Profiles of Aboriginal Educators: Footprints for the Future
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H O M E C O M M U N I T Y Warren, Manitoba C U LT U R A L I D E N T I T Y Métis C U R R E N T P O S I T I O N Teacher, Children of the Earth High School Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 14 3/24/09 3:08:53 PM
Leigh Anne Brown E D U C AT I O N / T R A I N I N G Bachelor or Arts, Bachelor of Education, Masters in Education. begin until later in life. Long after most people have completed their education, I decided that going to university would be a very good idea. I was working in a job I didn’t really like and living in a city that made me feel isolated and alone. So at the tender age of forty-three I moved back to Manitoba from Toronto and went to school. At first, I felt awkward and uncom- fortable and I knew I didn’t fit in with my twenty-something classmates. However, eventually I made some friends, and then I made some more friends, and before I knew it, I was having fun and learning and working with people I never would have met if I hadn’t gone back to school. While all of this was really great, the greatest change happened when, in my second year, I took a course called Aboriginal Education. It was this course that really changed my way of thinking and my idea of what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. For me, this course helped me to discover my roots as an Aboriginal person. I grew up knowing that I was Métis but the culture and traditions of that heritage were not a part of my life until I went to university. It was there that I was able to discover this part of myself and connect with my culture and tradition that I found in the broader Aboriginal community. I also began to learn about the social, political, and economic challenges that our people face. More importantly, I began to learn about the important aspects of who Aboriginal people were in Canada. I learned a great deal about the history of Ab- original people in Canada and about the issues and obstacles that we continue to face. I learned that I can provide guidance to help our youth overcome some of these issues and learned how I too could contribute to our future.
Now, I am working in my dream job – teaching a variety of subjects at a small inner-city high school. I like the diversity of responsibilities available in a small school. I also like the opportunity to connect and develop relationships with the students. In particular, I like working with the grade twelve students to help them graduate and see them off into the next phase of their lives. This is the most fulfilling part of my job. Saying good-bye is difficult, but knowing that I have done my best to give these young people the tools and skills they need to be successful out in the world is more rewarding than anything else I have ever done. I would certainly encourage young people interested in making a difference to go into education, as this is the best place to make a contribution to the future economic, social, and political direction of Aboriginal people in this country. 15 My story doesn’t actually R O L E S / R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S
Internship Program -joint education program with Pan Am Clinic. I am the Aboriginal Academic Achievement Coordinator and the English Language Arts Department Head. There is no other job in the world that allows a person to touch as many lives as that of a teacher. One good teacher can make a huge difference in the lives of hundreds of children and can help those children along their path to being the leaders of our people tomorrow. Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 15 3/24/09 3:08:53 PM
H O M E C O M M U N I T Y South Indian Lake, Manitoba/ Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation C U LT U R A L I D E N T I T Y Cree C U R R E N T P O S I T I O N English Teacher Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 16 3/24/09 3:08:54 PM
Angela Louise Veronica Busch E D U C AT I O N / T R A I N I N G Bachelor of Arts - Native Studies/Psychology Bachelor of Education - History/Native Studies I had to overcome to become a teacher was being a single mother while I attended university. My son was and is a blessing to me, but it was hard to be a student and a parent. Even so, I chose to work hard and was able to manage with a great deal of support from my family, friends and the Aboriginal Student Centre at the University of Manitoba. They all made a difference! I also had inspiration and support in my life. For example, a Métis professor, Dr. Fred Shore, inspired me to want to become a professor or a teacher and as it turned out, I became a teacher. He is an amazing role model and the best teacher I have ever met. I also had to make critical choices to get to where I am today. A critical decision I made was to teach instead of pursue a Master’s degree in Native Studies after I completed my Bachelor of Education degree. I am happy I chose to teach because I love working with young Aboriginal people from different communities from all over Manitoba. I find my students very interesting and I enjoy learning from them. They are wonderful! I realize that my own educational journey required courage in many situations in order to succeed. I have never been afraid to speak my mind, speak out against racism or discrimination, and I always stand up for myself and my people. I think that it is very important for Aboriginal youth to go into teaching and become good teachers. When this happens, we will have an abundance of culturally appropriate role models for our young people to look up to and learn from.
One of the difficulties R O L E S / R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S
reports and coach basketball. South Indian Lake is a small reserve. There are only about 960 people there and I started my education there as a child. It is about 1100 km north of Winnipeg, and is fairly isolated. Yet, people from my community, including myself, have completed their education and have become professionals – SO CAN YOU! Ab. Education (Mar24-09)FINAL.indd 17 3/24/09 3:08:54 PM
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