McGill program opens doors
Kahontóktha Beauvais in her regalia at the McGill convocation. Courtesy Kahontóktha Beauvais
Graduating students from the Ratiwennenhá:wi Kanien’kéha language immersion program crossed the stage in their regalia at McGill University, complete with a certification in education.
It was part of a program offered through the Office of First Nations and Inuit Education (OFNIE) at McGill, and it happened on Monday.
The program delivers community-based teacher education and professional development programs to Indigenous students across Quebec.
“It’s a very unique program in that students remain in their community, and we deliver the program where they’re at,” said professor Michelle Kennedy, one of the co-directors at OFNIE.
“The course connects as much as it can be infused with culture. Some of the courses are delivered in the language. You rarely see that at many universities,” said Kennedy.
The certification program was integrated with the language immersion program, allowing students to study at the language school and participate in the OFNIE program.
Over the course of two years, students would work towards their certification and have the option to continue on for another two years and receive a bachelor of education. This was the first time this type of program has come to Kanesatake.
“You cannot have the same level of language learning if you are not at home,” said Kennedy. “What this program does is meet them in the middle. We’re not asking them to be away from their community or responsibilities, we are asking them to stay, but also take our classes.”
Kennedy added that this program aims to stop the common occurrence where students have to leave their community to achieve a higher education.
“It was recognized that the time you put into learning the language applied toward your teaching degree,” said Kevin Nelson, Tsi Ronterihwanónhnha ne Kanien’kéha Language and Cultural Center language development officer.
While not part of the current graduating language school cohort, the OFNIE program was opened to past language school graduates, which allowed Nelson to get his certificate in education.
“The idea was to get a group of students who are learning the language to eventually become teachers in the community,” said Nelson.
One of the language school graduates, Kahontóktha Beauvais, is currently teaching at the Tsi Rontswa’ta:khwa Early Childhood Center. She also completed the OFNIE certificate program and plans to continue to her bachelor’s.
“So, funny story, I ended up being late,” said Beauvais, who attended the ceremony at McGill on Monday. “It was the first time I’ve ever done anything at the college or university level, so it was my first convocation, and I was terrified.
“I got emotional even getting dressed in the morning,” said Beauvais, who wore regalia as her peers did. “I just felt so beautiful.”
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About half of the language school graduates are expected to continue for an additional two years and earn their bachelor’s degree.
“We want to keep encouraging them to continue their education,” said Kennedy. “It’s only going to grow from here.”
Fern Marmont, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
