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Yukon First Nation Orientation for New Teachers Event Wraps Up in Brooks Brook

Wednesday, 14 August 2019 15:55

Many new teachers were at the event to learn more about incorporating Yukon First Nations history, language and culture into their curriculum for the upcoming school year.

A two-day Yukon First Nation Orientation for New Teachers event wrapped up today in Brooks Brook. Here are some of the highlights.

The second day of the Yukon First Nation Orientation for New Teachers event officially wrapped up today in Brooks Brook.

The two-day event gave perspective teachers in the territory an opportunity to learn more about Yukon First Nation history, language and culture from Elders and other Indigenous leaders.

Minister of Education Tracy-Anne McPhee was also there today to give a speech, highlighting how there's still much to do to meet the education needs of Yukon First Nations in the territory.

"As a government and as a department, we have not been successful as we need to be in our work with Yukon First Nations in education areas. Our government believes in reconciliation and we have made it a priority across government." 

Director of First Nations Programming and Partnerships with the Yukon Department of Education Rene Dove says the event had to be extended recently to inform teachers more about incorporating Indigenous content into their curriculum.

"We found out that they need to have a greater context in how  information and relationships that they've  built with Elders is transferred into the classroom.  We also wanted to add a decolonization piece that had them thinking about what they know about history and how it's impacted Yukon First Nations."

The second day of the event involved teaching lessons around archery from Elder Sam Johnston, campfire cooking from Elder David Johnny,  and a  medicinal plant walk from George Bahm and Doug Smarch. 

F.H. Collins Gwitchin Secondary School Teacher Annie Bernard says a positive attitude is key to being healthy as a student.

"As an educator myself,  I talk to my students about their attitude and how they can be sickness-free in a positive way. In my opinion, if you're always negative and say negative stuff, you become the victim of sickness."

The event is a timely one as most Whitehorse students go back to school next week.

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