A new study has found there needs to be clearer pathways to boost the number of First Nations teachers in the Top End, which could help keep Indigenous kids in school and create more role models.
Charles Darwin University senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledge, Tracy Woodroffe, is currently researching the critical shortfall of First Nations educators in the Northern Territory.
The NT has the highest percentage of First Nations students in Australia.
Dr Woodroff, a proud Warumungu Luritja woman, said having more First Nations teachers could increase Indigenous student engagement.
"We know that there is an astounding teacher shortage at the moment, especially out in remote communities and teachers are coming from interstate," she said.
"These teachers are responsible for the teaching of First Nations students, but they have a different culture, different ideas about teaching and learning and there are language barriers."
Dr Woodroffe's work is focused on understanding the various educational pathways on offer to First Nations students to enter teaching.
She has spoken to a range of educators, support staff, career education teachers and the Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory to get a clearer picture of the pathways available.
"There is a potential study pathway for First Nations senior secondary students to enter into teaching but unfortunately it is not clearly articulated or widely known," she said.
"If we are going to increase the number of First Nations teachers, we need a coordinated approach to change processes and practices to improve pathways and better support First Nations students," she said.
Dr Woodroffe's next phase of research will explore the aspirations of First Nations high school students to become teachers.
She will also look into First Nations teachers' perspectives on the classroom and how best to promote teaching to other Indigenous people.
Dr Woodroffe recently received a First Nations Fellowship from the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES) - formerly the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) - at Curtin University to continue with the project.
Part of her study will involve going to 40 schools across the Territory in urban and remote locations to ask students in senior years and teachers to complete an anonymous survey.
"My study will specifically focus on promoting teaching as a career of choice for First Nations people to ultimately improve educational outcomes for First Nations students," Dr Woodroffe said.
"Through the survey, I hope to learn about First Nations perceptions of teaching as a career and how to best promote teaching, in order to inspire and encourage as many First Nations people as possible to become teachers."
