As principal of Keeseekoose Chiefs Education Centre, Richard Fiddler points to three programs being undertaken this year as indicators that the school is broadening its reach as a centre for learning.
Adult students are attending class to receive their Grade 12 education, the school is involved in the Following Their Voices program and extra emphasis is being placed on the learning of Nākawē (formerly known as Saulteaux), Fiddler said last week.
Angela Powder, who currently lives in Canora, has been hired to teach adult students in the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology (SIIT) program of adult basic education.
She has 13 students in the class.
Cheryl Quewezance, a former principal of the school, has returned to help place increased emphasis on Nākawē language and culture, he explained. All students in the Kindergarten to Grade 12 will benefit with her teaching.
Kristen Keshane, a former teacher at the school, is the facilitator for the Following Their Voices program, he said, explaining that the program was implemented in the school two years ago, and now this year.
Following Their Voices is an initiative designed to raise the educational achievement and participation of Saskatchewan's First Nations, Métis and Inuit students, said information on its website. Following Their Voices focuses on enhancing relationships between students and teachers, creating structures and supports for teachers and school administrators to co-construct teaching and learning interactions with students and creating safe, well-managed learning environments.
Following Their Voices is based on research that was conducted with First Nations and Métis engaged and non-engaged students, parents/caregivers, teachers and school administrators about what is needed in order to be successful as a First Nation or Métis student in school, it said. The ‘voices’ of these groups of people were profound in terms of the issues they identified.
Their words and insights, along with international research, and guidance and advice from Elders and knowledge keepers formed the foundation of this initiative.
“Following Their Voices is about education that accelerates learning; where learning is joyful, culture is affirmed and students are given real choice for their future,” it says.
Field testing for Following Their Voices started in February 2015 in five provincial schools and one First Nation school and ran until June 30, 2015, it says. The key purpose was to test and seek input from teachers on the Following Their Voices professional learning and development tools and resources that were developed for use by teachers in the schools participating in the initiative.
Following Their Voices implementation began in September 2015 with 17 schools. The initiative continues to expand. Effective September 2017, a total of 27 schools is implementing Following Their Voices; about 440 teachers are involved in implementing the initiative, and 10,600 students are enrolled in these schools with about 6,500 students being of First Nation, Métis or Inuit descent.
Each school participating in Following Their Voices has a strategic change leadership team which is responsible for school-based implementation of the initiative. The team, comprised of the school principal, a lead teacher and a school-based facilitator, is trained by a provincial team of Following Their Voices facilitators at provincial professional learning and development sessions. The team in turn, provides professional learning and development to the school cohort teachers.
The school-based facilitators in each of the Following Their Voices schools then work with the school cohort teacher to observe teachers teaching and their students’ engagement; provide feedback and work with individual teachers to develop an action plan to support students’ growth; and provide ongoing support to teachers.
