PULLMAN, Wash. – When Washington State University alumna Caitlin Montague-Winebarger went to teach elementary school in Manokotak, Alaska, she paid special attention to the large number of students who seemed uninterested or were just plain quiet. She learned that non-verbal communication was a big part of the local Yup’ik culture, and she adapted.
After receiving her degree in education from WSU Tri-Cities in 2006, Caitlin is now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Her dissertation research focuses on how pre-service teachers describe culture and cross-culture, and then apply those understandings. The subject is vitally important in Alaska, where there are many distinct native cultures and at least 20 native languages.
To read more about her, visit the WSU College of Education blog.