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This study explores the conditions that contribute to teacher success in First Nations communities by focusing on the experiences of educators and community members from the Ermineskin Reserve, which is located in central Alberta. The study addresses the question: what factors do educators and community members identify as being major contributors to the success of teachers in First Nations communities? The study is based on a review and analysis of data obtained through semi-structured interviews conducted with twelve teachers, six administrators, six Native students and six parents of Native children. These educators and community members share their experiences and ideas about how teacher success can be optimized in First Nations settings. The study identifies a number of interrelated factors that positively and negatively influence the work of teachers in First Nations communities. Educators and community members emphasize the importance of educators and community members working together to create a school system that not only meets the needs of students but also nurtures and validates educators, parents and the larger First Nations community. Recommendations are provided for educators, Native communities, Native school boards, and post-secondary institutions who are interested in developing, nurturing and supporting teacher success in First Nations settings.

Very few career models have been developed that provide counsellors with tools to facilitate First Nations' career development even though existing contributions to the literature state the need for culturally sensitive models and interventions. This thesis examines the appropriateness of the First Nations Career/Life Planning Model, developed by McCormick and Amundson (1997), when used with First Nations adolescents. The purpose of this study was to (a) receive feedback on the strengths of the existing model and (b) find out from participants how the model could be improved. The ultimate goal was to produce a model/intervention that would be sensitive to the unique challenges of First Nations career development. The viability of the model is based on how well the model addressed the career/life planning concerns of First Nations adolescents as portrayed by the literature and by the reports of First Nations participants themselves. The study examined the responses of 7 First Nations adolescents, their families and/or community members after taking part in the First Nations Career/Life Planning Model. All participants, except one, were from First Nations communities in the Vancouver, British Columbia area. After the career session, participants were interviewed to gain access to their experiences with the model. The feedback given by the young people, family and community members revealed that the First Nations Career/Life Planning Model was a positive experience for all the participants. The comments given by the participants related to five general themes: Increased self-awareness, input from peers, family and community members, cultural practices, recommendations for the First Nations Career/Life Planning Guide, and input on the counselling process.

This thesis explores the experience of dialect speakers of Indigenous English in the Standard English School. Indigenous English is a dialect of English spoken by many Aboriginal people in Canada; it is especially discernable in the Prairie Provinces, yet it is not widely recognized by the majority of the population. This classroom study was conducted in a semi-urban community in East Central Saskatchewan. The focus of the research was six children in a Grade 3 classroom, four of whom are First Nations and Indigenous English Speakers. The remaining two children are White and speakers of Standard English. The results of this study indicate that the First Nations children of this study speak a dialect of English that differs phonologically, morphologically, syntactically, and lexically from the Standard English spoken in Saskatchewan. These children are all below grade level in Language Arts and follow modified programs. They experience difficulty in phonics and spelling and are receiving additional support from classroom assistants, resource room teachers and speech pathologists. It would also appear that these children are experiencing institutional racism in a number of forms. Possible resolutions to the problems faced by these students may include teacher training and dialect awareness classes. This field has not been adequately explored and further research is needed to discover viable solutions to the issues experienced by dialect speakers of Indigenous English in the Standard English classroom.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the relationship between a kindergarten screening battery (KSB) and two criterion variables (academic achievement and educational placement) varied as a function of race. The subjects were 702 elementary school students, approximately 176 per grade, in kindergarten, first, third, and fourth grade. Approximately 45 students per grade were American Indian, with the remainder Caucasian.Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the KSB, race, and its interaction with each criterion variable. The predictor variables were the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R), the Kindergarten Language Screening Test (KLST), the Developmental Visual-Motor Integration Test (VMI), the Draw-A-Child (DAC), race, and the four race x KSB test vectors. Criterion variables were the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) total battery, and educational placement (special education vs. regular education status).The KSB predictor variables were entered into the multiple regression equations as a block. Race was then entered as a coded group vector, followed by the four race x KSB test interaction vectors. The increment in R2 due uniquely to the interaction was nonsignificant (slopes were homogeneous) in all analyses. Both the effects of race and the KSB were significant for all grades with achievement as the criterion (p < .01).Bias in predicting educational placement was tested using all subjects combined. Both the interaction and race effects were nonsignificant. The main effect of the KSB was significant (p < .01). An improvement over chance analysis showed that the KSB increased predictive accuracy of the at-risk determination over chance.The weighted composites which best predicted achievement consisted primarily of the language instrument, the PPVT-R, and race. The two psychomotor tests (the DAC and VMI) contributed useful information at the two earlier grades. The composite which best predicted educational placement was made up primarily of the expressive language measure, the KLST.Results of the study supported continued use of the KSB. However, race should be used as a variable when predicting achievement from the KSB, so as not to overpredict American Indian achievement or underpredict Caucasian achievement. Results also indicated the potential utility of early language enrichment for improving achievement of high risk children. / Department of Educational Psychology

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

This research utilized data from the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress to examine the relationship between demographic variables and academic achievement. Previous studies have demonstrated the influences of race, poverty, English language proficiency, and school racial composition on academic performance, and this research sought to understand these relationships in students from racial minority groups, particularly Native American students. Additionally, the relationship between attendance in public versus Bureau of Indian Education schools and test scores was examined. Results highlighted the achievement gap between White students and those from racial minority groups, including Native American students, and revealed negative relationships between the demographic variables and academic performance. Students in poverty, English language learners, those who attended schools with higher proportions of minority students, and those who attended BIE schools scored lower than their counterparts in all grade levels and subjects. Implications for improving Native American student performance are discussed, including the need for culturally relevant curricula, the possibility of instruction in Native languages, and further examination into factors that facilitate academic achievement in BIE schools. Future directions for research also are discussed, including the use of survey research methods with and the use of qualitative research to understand the educational experiences of Native American students. / Department of Educational Psychology

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Delaware, 1997. / Principal faculty adviser: James A. Whitson, Dept. of Educational Development. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Delaware, 1997. / Principal faculty adviser: James A. Whitson, Dept. of Educational Development. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2006. / "A dissertation in public affairs and administration and social science." Advisor: Nicholas Peroff. Typescript. Vita. Title from "catalog record" of the print edition Description based on contents viewed Jan. 29, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 201-216). Online version of the print edition.