Creative Classroom Connections

After a couple of months of doing research, building a business plan and navigating the world of self-employment, I have some exciting news to share! I’ve just been offered my first double-digit days contract since launching under the name Creative Classroom Connections. Starting in January 2020, I will be serving Ocean Man Education Centre as a Land-based Learning Facilitator & Consultant. I’ve been offered a contract that will take me out to Ocean Man at least a couple of times per week from January until the end of March, with the possibility of renewal at the beginning of the next fiscal year.

I am incredibly grateful to principal Murray Bird and Ocean Man First Nation for the opportunity to return to a school that I worked with for 4 out of the past 5 years while coordinating Learning the Land initiatives and while employed by Treaty Education Alliance. It has me realizing the importance of honouring the seeds we’ve sown and how connections to the seeds can continue to grow if and when we continue to nurture them.

On November third, I was invited out to Ocean Man to visit their opening day of a week-long fall camp that they were hosting for their entire school, out near the Ranger Station in Moose Maintain Provincial Park. Ocean Man School was part of an Outdoor Learning Areas grant through the Nature Conservancy of Canada a couple of and ended up ordering and receiving a bunch of camping equipment and tents that would allow them to offer these multi-day and night camps for their students. So I was excited to get out there and help with camp set-up and see everyone again. With sunny skies and a high of 18’C, and virtually no wind, it was a beautiful day for a visit. From this trip out there, the school began looking for extra funding to bring me in as a consultant. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve this school again.

I’m particularly inspired to work with Ocean Man elder Peter Bigstone. He is one of the few remaining Nakota speakers alive today, within our treaty territories. His knowledge of the Nakota language is vitally important to pass on to the next generation. My inspirational challenge will be to find ways to creatively incorporate Pete’s knowledge within the activities we’ll be facilitating together, along with the rest of the staff and students.

It seems like the perfect place to get back up and running, as I’ve gotten to know and work with most of the staff at Ocean Man in previous years. And I am looking forward to getting to know the rest of the staff and students in the new year and excited to see what kind of fun and engaging activities we can create for them. I will be striving to collaborate with the teachers and staff to co-create an engaging set of activities with connections to the Nakota language, culture, and provincial curriculum outcomes.

I’m very much looking forward to supporting this school by creating an even more robust land-based learning program to utilize in whatever ways they best see fit. With a sense of humility and respect for the Nakota language and the school I’m being contracted to serve, I say pinamaye-no (I thank you); midaguyawabi (all my relations); looking forward to spending some time out there with you all again in the new year.