About AINE

The Association of Interior Native Educators (AINE) is a non-profit organization established to provide a voice for Native educators and advocacy for educational issues affecting Alaska Native people. AINE seeks to share with others, especially those in a variety of educational settings, Alaska Native cultural knowledge. AINE is committed to advancing the use of a variety of learning styles and learning environments in order to provide an engaging educational experience that strengthens the intellectual and academic abilities for K-12 students and any life-long learner.

Since forming in 1995, AINE has developed culturally-relevant curriculum, cultivated a Cadre of Native Elders, held an annual Elder Academy for teachers to learn cultural knowledge, implemented Project Enhance to recruit and support new Native teachers and provided professional development to educators in Learning Styles instructional strategies for classrooms and schools.

AINE goals are to:

• Utilize Alaska Native elders as the foundation of Native education
• Encourage certified and non-certified Alaskan Native educators to seek increasingly higher degrees
• Develop a forum for Alaskan Natives involved in education to express their concerns on educational issues
• Create a network of support for Interior Natives involved in education
• Provide opportunities for Alaskan Native educators to meet other Native professionals in the education field
• Include Native language and knowledge in the curriculum
• Provide positive reinforcement for Native educators, parents and students
• Foster sensitivity toward and encourage the teaching of our spiritual beliefs and customs
• Encourage Interior school districts to employ Native teachers and administrators