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Program prepares Northern teachers
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ATEP program co-ordinator Paula Carson works in her office at the Grouard campus of Northern Lakes College.
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Helen Jane Shawyer leads an English class via videoconferencing, allowing students at more than one campus to partake in the session.
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Jessica Chalifoux of Peavine is already working as a para-professional.
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Yvonne Noskey had the chance to return to school and took it by enrolling in the program.
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Tyler Anderson looks forward to returning to Gift Lake to help students there.
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Theresa Seraphim
For Spotlight
Jessica Chalifoux is enthusiastic about being a student in the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program offered at the Northern Lakes College Grouard campus.
“I love teaching kids, being with kids. I’ve worked with kids all my life,” says the 26-year-old Peavine resident.
Chalifoux got into the program, which is designed for teaching in Aboriginal communities, through a partnership with Northland School Division, in which paraprofessionals (teachers’ aides) such as her are going for their teaching degrees. The first two years involve taking Northern Lakes College courses, followed by application to the University of Alberta for the final two years under a transfer agreement with the college. The end result is an education degree from the U of A.
“It has the added benefit of focus on Aboriginal culture and learning,” says program co-ordinator Paula Carson.
Half of the 60 students in the program – which serves mainly Cree, Dene and Beaver First Nations paraprofessionals like Chalifoux, says Carson, adding Chalifoux is representative of the students in the program, who tend to be in their twenties or older. Sixty per cent are Aboriginal.
For example, Yvonne Noskey of Peavine came to the program because she felt the need for a career change. She had wanted to return to school for awhile but was unable to, due to family responsibilities. With those out of the way, she jumped at the chance to attend ATEP.
“I didn’t want to pass up such an opportunity,” Noskey explains.
Tyler Anderson of Gift Lake says he heard about the program on the first day of school.
“I think it would be more rewarding for the male students to have a male teacher present,” he says in citing his reasons for participating.
“I’m both excited and a little bit scared.”
The program is administered via technology –video conferencing and Centra, a system where the student uses a computer hooked up to a teacher’s so the lesson is on the screen as the teacher speaks. This allows teacher and student to interact by marking answers, etc. so they show on the screen.
Presenting the program via technology has the advantage of allowing students to stay in their own communities, instead of having to go to Edmonton for classes, says Carson.
Another advantage is availability of professionals.
“We have access to instructors that we wouldn’t normally have access to,” says Carson.
“With this group, every possible course that can be delivered by distance will be delivered.”
With 30 students in a class at the college, versus 100 at university, the attention is more personal and students get to know one another.
“It does build a sense of community in the group,” says NLC political science instructor and program administrator Ken Janzen.
“The students do work together far more than at a larger university.”
The college has four program advisors and a group of tutors, who have a mandate of helping students in areas such as time management and writing papers.
Carson said this is the third time the college has offered the program. Although the program is offered through Northern Lakes College, it is really a partnership between the University of Alberta (the key partner), Alberta Education, Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, Northland School Division (although other school divisions can also participate), and the federal government, says Carson.
“It gets better with each offering,” she says.
The program includes several courses in cross-cultural language arts, with one group doing a Cree language minor.
Students also are taking an aboriginal politics and government course given by Janzen.
“It goes back to precontact and how aboriginal politics were organized before Europeans came,” says Janzen.
He adds there are also courses in cross-cultural literacy and, potentially, drama courses with Aboriginal components.
Carson says University of Alberta officials like what they have seen so far.
“They were really pleased with Northern Lakes College course offerings and transferability,” she notes.
Indeed, four out of twenty recent graduates matriculated from the U of A with distinction, and two graduates received new student of the year honours from their school boards.
The program helps answer a clear need for teachers in northern Alberta helping them stay and helping them to assist students in their learning.
“The first driver for this program is to improve student achievement in those communities through teacher retention,” says NLC president Rick Neidig.
“It’s a very good for moving forward.”
To help those unable to go to the city for their education, the college is determined to keep the program accessible for students, says Neidig.
“As long as it does that, it’s bound to be successful.”
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