Red Light, Green Light Signals: Encouraging American Indian Girls' STEM Interests

Research on the red light (stop) and green light (go) signals that elementary classroom teachers are providing their students, particularly American Indian girls, in regards to STEM interests, is the basis for this research project.  The project is a 3 year longitudinal study that was conducted in 23 rural Northeastern Oklahoma schools with high American Indian student populations.  Our hypothesis is that American Indian and rural children confront a unique set of influences from an early age (8-11 years) that shape their interests in pursuing STEM study.  This research obtained data by means of surveys to identify the beliefs and attitudes of the students, parents, and teachers in our selected schools.  In addition, the researchers observed classrooms and conducted focus groups discussions with the teachers, parents, and children.  The survey data was supplemented with classroom observations to study the kinds of experiences students were having in their math and science classes.  In addition, focus group discussions queried parents’ and teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward students’ ability to excel in STEM career fields.  During the third year of the study, student focus groups were instituted to delve further into the students’ attitudes and beliefs.  Initial findings indicate that parents’ beliefs have the greatest effect on children’s beliefs.  Further, this research provides evidence that teachers are more influential in early elementary grades, but by fourth grade, parents have retained their influential control over their child’s future choices.