The joys of teaching in Northern Ontario #2

My class is currently working on a "Symbolic Self Portrait" of themselves to answer questions relating to their goals, fears, journey and who they really are. I have shown them a few examples and they mainly finished their rough copy today in preparation for their good copy. While working on their rough copies, one of my students turned to me and asked what my favorite chips are .. "Sweet Chili Heat" I responded. Then he asked me my favorite pop .. "Diet Coke" I said. Someone else yelled out "But, Miss diet pop is bad for you!" Yes, yes all pop is bad. Then they all shouted out other questions. What really occurred to me was their specific questions being related to pop and chips. The cost of food up here is expensive and has a fast expire date. I bought three packs of blackberries at No Frills a few days ago and they are beginning to get moldy. I have learned to love frozen fruit! :)  Fruit does not last long here! Also all produce is  more expensive than anything else. If you Google "Cost of food issues" many articles will appear. I say it is expensive however I am comparing the cost of food to Southern Ontario prices. The real issue around cost of food is in Northern Ontario (yes, more North than I). The people up there order food to be delivered by flight. A few of my friends work at the airport and they have told me that a brick of cheese can be $25.... The First Nations people living there pay a lot for groceries to be delivered and for the groceries themselves. A contentious issue for sure!







May I emphasize, that the nearest No Frills to buy our food is an hour away in the town called Geraldton. The only store in town is called the Northern Store that has only a few aisles of food. Luckily, they have some fresh produce for when the roads are bad or when you need something in a hurry.

You can see I live in Nakina and we drive to Geraldton for groceries. Wondering were the nearest Starbucks or mall is? ... Thunder Bay.

Learn more about this concern by reading these links below:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/some-thunder-bay-families-struggling-to-afford-healthy-food-1.2929335

http://www.naho.ca/jah/english/jah08_02/08_02_food-security.pdf

http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2012/02/23/northern_reserve_goes_bananas_for_fresh_produce_from_ontario_food_terminal.html

Culture Day: Birchbark Baskets and Canoes

Students learning directly from the elders who mainly speak Ojibwe.

On this Culture Day, everyone was given a piece of real birchbark, roots and a nail on a piece of wood (a special craft tool). We were to fold the birchbark to make whatever we wished! It was a difficult task however it allowed me to get to know the school staff, students and some of the elders! "Ever sick" as they like to say up here.

My very first day at school with a JK student and our birchbark canoe we made together.

Culture Day: Learn to make moccasins

Miss. Nora is an elder at the school, a women who I have the utmost respect for.

You can see here that she is trimming the extra piece of hide around the front of a students moccasin.

In December 2014, our entire school gathered in the gymnasium for the entire day to participate in the schools fourth Culture Day. The students and staff sit in front of a few elders who explain the task (in this case making moccasins). From there, every student no matter the age participates. On this day, they were all given a needle and artificial sinew (this is used instead of regular thread for the leather) with hide and fleece.

The joys of teaching in Northern Ontario #1

Two months (minus the two weeks I went home for the Holidays) have flown by! My class is a Grade 7 and 8 split class that consists of 14 students - only 3 girls and the rest are boys. In some way or another they are related, either as cousins or siblings. At first when my Educational Assistant (E.A.) told me that I did not believe it. But for the most part they are. The weeks before the break were spent getting to know my class, establishing new norms as I was their third teacher just this year. Never mind how many teachers they had in years past. It was a bit of an adjustment however the respect and re-pore was built almost instantly. My students have an indescribable understanding of animals, wildlife and the outdoors. There are times when I let them just teach me. I allow them to laugh at me and I show them it is okay to not feel embarrassed about something you do not know. I am honest about how my life was in the city and they think it is crazy that I did not spend much time outside because I did not like the cold... whereas the cold in the "South" (aka Southern Ontario) was rarely below -15. I have come to realize that in the south it is such a damp cold because of the lakes whereas it is not as cold here. Here it is cold.. very cold but in such a different way. Because of our average -30 weather, indoor recess is common and you rarely hear them complain about it. I recall being a student and strongly disliking indoor recess. The students are great and I look forward to being with the Grade 8s until they move on to high school and with the Grade 7s next year for their last year before leaving the only school they have ever known.

Who is this girl?

This girl is Canadian living in Northern Ontario in a small town called Nakina which is barely on the map. I graduated from Teachers College at Brock University this past June with many passionate memories of working, volunteering and studying during my 5 years at the St. Catharines campus. Following my Graduation, I backpacked Europe with no immediate ambition to teach. It was not long until my best friend rang me to ask me to move to the North. I laughed, made a sarcastic comment back and before I knew it I was on the VIA train from Toronto with 24 hours ahead of me before arriving in the small "town"of Nakina. This is my blog to share my experience of teaching a Grade 7/8 class in a 120 student First Nations School.