One way to approach the improvement of instruction is for educators to learn from student interactions in cultural events that fully engage students' motivation and curiosity. In such a context, educators get to know students in new ways and to connect student strengths to classroom instruction. This can be especially powerful when the learning context is a shared and collaborative experience among educators. Two elementary school staffs came together to learn from the interactions of American Indian students and families through participation in the Tulalip Tribes' Salmon Ceremony. Such cultural events in communities throughout the United States have the potential to stimulate new ideas for teachers to create more inclusive, relevant, and engaging learning environments. Although they are cautious about educators making hasty conclusions about entire groups of people from limited interactions, the authors believe that, with knowledgeable community members and elders as guides, significant community events provide educators with opportunities to understand expectations and interactions in ways that might not be possible otherwise. The implications for teaching and learning in schools are profound.