Empowering First Nations Youth: Teaching and Learning in the Yukon's Communities -First Nations School Board
Teaching in the Yukon isn't for everybody, but it's an incredibly rewarding opportunity for those who are up to the challenge. Located in Northwest Canada, situated above the province of British Columbia and just to the east of Alaska, the rural environment poses its share of unique challenges. Then there are the 14 different First Nations, which speak eight different languages. It's the First Nations that make up a substantial amount of the minority population in the area and the First Nation School board that provides governance for public schools in the area.
While teaching in these rural environments isn't for everyone, First Nations youth have a right to an education just as much as everyone else - and educators who work with the children in the Yukon communities often make a collaborative effort to empower the youth with community wisdom. The First Nation School Board is here to help tie education to the cultural fundamentals that have defined this region, empowering youth learners to learn more than just book smarts, but get in touch with the land and the environment that they call "home" as well.
In this post, we'll cover some of the unique, innovative teaching methods that educators utilise to help give First Nations youth a well-rounded education and a brighter future.
Trails of Learning
Instruction is based on four educational "trails." These trails consist of the following in the Yukon:
Trail 1: Learners and their Families
While dedicated educators teach in the Yukon's various communities, instruction is largely family-based - as families are an important part of education and culture-building, passing on the knowledge and tradition that has been passed on to them from generation to generation.
Trail 2: The Learning Environment
So much of the culture in the Yukon and First Nations has to do with the land - and respect for it. In fact, many elders believe that to succeed in the world, learners should have a hand on the keyboard and a foot on the land. Noting this, it shouldn't surprise you to learn that learners are guided to be grounded culturally with the land, while receiving support from their families.
Trail 2 consists of various landmark best practices. For instance, all schools are designed to be safe, supportive and inclusive. This means supporting and helping students manage their emotions and feelings, inclusivity for all and fostering safe physical spaces.
Instruction is also intended to blend the land, the local culture, the language and the community in all learning spaces. Learners are taught self-worth and encouraged to see themselves and their roles in the community. Instruction also supports and honors First Nations culture and language.
School teams are supported and well-resourced, and learners are intended to be guided along an educational pathway that provides professional development consistent with identified goals.
Trail 3: Community Relationships and Empowerment
So much of life in the Yukon and First Nations is creating a sustainable community that supports learners, their families and any local needs. This includes relationship building and partnerships with local First Nations, support of any community aspirations, and encouraging learners to build relationships with everyone from fellow youth peers to elders. Learners are taught to develop relationships based on trust and respect.
Trail 4: Governance
Finally, there's the governance that the First Nation School Board has to its educators and learners to always be improving and providing the proper resources to meet the end goals of both learners and the communities in which they live. The FNSB prides itself on providing resources to staff and training educators in a culturally grounded way. It does this by utilizing data and research to shape the approach to evaluations and assessments while partnering with other instructional entities to drive future decisions and actions.
Other pieces of the governance trail include operating with transparency and trust, securing funding and exploring new sources for funding, and developing strategic partnerships with the Yukon government and others.
Teaching Opportunities
For more information on how the First Nations School Board aims to empower First Nations youth with opportunities and for information on Yukon teacher jobs, explore more. Established in the winter of 2022, the First Nations School Board promotes public education in the Yukon, but in a way that involves the very cultural elements that have defined this territory for so many years. All teachers are welcome in our schools, and all teachers can rest assured that they'll be supported and empowered by the Board to thrive within this unique education system.
