Navajo Nation gets teachers 'For the Children'

NAU's College of Education is going to the head of the class for helping ease the shortage of teachers on the Navajo Nation.

The university is collaborating with the Little Singer Community School to educate and graduate 14 certified Native American teachers through a program called For the Children.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, For the Children is a three-year program and a $475,000 commitment by the Office of Indian Education to induct teachers into reservation schools.

For the Children offers extensive support for education students, coupled with an emphasis on celebrating Native culture in their curriculum.

"Culturally responsive teachers have a better chance of connecting to the lives of the children they teach," said Guy Senese, a professor in NAU's College of Education. "This also helps their students understand the importance of their own cultures."

For Andrea Singer, an education major who graduated in January, the program not only got her on the teaching track, it kept her there.

"By being in this program I was able to get financial support and a lot of classroom teaching experience," Singer said. "By working as a group, we were able to develop a sense of family. We had many people to help us through any obstacles we might have faced. That support was great and kept me on the teaching track."

Teachers in the program commit to two years teaching at any school on the Navajo Nation.

Little Singer Community School collaborated with NAU in the grant, hosted student activities and classes and coordinated the budget.

Senese, along with Jim Manley, a lecturer in NAU's College of Education, who served as the teacher induction coordinator, and Etta Shirley from Little Singer School, developed For the Children based on the successful Hopi Teachers for Hopi Schools grants.

"For the Children is working to help meet the goals of NAU as a leader for Native American education," Senese said.