keewatinase indigenous teacher education program breaks new ground

bringing an indigenous lens to everything from music to mathematics

"i incorporate the anishinaabemowin language into all the classes i teach," hannah o'donnell says.
"speaking the language is one of the ways that i look after my 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 ' wellbeing, and my own."

this spring, hannah will be part of the first group of 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 graduating from lakehead's new keewatinase indigenous teacher education program (kitep).

"kitep's professors are amazing," says hannah o'donnell (left). this year, kitep has 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 from orillia, manitoba, minnesota, and communities in northwestern ontario including eabametoong first nation and webequie first nation.

as part of her studies, she recently completed two teaching placements at the spirit bay school in rocky bay first nation, on the edge of lake nipigon.

"i taught a jk/sk class and a grade 5/6 class, and i just loved it! it's wonderful to see the children progress and improve," hannah says.

"through the placements, i also learned who i am as a teacher."

hannah lives in thunder bay and is working towards her diploma of education while holding down a full-time job with the regional kinoonaadziwin education body.

"at kinoonaadziwin, i work with teachers in first nations communities assisting with ojibwe language revitalization," she says.

hannah is able to combine work and school because kitep has been adapted to better serve aspiring teachers and the communities who need them.

reimagining the indigenous teacher education program

"there was an urgent need for change," says education professor and kitep chair dr. paul cormier. "especially with ontario's current teacher shortage, which is most severe in indigenous communities."

this sparked the decision to overhaul the university's previous model for indigenous teacher training.

education faculty and staff worked with indigenous communities over a five-year period to create something unprecedented.

lakehead's indigenous language instructor's program has been incorporated into keewatinase. "over the last few years, there's been an acknowledgement in the education system of the value of indigenous ways of being and knowing, as well as the importance of experiential learning," dr. cormier says.

"native language coordinator tyler armstrong has been essential to kitep's vision and design, as have other members of our team," dr. cormier says.

"elder tina armstrong also provided support—including leading a special ceremony to rename the program 'keewatinase' after an ancestral grandmother spirit helper who is guiding us and our work."

a unique and responsive education

flexible study options are a core element of kitep.

most of the courses are online, rather than in person, and are scheduled in the evenings to accommodate 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 who have jobs or who live outside thunder bay.

"many of our 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 are from isolated fly-in communities and are already employed as education support workers or indigenous language teachers," dr. cormier explains.

世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 also learn from elders in the communities where they teach, which allows them to learn the local culture and language dialect.

above, hannah o'donnell (right) with her mom nancy (left) and her sister hope (centre). "i come from a family of teachers," hannah says. "my grandmother was an educator at algoma university and sault college, and my mom was a high school teacher for 25 years."

after completing two full course credits and 10 days of placements in elementary or secondary schools, kitep 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 can be hired as teachers under a multi-session transitional certificate of qualification and registration.

while working, 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 can complete their remaining practicum hours and fulfill all program requirements to become fully certified teachers.

"this means that they don't have to come to university for four years," dr. cormier says.

helping children blossom

at the heart of the keewatinase indigenous teacher education program is its commitment to wholistic learning.

"we've taken the ministry of education's curriculum expectations and met them within the context of indigenous cultural traditions," dr. cormier says.

"we're educating teachers to teach in a way that aligns with indigenous worldviews to foster healthy minds," dr. cormier says. above, kitep team members (l-r): admin assistant melissa oskineegish, kitep chair dr. paul cormier, kitep coordinator tyler armstrong, and student clerks nevaeh rae and roberta ogemah

it begins with an annual one-week culture camp that immerses kitep 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 in indigenous teaching practices and worldviews—giving them the ability to weave indigenous perspectives into their teaching.

"kitep's approach really helps you focus on the spiritual, emotional, and mental health of 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 ," hannah says.

in music class, for example, children are taught drumming and singing. this introduces them to indigenous stories and history, as well as the western approach to beat and rhythm.

with the reenvisioning of the indigenous teacher education program, enrolment has soared from fewer than 10 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 a year to almost 100 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 .

"we believe that indigenous ways of knowing can benefit all children, not just indigenous children," dr. cormier says.

click here to learn more about the keewatinase indigenous teacher education program and their full-time and part-time learning options.