American Indian Educators in Reservation Schools

The role of Native American teachers and administrators working in reservation schools has received very little attention, although their work is critical to preparing their students for the future. Utilizing numerous interviews and extensive fieldwork, Terry Huffman shows how they define their roles and evaluate their performance. He examines how they address the complex issues of Native cultural identity that affect their students and themselves and how they cope with the pressures of teaching disadvantaged students while meeting the requirements for reservation schools, including the No Child Left Behind Act.

Personal accounts, including candid comments about their choice of profession and the sometimes harsh realities of reservation life, offer unique insight into the frustrations and rewards of providing a viable education for Native American students. American Indian Educators in Reservation Schools demonstrates that these teachers and administrators meet daunting challenges with persistent optimism. Huffman’s study will help educators in other communities whose students are navigating a difficult path out of poverty and discrimination toward a better future.