Indigenous Education Virtual Series at Niagara University 2021

In Announcements, by , on March 10th, 2021

Welcome to the Ontario Educational Studies Department’s Indigenous Education Virtual Series! This year, for the first time, we will be hosting the series virtually through pre-recorded and live videos at Niagara University Indigenous Education Series | Niagara University in Ontario. There will be a Launch Night on Thursday, March 11th at 6 pm followed by a live event with Diane Montreuil. 

The first workshops and conferences emerged when Teacher Candidates began asking how they could authentically engage their First Nations, Métis, and Inuit learners, understand more about Indigenous education and culture, and be better inclusive teachers. To meet the needs of our local communities and to build opportunities for understanding, this Indigenous Education workshop series aligns with Ontario Ministry of Education strategies and helps move forward the Calls to Action #62 and #63 put forth by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015).

This series of workshops on Indigenous Education will showcase First Nations storytellers, Traditional Knowledge Keepers, Métis artist, and Educators of Indigenous Programs, providing a variety of learning opportunities for our Teacher Candidates and the Niagara University community. Notably, the videos feature:

Robert Cutting weaves his interests in history, science, and his Kanienkeha’ka ancestry into his storytelling and writing to give a unique perspective on everyday life through his presentation, A Journey

Diane Montreuil was born and raised in Montréal, Québec. Diane speaks regularly at cultural events about Métis culture and will be sharing her artistry with us in a live event on March 11 at 7 pm.

Darin Wybenga is a member of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation where he works as the community’s Traditional Knowledge and Land Use Coordinator.  Darin will present the development and the aftermath of treaties between the Crown and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.  

Laryssa Gorecki is a secondary English teacher at TCDSB where she develops and teaches the Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies Voices (NBE) courses. Lately, Laryssa has been working on arts-based initiatives connected to the TRC Calls to Action.

Mitch Keene is a recent NU BPS graduate who is now a middle school teacher at Hector Thiboutot Community School in Sandy Bay, an Indigenous community in northern Saskatchewan. His presentation is called Teaching in the North: Perspectives from a newly certified first-year teacher.

Please contact Dr. Carol Doyle-Jones if you have any questions.