Reports from the Field: Addressing Challenges of Culturally Responsive Schooling for Native American Students in Low Density Schools

Based on a sample of elementary school teacher candidates (n = 142) from a teacher training institution on Long Island, New York, this study examined teacher candidates' perceptions of elementary school curriculum related to Native American peoples in general and local Native communities in particular. Teacher candidates were surveyed on their degree of knowledge about local Native people, as well as the degree to which they believed it was important to include the history and contemporary cultures of local Native groups into elementary school curriculum. Results showed that teacher candidates had limited understanding of and knowledge about local Native tribes. They were, however, overwhelmingly interested in learning about diversity in the elementary classroom, yet a high percentage (34 percent) were opposed to integrating curriculum on local Native communities into their teacher training program. Likewise, a comparably high percentage of the respondents reported limited interest in learning about Native groups who lived only minutes from the college they attended. Results highlight the need for meaningful discussion among school districts, teacher preparation programs, and Native communities on the preparedness of new teachers to teach Native American content in general and local content in particular.