 21, 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26, November 2, 9, 16
  • All online coursework must be completed by November 30, 2022.
  • Platforms: Sessions run on Zoom, asynchronous work collected on UAA Blackboard.

This course:

  • Provides a framework for understanding multicultural education in the context of the classroom, community, and society.    
  • Focuses on ways to build relationships within classrooms that support multicultural learning. Presents an overview of Alaska Native cultures, historical events, and worldviews.  
  • Explores contemporary education issues, including planning and implementation of classroom activities and strategies that fosters growth in teachers to accept and appreciate all cultures and value the rich diversity of the students in their classrooms and beyond. 
  • Incorporates Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools and the Guidelines for Preparing Culturally Responsive teachers. 

Dr. Panigkaq Agatha John-Shields

Instructor Dr. Panigkaq Agatha John-Shields has been teaching ED 555B Multicultural Studies for Alaska’s Teachers in a variety of formats including face-to-face, site-based in the field at fish camps, and through synchronous online sessions.  Dr. Shields is a dynamic and authentic instructor, and all versions of her courses have been very well-received and highly evaluated by participants. 

She has been a guest speaker and lecturer at teacher and principal in-service training in various school districts in the state including the Anchorage School District Summer Academy. Dr. Shields has also been a featured/keynote presenter for AFN, the Lower Kuskokwim School District, the RTI/MTSS Effective Instruction Conference, the Sealaska Heritage Culturally Responsive Education Conference and national/international events.

She is the daughter of the late Dr. Chief Kangrilnguq Paul and Anguyaluk Martina John of Toksook Bay, Alaska, where she was raised in a traditional and cultural community by many elder mentors. Agatha was a Yup’ik teacher and a principal for Lower Kuskokwim School District for 17 years at Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Yup’ik Immersion Charter School in Bethel, Alaska.

She currently is an assistant professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage for the Educational Leadership and Language Program for the School of Education. Her professional passion is to teach through the lens of personal stories and experiences integrating Indigenous education and culturally  responsive teaching and learning focusing on cultural proficiency.

Registration opens in August.