Recruiting and Retaining Highly-Qualified Native American Teachers in New Mexico Reservation Schools

1
Recruiting and Retaining Highly-Qualified Native
American Teachers in New Mexico Reservation
Schools

• Margaret (Peggy) Hotchkiss
• Summary of dissertation presented in partial
  fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
  Doctor of Education at ASU

2
What prompted this study?

• As an Instructional Support Teacher, I was very
  impressed with the talents and skills of new
  teachers, especially those on alternative
  licensure.
• I also saw how teacher turnover on the
  reservation caused problems in schools.
• I observed that Navajo students responded more
  positively to Native teachers than to
  non-Natives.

3
What prompted this study?

• As a mentor of new teachers, I was impressed by
  the diversity of backgrounds and motives for
  entering the teaching profession. I wanted to
• Find ways to recruit more Native teachers to
  reservation schools
• Learn why retaining teachers on the reservation
  is such a challenge
• Learn the attributes successful teachers possess
  that have helped them become remainteachers.

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The Problem

• Recruiting and retaining good teachers for
  high-needs schools is a challenge.
• High-needs schools have high rates of teacher
  turnover, high percentages of students living in
  poverty, and (often) low student achievement.
• Fulfilling the highly qualified teacher mandates
  of NCLB is especially difficult for these
  schools.

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The Problem

• Rural schools Many teachers do not want to live
  and work in remote, isolated areas, far from
  shopping, entertainment, and opportunities for
  professional growth.
• Minority Schools Recruiting and retaining
  teachers for minority schools is a challenge.
• Poverty Schools Poverty schools have higher
  rates of teacher turnover than non-poverty
  schools.

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The ProblemReservation Schools

• Ten of the poorest 20 counties in the United
  States are inhabited primarily by Native
  Americans (U.S. Census, 2000).
• McKinley County, NM, is the 20th poorest county
  neighboring Apache County, AZ, is the 10th
  poorest county (U.S. Census, 2000).

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The ProblemReservation Schools

• Teachers are reluctant to teach or to remain in a
  teaching position on reservations due to
• Poverty
• Isolation
• Remote locations
• Lack of amenities and infrastructure (roads,
  health care, shopping, entertainment, etc.)
• Inability to purchase a home
• The insecurity of being a racial minority
• Low student achievement and student problems
  resulting from poverty.

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Possible SolutionsIncrease the Number of Native
Teachers

• Native teachers (especially those reared on
  reservations) are more likely to remain in
  teaching positions on reservations than are
  non-Natives
• Less culture shock
• Housing is (usually) more available
• Family and friends provide a support system
• Natives are used to the isolation and remoteness
  of many reservation communities
• They are used to the poor infrastructure.

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Possible SolutionIncrease the Number of Native
Teachers

• Native teachers can relate to Native students
  better than non-Natives can.
• Native teachers can make lessons culturally
  relevant and culturally appropriate.
• Native teachers can better understand Native
  students thought processes and learning styles.
• Native teachers may speak their indigenous
  language and can communicate with students and
  parents.

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Possible SolutionsAlternative Licensure

• Young adults with college degrees want to return
  to the reservation, but there are few jobs for
  educated people.
• Alternative routes to licensure may be a way to
  help increase the number of Native teachers in
  schools on or near reservations.

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Research Question

• What factors contribute to the recruitment and
  retention of Native American teachers in schools
  on or near the Navajo Nation in New Mexico?

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Interview Protocol-Teachers

• I visited with Native American teachers to learn
  their stories, including
• education,
• previous careers (if any),
• challenges they faced in their journey to the
  classroom,
• personal strengths that helped them become
  teachers and that help them in the classroom,
• challenges they face in the classroom,
• why they chose the licensure path they pursued,
  and
• their perceptions of the value of Native American
  teachers in schools with large percentages of
  Native students.

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Interview Protocol-Teachers

• I asked teachers what factors have contributed to
  their decision to remain in the teaching
  profession and to remain in teaching positions in
  schools on or near the Navajo Reservation.

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Interview ProtocolAdministrators

• I interviewed two district administrators and
  four principals to learn the challenges they face
  in recruiting and retaining highly-qualified
  teachers for their schools
• I interviewed administrators and teachers to
  learn their recommendations for Native Americans
  who wish to become teachers and their suggestions
  for ways to recruit and retain highly-qualified
  Nativeteachers for reservation schools.

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Interview Protocol

• In addition to the questions listed above, one
  Navajo Nation chapter asked that the study
  consider the value of teaching Native culture to
  Native students. An additional question was
  asked during teacher and administrator
  interviews
• Why is it important for our students to know
  their culture?
• What benefits do you see in teaching Native
  culture?

