Francisco, Linda G. 1980. - CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM ON THE PAPAGO RESERVATION Abstract: The teachers and administrators of the Indian Oasis School District at Sells, Arizona, on the Papago Reservation, are predominantly non-Indian. The students, however, are Papago Indians with an entirely different background. According to Dr. Allyn Spenae of the Indian Education Programa at the University of Arizona, the curriculum was originally dictated by the Superintendent of Schools who set the course of study as though Indian Oasis was a typical urban, white school district, thereby producing a curriculum which was not appropriate for the students who are neither urban nor white. By forming a Teacher's Center Group under the auspices of the Department Or Health, Education and Welfare, the faculty attempted to find solutions to this major problem. To assist them, they enlisted Dr. Spence who, because of my background in Applied Anthropology, invited me to join their efforts with regard to the improvement of cross-cultural communications in order that the teachers be better able to assess and meet the needs of their students. Toward that end, Dr. Spence and I developed instructional material on communications networks to be distributed to all Teachers' Center Group members, to familiarize them with the tools of communication. A pre-test, to be completed by the members of the group, Anglo and Papago, was to assist us in determining areas of weakness in Communications throughout the school network. The results of the pre-test were to serve as a basis for discussion with the group on existing communications problems and possible solutions. A post-test, to be distributed after the discussions, would point up areas of improvement and indicate where further improvement was still needed. Unfortunately, the project ended prematurely, preventing completion of our plans. However, the information contained in the pre-test was available for analysis. From it, we discerned that the main communications problems lay between the administrators and faculty, and between the teachers and the aides. It was the complaint of the teachers that the administration did not keep them informed of new policies and decisions, and did not ask their opinion on ideas, a charge readily admitted by the one principal who participated. The teachers also complained that their aides, who were Papago, did not engage them in conversation about problems in the schools. Because the aides talked among themselves, the teachers felt that the aides did not trust them and did not want to make an effort to become more familiar with them. Conversely, the aides felt that the teachers discussed school matters only with other teachers, and did not want the aides' ideas, or even credit them with the ability to make contributions. It seemed that the basic difficulty was a dearth of meaningful communication; productive conversation did not occur where it was needed. We developed several suggestions to help remedy the situation. An Anglo-Papago language newsletter, produced by teachers, aides and students would both provide more personal interaction and inform parents of activities. Greater involvement with each others' professional groups among teachers and aides would be valuable. Also recommended was a greater amount of informal interaction among individuals and in small groups, perhaps to include a state-wide workshop held at intervals during the year. We strongly advised that the aides, potentially excellent sources of information on Papago culture, be utilized to the greatest extent possible. Principally, we felt that there must be a conscious effort made by all to talk to each other and break the barriers to communication. The teachers need to know Papago culture better before they can be truly effective.