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An Interview with Mary Jane Joe

In this interview, Mary Jane Joe shares her vision for Indigenous education. She explains the importance of future generations maintaining the knowledge of their elders and to keep their traditions alive. Mary Jane Joe is a knowledge keeper and Elder-in Residence at Langara College in Vancouver, BC.

In this interview, Mary Jane Joe shares her vision for Indigenous education. She explains the importance of future generations maintaining the knowledge of their elders and to keep their traditions alive.

Mary Jane Joe is a knowledge keeper and Elder-in Residence at Langara College in Vancouver, BC.

Cree and Ojibwe Bilingual Program

The Winnipeg School Division is proud to initiate bilingual Cree language and Ojibwe language programs exclusively at Isaac Brock School.

The Winnipeg School Division is proud to initiate bilingual Cree language and Ojibwe language programs exclusively at Isaac Brock School.
The 2016 school year welcomed students in Kindergarten, while the 2018-19 school year will have program entry points​ in Kindergarten​ to Grade 2.
The Cree and Ojibwe Programs will center around ancestral teachings of the Grandmother Moon and the thirteen moons she carries. The programs have a land-based component as this is an important part of language learning. Culturally, there is a strong connection to the land and all the life it encompasses. In the ​Kindergarten Program, students will be fully immersed in the Cree or Ojibwe language. The Grade 1 and 2 program will be bilingual with 50% of instruction in Cree or Ojibwe and 50% in English.

Build from Within- Ozhitoon Onji Peenjiiee

The program bridges students from high school through to becoming an educator.

The Build From Within teacher development program brings together Winnipeg School Division, the Faculty of Education at the University of Winnipeg, and Indspire Canada and other service providers to develop a path for Indigenous High School Students to become teachers. The primary goal of Build From Within is to recognize and build on Indigenous students’ unique strengths and experiences to create competent and motivated teachers who are passionate about their work and want to contribute back as teachers. Starting in Grade 11, Indigenous students spend six years on a journey to become a teacher with the Winnipeg School Division. A total of 60 students will participate in two cohorts. Each cohort of 30 students engages in an academically rigorous program featuring classroom internships, as well as cultural, familial, mentorship, employment, and financial support.

The first step is graduation from high school and completion of a 300-hour Education Assistant Diploma Program. In addition, students are required to take a minimum of 48 hours of workshops (delivered by WSD staff) and participate in a practicum placement within the school division. Students will continue as Education Assistants while completing their Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education Degrees at the University of Winnipeg.

Minister of Michif (Michif Cluster)

Andrew Carrier Minister of Michif for the Manitoba Métis Federation speaks to the importance of the Michif language. 

Andrew Carrier Minister of Michif for the Manitoba Métis Federation speaks to the importance of language, his own personal journey with Michif and the next steps needed to save Michif for future generations. 

Master-Apprentice Indigenous language revitalization in Michif and Other Indigenous Languages

Prairies to Woodlands Indigenous Language Revitalization Circle Master-Apprentice Indigenous language revitalization aims to build the capacity of fluent-speaking Elders and others (“masters”) and committed learners (“apprentices”) to work as language learning teams in hopes of keeping their endangered ancestral languages alive. P2WILRC, a grassroots all-volunteer community group based in the Parkland, was given a grant […]

Prairies to Woodlands Indigenous Language Revitalization Circle Master-Apprentice Indigenous language revitalization aims to build the capacity of fluent-speaking Elders and others (“masters”) and committed learners (“apprentices”) to work as language learning teams in hopes of keeping their endangered ancestral languages alive. P2WILRC, a grassroots all-volunteer community group based in the Parkland, was given a grant from Canadian Heritage’s Aboriginal Language Initiative to run the MAP pilot project. At the time of this interview, there are five funded Master-Apprentice Program (MAP) teams—three Michif, one Swampy Cree, and one Ojibwe who will work for upwards of 300 hours together by March 31, 2019.

Community Elder Perspective – Albina Cardinal

Elder, Albina Cardinal believes that a curriculum that is infused with Indigenous history makes progress in the healing and understanding of Indigenous communities.

Albina Cardinal is an Elder and a residential school survivor. She enjoys the opportunity to interact with students and share her experiences at residential school with students (K-3) and teachers. Cardinal has presented to teachers on professional development days held at the High Level school. These presentations provide educators with opportunities to ask questions about being a residential school survivor and teaches the students about the history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Cardinal believes that it is important to learn about Indigenous history and language in order to reclaim Indigenous languages. She shared a story of when she was young and the many things she learned from her parents when she was home in the summer, fall and sometimes winter. She fondly remembers her mom making her brothers and sisters a pair of moccasins to wear at residential school when they had to return.

The Mid-Island Métis Nation – Indigenous Education Wiichihew Program

The Wiichihew Program is offered by the Mid-Island Métis Nation and serves Indigenous Students in high schools, alternative learning programs, and Vancouver Island University. It supports students by sharing resources, supports, community and cultural events, emotional support, etc. This program was established in 2016, and is available to all Indigenous Learners in High school/University level. […]

The Wiichihew Program is offered by the Mid-Island Métis Nation and serves Indigenous Students in high schools, alternative learning programs, and Vancouver Island University. It supports students by sharing resources, supports, community and cultural events, emotional support, etc. This program was established in 2016, and is available to all Indigenous Learners in High school/University level. The Coordinator is a student advocate, she connects the students to resources and resource people who can assist the student with current issues/situations as well as future goals and aspirations. The amount and type of support offered is based on the students individual needs.

Weaving a Story

Weaving a Story describes the importance of inkle looms to creating Métis sashes that are meaningful to individuals.

In the interview, Teresa Bryne discusses the meaning of the colours of the Métis sash. Through workshops, Weaving a Story tells the history of the sash, the creation of a sash on a loom, and how to create your own.

Little Métis Sing With Me

The Little Métis Sing With Me program offers resources for facilitators, parents, and children. The resources include songs, rhymes, dance, Michif language, take-home books, and crafts.

Little Métis Sing With Me program is a parent-child program with three strands: Family literacy Essential skills Métis culture and history This is an exciting program with lots of wonderful resources for facilitators to share with parents and children: songs, rhymes, dance, Michif language, take home books, crafts, and guests. Little Métis Sing With Me Training Workshop A three-day workshop to train participants to run their own Little Métis Sing With Me programs. All participants receive a facilitator’s manual and all resources. Also included are a combination of dance, songs, rhymes, books, and activities to enhance the training and provide ready-made resources for the program. Registration fee is $125 per person or $2,500 for your group (max 20 participants). Please contact us for upcoming training dates and to find out how to apply for funding to set up this program in your community.

Indigenous Teacher Perspective – Penny Cardinal-Kotash

Audio interview with Indigenous Educator Penny Cardinal-Kotash perspective from Treaty 8, High Level, Alberta.

Penny Cardinal-Kotash is a Indigenous Teacher who teaches in High Level, Alberta. She is passionate about teaching students and infuses Indigenous education throughout the Language Arts, Social Studies, and Math curriculum. She utilizes her own experience to help students learn about the Cree culture but of other Indigenous cultures. Mrs. Kotash explains that Indigenous students need to see themselves in everyday society, to learn that Indigenous peoples have always been here, and to learn about their own culture and others in which each are a part of Canada’s fabric. She helps other Educators in the Division and encourages them to choose and identify where the literature originates from, as well as the region they belong to, to ensure it’s relevancy for their region. Penny Cardinal-Kotash is part of the Division’s FNMI cohort and provides resources, and support to understand we are not all the same culture and to base their teachings relative to the language and its region.