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Methodology

• Descriptive, collective case studies
• Interviewed 15 teachers from 5 communities
• Interviewed four principals
• Interviewed two district administrators
• Visited six Navajo chapters the school board to
  obtain resolutions supporting the research
• Obtained approval from the Navajo Nation HRRB
  the ASU IRB.

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Methodology

• Teacher subjects were selected who
• Became licensed since 1998
• Were recommended by their schools Instructional
  Coaches
• Represent a diversity of ages, genders, tribes,
  backgrounds, and teaching assignments.
• Subjects are representative of the Native
  teachers in the district (assignments, gender,
  subjects).

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Subjects backgrounds

• Business owner
• Factory worker
• DWI program administrator
• Community librarian
• Artist
• Motion picture actor
• Wild land firefighter
• Military
• Physician

• Health educator
• Day care worker
• Educational assistant
• Post-secondary instructor
• Social worker
• Staff of youth residential treatment center

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Who are the subjects?

• Three males twelve females
• Three high school three middle school nine
  elementary school
• Ages 25-60
• Teaching experience 0-12 years
• Tribes Zuni, Choctaw-Wyandotte, Apache,
  Cherokee, Navajo
• Licensure pathways 9 alternative 6 traditional
• Two completed college while working as
  educational assistants.

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Who are the administrator subjects?

• 4 principals
• 2 district administrators
• One male five females
• Three Natives three non-Natives
• Experience in education ranges from 15-40 years
• All administrators have at least five years of
  administrative experience.

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Findings

• Themespersonal attributes of teachers
• Sense of mission
• Sense of calling to teach
• Perseverance resilience
• Rise to challenges
• Love of learning
• Patience

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Findings Sense of Mission

• We Navajos feel intimidated when we leave our
  immediate world, because we do not have the same
  experiences, because we do not always have the
  same education. And I dont think that there
  really is an expectation that we can learn what
  everybody else can learn, and I think that has to
  stop.

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Implications Sense of Mission

• We must improve the education of reservation
  students, K-12, so that they can compete with
  students off the reservation.
• All teachers must hold high expectationsfor all
  students, Native and non-Native.

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Implications Sense of Mission

• As educators, we need to help students see that
  the value of education is being able to help
  their people. This can best be done by
• Taking students on field trips off the
  reservation.
• Letting them observe Chapter and Tribal
  governments in action.
• Empowering them to solve real-life problems in
  their schools, communities, and on the
  reservation.

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Findings Calling to Teach

• Ive been thinking of moving to another grade,
  but I like seeing the growth in first grade. The
  students come to first grade and they still have
  that kindergarten mentality. Then all of a
  sudden, in January or February, they go to the
  next level. That gives me the encouragement to
  go on. I love seeing that growth!

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Implications Calling to Teach

• Some subjects suggested that we encourage middle
  and high school students to consider teaching.
• Having students tutor their peers or younger
  students would provide a taste of the teaching
  experience.

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Implications Calling to Teach

• Twelve of the 15 subjects indicated that teaching
  was not their first career choice when they were
  younger, and 9 teachers were alternatively
  certified. Some had wanted to be teachers in
  childhood, but changed their minds in college.
  Others came to teaching after time in the
  military or other careers.
• Knowing this, educators should actively recruit
  college graduates who may not have degrees in
  education.
• Administrators need to understandNew Mexicos
  alternative licensure pathways.

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Findings Perseverance and resilience

• Teachers did not identify resilience and/or
  perseverance as strengths. Rather, these
  attributes were threads that were woven through
  their stories
• Going to college while raising a family taking
  classes and teaching while pregnant and caring
  for new infants
• Completing college in spite of financial
  hardship, family obligations, or health problems.

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Implications Perseverance and resilience

• Fostering resilience in todays youth is crucial
  if we are to improve student achievement, lower
  the drop-out rate, and develop a pool of
  potential college graduates who can become
  teachers.
• Research (Malloy Allen, 2007) indicates that
  building resiliency also helps improve teacher
  retention in rural schools.

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Implications Perseverance and resilience

• Schools should develop resiliency-building
  programs for both staff and students.
• Native cultures traditionally have developed
  resiliency in their youth (Strand Peacock,
  2003).
• Native culture experts should be included in
  developing a resiliency curriculum.

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Findings Ability to confront challenges

• Also, my general ability to confront a challenge
  is a strength. If I find something hard, I
  dont leave it at that, I go further. I dont
  settle for less often.
• I know the challenges of being a minority and
  having no opportunities.
• Its the challenge that keeps me going.

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Implications Ability to confront challenges

• Students need to be given opportunities to face
  challenges in a safe and nurturing environment.
• Solving real life problems is one way that
  students can confront challenges and reap the
  rewards of their successes.

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Findings Love of learning

• My general personality is that I love
  learning. I love subjects that I have no idea
  what theyre about--and really getting into
  that.

