One of the principal problems the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has in carrying out its responsibility to educate Indian children is the high turnover rate among its teachers; a large proportion of teachers in the BIA school system leave after their first year or second year of work. Teachers at six elementary schools on the Navajo Reservation were interviewed to determine the features they considered rewarding and the drawbacks associated with their place of work. The countryside itself and the cultural characteristics of the children were cited as the most rewarding aspects. Isolation in some form was the major drawback. Long distances had to be traveled for services of any kind. Medical services were not available on the reservation, although the Public Health Service had clinics established there. Because of lack of competition on the reservation there were high prices in the local area for food and automobile repairs. Social life was especially restricted. Job related problems were most frequently concerned with administration. A fourth of those interviewed, all Anglo, were dissatisfied with the BIA's implementation of the Indian Preference Policy; they felt some Indians were given preference for jobs for which they were not fully qualified. The BIA reward structure is complicated by the need for substantial documentation and reward is not given consistently enough to affect teacher attitudes. Recommendations to increase level of satisfaction among BIA teachers conclude the report. (DS)