Our schools are Band controlled. Because education for First Nations is a federal government responsibility, the Government of Canada funds Indian Bands to establish and maintain their own schools. Teachers must be certified by the Province of Saskatchewan, and we follow the provincial curriculum.
Father Megret Elementary School opened in February 1996. At present, there are 12 classrooms serving approximately 260 students from K (Nursery) to Grade 6, including a Special Education program and a Structured Learning Program.
The philosophy of our school states
that all students learn in an environment that is suitable to their
abilities and level of understanding. Our
students are grouped according to ability and are placed on a continuous
progress system. With continuous progress,
the students work at a rate where they can find success in all areas.
It is our goal at Father Megret
Elementary School to help all individuals within our school to acquire
knowledge, skills and positive attitudes that will empower them to solve
problems, think creatively, make learning a lifelong goal, and develop
maximum potential for leading productive, fulfilling lives.
Our school strongly believes in
meeting student’s academic needs and providing an atmosphere conducive
to the development of positive attitudes and skills with respect to
learning, social interaction, and mutual respect for self and others.
We believe in, and promote, the Dene culture, language, and
values of our students.
We encourage involvement of all
partners in education, including the community at large, in the
academic, cultural, and social growth and development of our students
At the elementary school our
curriculum is based on the concepts and objectives set out in the
provincial curriculum for all subject areas.
We also use the following programs for specific subject areas.
· The Focus Reading Program is used exclusively by all classes in the school. The Focus reading program is a remedial reading program, and our students have experienced growth and success using it.
·
The Journeys Reading
Program is also available for teachers who feel their students can
successfully master it, and it can be used to supplement the Focus
program.
·
Many teachers use the
Blended Sound Sight Method of Learning by Anna Ingam for both
reading and phonics instruction, in addition to many teacher-created
materials. We suggest that the teachers who
are coming to Wollaston Lake participate in the Blended Sound Sight
course, if available. This training course
is usually sponsored by the education program.
The Math Quest Program is used by
all classes throughout the school. We also
have the Houghton Mifflin Math series, as well as the Math Works series.
There are many different manipulatives available for use in
teaching the math program.
There is strong emphasis on the
teaching of oral language in our school. We
are presently using the Circle Program as a basis for our oral language
teaching. For those not familiar with the
Circle Program, it is a program built around aspects of Cree culture.
It includes readers, storybooks, tapes and workbooks.
The oral aspect of the program is emphasized more
than the reading. Teachers are expected,
with the help of the Teacher Assistants, to adapt the program to fit the
Dene culture. Teachers are also encouraged
to use any opportunity or program they feel will increase the student’s
ability to become proficient in the English language.
The Silver Burdett Science Program
is available in the school. Many teachers
teach science using the provincial curriculum.
There are also resources for science available in the school,
including kits and some visual aids.
The teachers have been working on
setting guidelines and gathering resources for teaching health in the
school. At present we have some resources
available for teaching health.
We have resources available for teaching social studies but many teachers find it necessary to supplement this with their own resources. We are implementing the new social studies provincial curriculum.
Welcome to the Father Megret High
School! We are an expression of the
community’s desire for their children to have the best possible
education. To this end, the Director, school
administration, teachers, and support staff work together to ensure that
appropriate student programs and teacher support services are in place.
The high school is located right in the center of the community.
We are within easy walking distance of all teacher
accommodations, the community Health Clinic, and the Band Store.
Delivering a quality educational
program is a cooperative effort. Your
in-school administrative team is here to work with you in facilitating
that delivery. Do not be afraid to ask them
for help and suggestions. Many of our
teachers have Dene-speaking assistants. The
assistants facilitate the educational process by working with small
groups of students, translating between Dene and English, preparing
charts, and assisting with classroom management.
Both schools have full-time, Dene-speaking guidance counselors.
They are an invaluable asset in your interactions with parents or
dealing with problem situations. Being a
small system has many advantages not the least of which is less
bureaucratic tangle. Ordering materials for
your classroom is usually just a case of discussing the matter with
administration and submitting the order to the Education Office.
Depending on availability, your order may be here within a week.
Classroom management is the
foundation of successful teaching but, unfortunately, it is all too
often a sorely neglected area in teacher education programs.
Part of your orientation will be an introduction to the wonderful
world of Harry Wong: “The First Day of
School.” Mr. Wong lays out a series of tips
and procedures that, if followed faithfully, will go a long ways towards
ensuring you have an orderly, productive learning environment.
Thorough planning and the delivery of material at an appropriate
level will prevent many problems from ever developing.
Day, unit, and year plans are expected; models can be provided.
Again, if classroom management is a problem, do not hesitate to
ask peers and administration for suggestions.
We are here to work together for success.
We follow the provincial curriculum
as laid out by the Saskatchewan Department of Education.
High school classes, each worth one credit, have to consist of at
least 100 instructional hours. Students have
to acquire 24 credits for their senior matriculation.
Experience has proven the efficacy
of utilizing a highly structured approach to language appropriation.
The Blended Style and Structure (BSS),
Blended Sight and Sound, and Focus
reading programs have proven their value. We
insist on them being used. Part of the
orientation you will receive during your first weeks in the community
will be an introduction to the BSS system.
We find that a structured program
emphasis on drill and repetition provides parallel results in the area
of mathematics.
Teaching in a cross-cultural E.S.L.
environment such as ours has its trials, but they are outweighed by the
rewards. Hard work and an open mind to new
experiences will be the basis for an unforgettable year of teaching.
Oral language is
incorporated each day by requiring teachers to spend at least 15 to 20
minutes on a structured oral English program.
Poetry is used to teach vocabulary, choral
speaking and memory work.
In our program we have a full-time,
Dene-speaking guidance counselor. We also
have a full physical education program with emphasis on skill
development in sports and weight training.
For winter outdoor fun we have an outdoor skating rink, snowshoes, and
cross-country skiing equipment.
Our computer lab is equipped with state of the art computer equipment, connected to high speed internet.
We also have a home economics room facility and an industrial arts shop for various high school programs.
What are the students really like?
Of course, this is a highly subjective question - each teacher
brings their own personal biases to any school.
We have three kinds of students:
those who are angels, those who are close to being angels, and those who
have tarnished halos.
One of the first things that will
strike you about the children is that they prefer to speak Dene among
themselves. English is interspersed in their
speaking. They will teach you Dene.
Don’t expect them to always give you the correct
words!
Most of the students have a limited
life experience outside of Wollaston. Their
“world” is centered on Wolly World and the surrounding Dene communities.
It is important to understand that this is their frame of
reference. Like everyone else, the students
want to be respected and understood and want to learn.
The students really enjoy being
helpful. They like to help the teacher; use
this to your advantage. The students want to
learn and will respond to high standards.
The students have seen many teachers come and go. They will test you to see if you meet their standards of a good teacher. They’ll be evaluating you the minute they meet you. A “General Patton” approach does not work with our students. They will respond more positively to you if you are firm but fair, friendly (but not “palsy walsy”), and have a good sense of humor. Because students are ESL, don’t assume they know what you mean, especially when you use idioms. Even “common” words are new to them.
Children here have a lot of freedom
as they grow up. The idea of a place where
they have to do exactly as they are told, when they are told to do it,
is quite foreign to them. It is common for
adults and children to stay up late (and we’re not talking an 11:30 p.m.
sort of late, either). It is not surprising
that we have a lot of tired kids coming to school on a regular basis.
The children are gregarious and will want to know all about you. They are not shy about asking questions of a personal nature (Are you going to answer the question or not? You’re still not answering the question…).