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Implications Love of learning

• Given high reservation drop-out rates, high
  student absenteeism, and the negative attitudes
  many Native students and their parents have
  towards school and learning, it is exciting to
  find Native individuals who love to learn.
• If those teachers can share their enthusiasm for
  learning with their students, perhaps some of the
  negativity towards education can be reversed.
• The more opportunities students have to engage in
  personally relevant learning activities, the more
  likely they are to develop a love of learning.

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Findings Patience

• I think the most important strength that I have
  is patience now. Ive learned to wait and see
  the whole picture, instead of react.

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Implications Additional strengths that help in
classroom

• Most teachers found that being Native enhanced
  their ability to relate to students and to
  communicate with parents and staff.
• Teachers also value receiving feedback from
  administrators, coaches, and/or colleagues.
• We need to ensure that new teachers are provided
  with mentors who are able to observe them in the
  classroom and coach them in order to improve
  their teaching practice.
• Instructional coaching (from coaches, colleagues,
  and/or administrators) is very valuable for all
  teachers, but especially for new teachers.

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Additional Findings

• Challenges
• Perceptions of the value of Native teachers
• Positive
• Negative
• Value of teaching Native Culture

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Findings Challenges faced in classroom--colleague
s

• Its been a challenge for me to work with a new
  grade level partner every year. Im trying to
  adjust to new students and every year, Ive also
  had to adjust to a new teacher. Most of the
  teachers have been brand new alternative
  licensure teachers, so thats been hard.

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Implications Challenges faced in
classroom--colleagues

• The high rate of teacher turnover in some
  reservation schools is demoralizing for staff.
  It is very difficult to build a successful
  instructional team when a large percentage of the
  schools staff often is new each year.
• Administrators should make it a priority to
  recruit teachers who are likely to stay at the
  school for more than a few years
• Developing a culture of collegiality that
  encourages retention also should be a priority
  for administrators and staff.
• The perception that some Native teachers are lazy
  or not well-prepared also needs to be addressed.
• All teachers need to be held to the same high
  expectations.

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Implications Challenges faced in classroom

• Discipline Administrators need to ensure that
  new teachers receive coaching and mentoring in
  effective classroom management techniques.
  Schools also need to develop a comprehensive
  behavior policy, such as Positive Behavior
  Supports.
• Diverse Needs New teachers need to receive
  training in techniques to address the needs of
  various learners, including special needs
  students and ELLs.

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Findings Value of Native educators

• Students would be able to not hold back all
  their information, but could give their potential
  to that Native teacher. Sometimes, students
  will hold back on things--put a shell around
  themselves--when they have a teacher who does not
  understand their culture. The parents,
  grandparents, or guardians of the children will
  feel more comfortable with a Native American
  teacher. They will feel more comfortable sharing
  things that happen in the school or at home with
  a Native teacher.

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Implications Value of Native educators

• Administrators need to actively recruit Native
  educators.
• Most of the teachers in the study did not plan to
  become teachers. We need to cast our recruiting
  nets farther than traditional teacher training
  programs and encourage Natives who have earned
  college degrees to enter the teaching profession.
• Administrators should encourage parents and
  assistants to complete college and become
  licensed to teach.

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Findings Negative perceptions of Native educators

• Probably the biggest challenge that Im seeing
  for them Native teachers is in the writing
  areas. They really need to focus in high school
  and in those early college years to perfect those
  writing skills. As educators, as teachers, we
  really need to start perfecting those writing
  skills in the elementary years. Administrator.

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Findings Negative perceptions of Native educators

• And theres some animosity on the part of
  parents towards Navajo teachers. For me, it
  doesnt matter what race you are as long as you
  have a commitment to Navajo children.

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Implications Negative perceptions of Native
educators

• We need to ensure that current students are given
  the literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking
  skills that will enable them to be successful in
  college and in life.
• Districts should work with local colleges to
  ensure that future teachers are equipped with
  writing and critical thinking skills so that they
  can teach these skills to their students.
• Districts should help current teachers develop
  and hone these skills.

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Findings Value of Native Culture

• We wonder why theres so much violence and so
  muchreallyhate, and theres no self-respect
  anymore.That wasnt here when we had real values
  in our culture. There was a real understanding
  of who you were, where you came from, who your
  family was, and where your home was. And because
  those teachings of your homethis is where the
  fire is, everything you need to live is here in
  this placethese kids nowadays dont have that.

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ImplicationsNative culture

• It is imperative that schools serving large
  percentages of Native American students provide
  classes in Native culture and language. (These
  are required by law in New Mexico.)
• All teachers (Native and non-Native) need to
  understand Native culture and need to embed
  culturally-responsive pedagogy into their
  teaching practice.
• Students tend to learn better when culture is
  used to hook their interest and instill
  excitement about learning.
• All teachers should honor and validate the
  culture of the students in their classrooms.

