Conference aims to help educators incorporate more Indigenous practices
- NC Raine | March 17, 2017
Educators, administrators, and elders across Saskatchewan gathered at the Full Circle Language Revitalization, Education, and Wellness Conference in order to improve the practices of those who work with First Nations students.
Held over two days in Saskatoon, the conference focused on integrating components of land, language, and culture to students in all levels of education.
“We're really looking at land-based education in our schools and language revitalization. We've gone to a lot of different conferences across Canada and noticed that a lot of what our teachers and communities are doing here is ground-breaking and innovative, and they're not happening in a lot of other places,” said Senior Director of Education at Meadow Lake Tribal Council Heather Merasky in an interview with Eagle Feather News.
“[The conference was created] to highlight our own expertise and what's happening in our backyard.”
The conference aimed at providing strategies taken from a range of generations in order to promote a comprehensive model to educators.
“Our goal is to build a lot of momentum, and highlight what’s happening in the communities and schools that are really engaging kids and empowering students to be self-directed learners,” said Merasty. “We're looking at the physical, mental, spiritual and the academic because it's all encompassing for the child. A holistic approach to students that's land-based education.”
A major component of the conference emphasized language as a cultural nucleus, with lectures on Aboriginal Literature, Cree Language curriculum, and Language Revitalization.
“A lot of our elders are saying that in the language, it outlines the way you're supposed to live. It's much more than communication. The culture is in the language,” Merasty said. “We need the language in order to have culture and traditions. Language revitalization is a big push.”
Merasty says that the Meadow Lake Tribal Council is working to establishing an immersion program in some local schools, as well as setting up teachers certified in traditional languages at the University.
Other presenters at the conference included writer Drew Hayden Taylor on Aboriginal humour, Archivist/Researcher Tricia Logan on truth, reconciliation, and language Revitalization, and author/motivational speaker Tom Hierck, on uniting academic and behavioural learning.
“Every student has dreams, has needs, has abilities,” said Hierck during his keynote. “A healthy culture strives on an unwavering belief in the ability of every student.”