Navajo Nation Teacher Education Consortium

Feb. 1, 2020
Kevin White lecturing from the front of a classroom pointing to a whiteboard

The college’s Indigenous Teacher Education Project hosted the Navajo Nation Teacher Education Consortium last week in Worlds of Words.

The consortium was created to improve the quality of Navajo education through the recruitment and training of prospective Navajo educators. Today, the consortium also includes a resource center for Navajo educators and a recruitment pipeline. Kelvin White, above, talks about the achievement gap.

ITEP Co-Director and Assistant Professor Jeremy Garcia says, “We enjoyed meeting members of NNTEC, and we are excited and look forward to supporting the goals of NNTEC. We know it has a long history rooted in increasing the number of Navajo teachers.”

During the meeting, dialogue centered on the consortium’s commitment to improving the quality of Navajo education through goals, such as:

  • Recruitment of prospective Navajo educators 
  • Integration of Dine philosophy, language, and culture into required teacher education courses
  • Improved access and delivery of teacher education courses and preparation 
  • Continuous advisement and mentorship 
  • Financial aid 
  • Expanding Dine scholarship in publications and presentations

ITEP is under formal review to become affiliated with NNTEC.