By Kathy Gallant

Dorintosh Central School leading land-based learning

May 11, 2018 | 8:00 AM

Students at a local school are learning a lot from the land, including literacy, mathematics, science, and life skills.

Dorintosh Central School outside of Meadow Lake is leading the way for this learning style in the Northwest School Division. The elementary school implemented the indigenous-based educational model last fall.

“In my first year at the school, we’ve created the culturally courageous land-based leadership program,” Principal Michael Radford said. “We’re recognizing we’re on Treaty Six land and home of the Métis, but also realizing how we can culturally learn from the land, [and] connect that to the curriculum.”

The older students attended a culture camp run by the school division and Meadow Lake Tribal Council earlier this year, Radford said, and afterward, they created a circle of courage, similar to an indigenous medicine wheel, which students say represents the connections between humans and the world.

“It’s student-run and student-led. The teachers just connect the dots and make it a reality,” Radford said. “The reality is, we need to see the land from a different perspective and the facts of the Treaties and embark on reconciliation.”

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When it comes to tying into the curriculum, Radford said mathematics were learned through various building projects. In language arts, students prepared presentations on multicultural food dishes, incorporating reading, research, and oral comprehension. Physical and life sciences were studied through observations of ecosystems and animals.

Some activities included camping, fishing, butchering a pig and goose, visiting a local holistic ranch, beading, and cross-country skiing. Soon, Radford said, students will embark on teepee teaching, smudging, and tobacco protocol. They have also worked with Indigenous Elders and leaders in local trades.

Birch Campbell, a Grade 7 student at the small school, said he appreciates the interactive and fun type of learning.

“The hands-on part is good because it gets kids active,” he said. “They want to keep learning. We figured out how to connect all the things we do outside into the curriculum.”

As one of the older students, Campbell said he liked helping younger students learn as well, which has taught him leadership skills.

“It’s kind of nice because we get to show the little kids how to do stuff,” Campbell said. “We get to help teach, which is kind of enjoyable.”

The land-based education model is still in the pilot stage, but Radford said he hopes it will expand division-wide.

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath