Elders in the Classroom

By Margaret Hele

SAULT STE. MARIE—The “Elders in the Classroom” program, which commenced last year in Public Schools of Sault Ste. Marie, was so well accepted that it expanded this year.

The Separate Schools joined the program and the number of days that the Elders would participate in was extended. Elders from Garden River First Nation who had expressed their interest to the Garden River Adults in Motion School were selected to take part.

Barbara Nolan, a fluent Anishinaabemowin speaker, meets with the Elders to mentor and assist them. As a starter, they were given ideas and a kit that contained children’s songs, weather words, and charts with words all in Anishinaabemowin. At monthly meetings, the Elders share their activities and experiences in the classroom.

Classes are for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 that have opted to be in the program. The Elders work in pairs and choose the classes that they would like to visit. They participate in two different classes twice a week. The Elders relate their history and culture, tell legends, teach Anishinaabemowin songs, show pictures of animals taken in the community and use the words with which they are familiar.

The Elders are connecting with the children and teachers to bring the First Nation history and culture into the classroom. The children show their enthusiasm by the questions that they ask. The Elders are impressed to observe the shyness leave and the questions flow.

Kelvin Boissoneau, who participates in Pow Wow dancing in the regalia that he has made, was impressed to hear the teachings of the Medicine Wheel given by Noel “Skip” Jones.

“I liked the Medicine Wheel teachings,” said Boissoneau.

Alice Corbiere and Jones team up to relate the history of Garden River and Batchewana; having both worked with the governments of Canada, Garden River and Batchewana on major projects that have bettered the life for citizens on-reserve. By their experiences, Corbiere and Jones are making history relevant to not only the students and their teachers, but also to their fellow Elders.

Along with the students, teachers and Elders alike are impressed with Grace Nagy’s pictures of the wild animals which live in Garden River First Nation. These pictures were displayed and discussed in the various classes. Nagy also used the Anishinaabe names of the animals.

Others have taught children songs in the Anishinaabemowin, legends, shown pictures of Garden River, told their story of attending residential schools and related the First Nation history.