ERIC Number: ED519819
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 128
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: ISBN-978-1-1242-4721-2
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
An Investigation of the Phenomenon of Shortages of Indian Teachers as Described by Tribal College Leaders in Teacher Preparation
O'Dell, Cynthia Best
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Montana
In Montana, less than 3% of K-12 teachers are American Indian (Montana Office of Public Instruction, 2009). The lack of Indian teachers, which was the problem identified for this dissertation, is of great concern to educational leaders. The shortage of Native American teachers can be correlated to problems in the education of K-12 students (Reyhner & Eder, 2004) as evident in the data on achievement gaps, dropout rates and participation in higher education. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of tribal college leaders in preparing Indian pre-service teachers through the lens of the phenomenon of shortages of Indian teachers. It was hoped that such descriptions could inform educational leaders on possible, efficacious means to increasing the number of highly qualified Indian teachers in Montana. The results of this study suggested that (a) there still exists a need among various educational entities to recognize the value of Indian teachers and to allocate financial support for this valued resource through teaching salaries, and various forms of postsecondary aid; (b) tribal colleges do not typically receive adequate funding or state support for their teacher education programs; (c) there is a perception that Indian teacher candidates are not always welcomed into schools for field work; (d) there is a need for leadership and data from multiple sources to support tribal colleges in preparing Indian teachers; and (e) tribal college teacher preparation programs often work with limited partnerships that are mainly based on convenience. Ongoing work to address Indian teacher shortages may keep the state's attention focused on its most serious educational need, improving the quality of American Indian education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Preservice Teacher Education, Educational Needs, Teacher Education Programs, Elementary Secondary Education, Dropout Rate, American Indians, State Aid, American Indian Education, Teacher Shortage, Financial Support, Preservice Teachers, Tribally Controlled Education, Instructional Leadership, College Faculty, American Indian Studies
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Montana
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A