Students at Winlaw Elementary have been able to participate in a variety of projects through the Aboriginal Education program at their school. Some classes have visited the local heritage site to experience being in a pit house while receiving traditional teachings about local food cultivation and cultural laws. The younger classes have been learning sewing and beading techniques including a special visit from Traditional Knowledge keeper Jesse Halton!

The intermediate classrooms are learning about the 7 sacred Ojibwe laws from the late Elder David Courchene Jr., who founded the Turtle Lodge in Manito-api (Manitoba). We are also looking forward to stringing 10 more hand drums this spring to bring our school set to a total of 20 hand drums. 

Throughout all of the programming there is a huge focus on crafting. The art of crafting is such a sophisticated pedagogical process. The deeper I go into these practices, the more I understand the complexity of learning that is taking place. Students develop their spatial reasoning, critical thinking, patterning, fine motor skills and so much more. Much of this learning is implicit which, again, points to the brilliant pedagogical process embedded in traditional societies. All of these skills are highly transferable to other areas of study. I have the utmost admiration and respect for traditional First Nations education and am so honored that I get to do this work with students. 

Here are a few reflections from some of the Gr. 6 students at Winlaw Elementary School. 

Ever: Hi my name is Ever. I’m not Indigenous but I am an ally. With the Indigenous program I like how they are very inclusive with their culture and I like how there is a lot of crafts being shared with people that are non-Indigenous and it's very inclusive. I think that more non Indigenous people should be learning about this to help with racism. 

Autumn: Hi my name is Autumn. I am Indigenous and I come from the Red River Settlement area. I like how the Indigenous teachers teach to everyone and not just the Indigenous students. I like making drums and beading

Alisha: Hello my name is Alisha. I may not be Indigenous but I respect Indigenous teachings. Some of the things I love about the Ab Ed program is that they teach traditional beading and they share their culture with kids from all cultures. Lim limpt

Gavin: Hello my name is Gavin. I am Cree from the plains of Alberta. My favorite part of the Ab Ed program is all the arts and crafts that we do! Lim limpt

Submitted by Jenna Hopper, Aboriginal Academic Success Teacher