ANISHINAABEMOWIN MENTOR-LEARNER PROGRAM
Start date for next cohort: June 19, 2023
Application Deadline: June 1, 2023 (https://forms.gle/6NFQ7TfuTqLMyrFAA)
Interviews: June 5-8, 2023 (virtual)
Rate of pay: $15/hour
Time: 15 hours per week
Location: The Computer Based training can occur anywhere the student has access to a computer and reliable internet. The face-to-face sessions will be agreed upon with the fluent speaker and student.
Selection: As spaces are limited, successful participants will be chosen through a combination of an interview, and academic performance.
Commitments: Participants in the Mentor/Learner program must be willing to make a commitment to learning and speaking Anishinaabemowin for 15 hours per week and be enrolled in Ojibwe at Fort Frances High School each year until graduation. This position will require the student to commit to at least 36 months of program participation over the next three years, with the possibility of more.
RRDSB, SayITFirst and Seven Generations Education Institute have co-developed a program that will help students to become conversationally fluent in Ojibwe upon graduation. This program has been created to support students wishing to pursue careers which require Anishinaabemowin, such as teaching and Early Childhood Education.
Students in Grades 9 and 10 who are enrolled in Ojibwe for the 2023-24 school year are invited to participate in the Mentor-Learner Program. The expectation of the students is to speak Anishinaabemowin 100% of the time when participating in this program.
Students will work to complete 120 hours of an instructor led computer-based training program in Anishinaabemowin. Once the computer-based training modules are completed the students will be paired with a fluent first speaker from their home community in order to develop conversational fluency in the language. Both instructor led training and working with a first speaker will be scheduled in agreement with the student and the instructor/fluent speaker.
This program allows the student to make money while learning Anishinaabemowin to enhance their school experience.
Find the online form at: https://forms.gle/6NFQ7TfuTqLMyrFAA and download this document
Please contact Sarah Marusyk for more information.
Student and Staff Voluntary Self-Identification
Learn More about Self-Identification:
The Rainy River District School Board believes that Indigenous staff could volunteer as mentors, share their culture and help foster an environment where Indigenous students can reach a high level of achievement. Voluntary self-identification would also provide the Board baseline data of the number of Indigenous staff currently employed. Data will be used to improve services to students and programs for staff.
Ojibwe Language Program
Rainy River District School Board supports the Ojibwe Language Program, allocating additional staffing to allow Ojibwe Language instruction to occur at the same time as French Language instruction, so students do not miss other subjects. Introduction of land based pedagogy to the Ojibwe Language Program provides experiential learning opportunities to connect the language to the land. Students who participate in the Ojibwe Language Program achieve a strong foundation in the language and gain cultural understanding, both assets when seeking future employment.
Ojibwe Language Supports
- Elders – Elders are invited into classrooms to support students in connecting language to the culture.
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Use of technology— Technology enriches the Ojibwe Language Program, supporting students in also developing their 21st Century skills.
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Newly developed resources— Resources were created through the MERL (Modernize, Expand, Revitalize, Localize) project, a past partnership with Seven Generations Education Institute, the RRDSB, and the First Nation communities.
Ojibwe Language Strategy:
As of the 2017-2018 school year, the Rainy River District School Board is in year one of a seven year Ojibwe Language Strategy to help develop future teachers of Ojibwe in schools and communities. The Strategy, which focuses on the revitalization of the local Indigenous language, is the result of a partnership with the RRDSB, Seven Generations Education Institute, and the Ministry of Education.
Curriculum Resources
Elementary and Secondary teachers can access the Indigenous Curriculum Materials Collection by logging into the following site. http://portal.rrdsb.com/indigenous_ed.html
Initiatives
The Martin Family Initiative’s mission is to improve elementary and secondary school education outcomes for Indigenous Canadians through the implementation of specific programs and the application of appropriate research. The Rainy River District School Board is involved in two programs through the Martin Initiative:
Entrepreneurship Specialist High Skills Major (AYEP)
https://ayep.themfi.ca/our-story/
https://www.themfi.ca/programs/aboriginal-youth-entrepreneurship-program-ayep