Audio
By Windspeaker.com Staff
With files from Jeremy Harpe of CFWE-FM
An information session about a possible Aboriginal Teacher Education Program is being hosted at the Lloydminster campus of Lakeland College on Thursday, Nov. 30.
The session is to gauge interest in bringing the program—a four-year Bachelor of Education degree (Elementary Education route) through the University of Alberta—to the region.
Being Aboriginal is not a requirement of the program, but interest in Aboriginal culture, language and Indigenous students is.
The session begins at 7p.m. at the Servus Credit Union Lecture Theatre (Room 2038). A representative of the UofA will be attending to speak about the program. If interested is high, the College expects to have students starting their university transfer program at the Lloydminster campus in Fall of 2018. The first two years will be focused on doing arts and sciences courses to fulfill the requirements of the university. The final two years will also be taken at the Lloydminster campus, as a UofA degree-granting program.
“This will be a perfect fit for anyone who really resides in this regional area who has a particular interest, of course, in elementary education and realizes that the more information they have about Aboriginal culture, the culture from which Aboriginal children are emerging in their communities and how to address that as a classroom teacher,” will be a benefit, said Judy Sarson, dean of Lakeland College’s School of Health, Wellness and University Transfer at Lakeland in Lloydminster in an interview with Jeremy Harpe of CFWE-FM.
“It’s a University of Alberta degree program, highly thought of,” and it can be delivered close to home.
Sarson also said the program may interest people who already have degrees or some courses towards a university transfer, “and all of those will be considered for people who want to enter this program.”
“We have wonderful instructors in our university transfer program at Lakeland College,” said Sarson, who explained the program is to “tie to the emerging understanding and reconciliation with First Nations individuals and the children coming up through the system.
“It’s very important for teachers entering that profession to understand the culture of where the kids are coming (from)… everyone needs to have a better understanding of the culture, the background, the challenges, the language of Indigenous students within our school system.”