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ConclusionsRecruiting teachers

• Work by several researchers has indicated that
  alternative routes may be a viable option for
  recruiting and training minority teachers
  (Feistritzer, 2007 Villegas Lucas, 2005).
• Nine of the 15 subjects were alternatively
  licensed teachers who have been in positions at
  their schools for at least two years.
  Instructional Coaches recommended these teachers
  for this study, based on their work with these
  teachers.

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ConclusionsRecruiting teachers

• Some researchers (Berliner, 2000
  Darling-Hammond, 2008) believe that
  under-licensed teachers are harmful to
  students.
• However, what appears to be more harmful to
  students and schools is the excessive turnover
  that often results when alternatively licensed
  teachers are not comfortable with Native culture,
  the challenges of teaching under-achieving
  students, and the realities of living on a
  reservation.
• Administrators should recruit teachers who are
  likely to remain on the reservation for more
  than a few years.

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ImplicationsRetaining teachers

• Implications that are unique to reservation
  schools include
• Provide housing and security in teacherage areas
• Provide increased rural stipends
• Establish professional learning communities,
  K-12, in remote areas
• Make professional development opportunities more
  available to teachers or teachers-in-training who
  live in remote areas (both district-sponsored
  trainings and university courses).
• Provide resiliency training for teachers.

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ConclusionsRetaining teachers

• Tribes and districts need to collaborate to
  provide programs that will support new Native
  teachers, especially those who are on Alternative
  licensure. A system of coaching, monthly
  seminars, and collegial support similar to that
  developed by Teach for America has been suggested
  as a possibility.

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RecommendationsEducating Native Americans

• We need to
• improve Native students critical thinking
  skills.
• focus on writing K-12.
• help prospective teachers prepare for the NMTA.
• ensure that Native teachers are trained in the
  latest research-based pedagogy.
• ensure that Natives know their culture and the
  cultures of the area.
• implement culturally-relevant curricula.

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Summary

• And I dont think that there really is an
  expectation that we can learn what everybody else
  can learn, and I think that has to stop.
• I think that this statement is probably the most
  important message gleaned from this study. We
  must hold our students to the same expectations
  as students in non-reservation schools. And we
  must provide our students with quality
  educations.

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What recommendations do you have for future
research on the Navajo Nation?

• Some teachers indicated that parents and
  community members are biased against Native
  teachers. Teachers also indicated that some
  Native teachers are lazy, or are not willing to
  go the extra mile for kids. More research needs
  to be conducted to determine how widespread these
  perceptions are and the validity of the
  perceptions.
• Challenges
• Getting people to admit that there are biases
  against Native teachers may be difficult.

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What recommendations do you have for future
research on the Navajo Nation?

• Longitudinal studies should be conducted to
  compare retention rates of alternatively and
  traditionally licensed Native teachers.
• Challenges
• Gaining access to district or school personnel
  files may be difficult, since the data are
  confidential.

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What recommendations do you have for future
research on the Navajo Nation?

• Student achievement data should be compared to
  determine the effectiveness of Native teachers
  compared to non-Native teachers.
• Challenges
• Gaining access to student achievement data is
  very difficult!

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What recommendations do you have for future
research on the Navajo Nation?

• Alternatively and traditionally-licensed
  teachers teaching skills should be compared,
  using a classroom walk-through rubric or
  administrator and/or instructional coach
  observations.
• Challenges
• The researcher would need to conduct the
  walk-throughs in order to avoid problems with
  inter-rater reliability.

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How the Navajo Nation can help new teachers

• Create a support network, similar to that
  provided by Teach for America for its corps
  members.
• Provide Native mentors for new Native teachers
• Provide workshops for new teachers, both Native
  and non-Native
• Provide resources for schools to help new
  teachers better understand Diné culture.

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Final thoughts

• I am very honored to have been able to visit with
  the educators in this study. They are very
  competent, caring, and creative individuals who
  are committed to our kids and to improving the
  life of the Diné.
• I believe that committed, capable teachers are
  key to improving education on the Navajo Nation,
  and ultimately, to solving the problems that
  confront the Diné.

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Friendship Basket, Mary H. Black, Navajo.

• The importance of family and neighborly support
  is the focus of this basket. Family is without a
  doubt the most important aspect of the Navajo
  culture. There is a built-in support system
  within the family, which is essential to their
  survival in this vast and open country. Neighbors
  are important for many of the same reasons. In
  this basket, the small black spot in the center
  of the basket represents the growth and emergence
  of the Navajo people from the mythical lower
  worlds. The four rainbow segments surrounding the
  opening guard and protect this sacred place. The
  peoplefamily, friends and neighborsall join
  hands in friendship.
• http//www.canyonart.com/baskets.htm