Teachers upgrade skills
Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Mar 16/01) - Several NWT teachers have been sitting on the other side of the desk since last September.
A special third year is being offered at the Inuvik campus of Aurora College for the Teacher Education program (TEP).
TEP used to be a two-year program, and graduates were awarded a teaching certificate.
But students now go for three years, after which they can transfer to the University of Saskatchewan for one year, and graduate with a bachelor of education degree.
The college is offering the third year for teachers who had done the two-year TEP and need to brush up on skills before heading to university.
All the students agreed it was different to once again be the ones studying.
Olive Pascal of Aklavik said the course has been "very, very intense."
"You have to discipline yourself," said Brenda Clark of Fort McPherson, "make sure you get your work done on time."
The students have been studying topics such as aboriginal people in history, research methods, curriculum development, geography and earth sciences.
Everyone has gotten along well with each other.
Bella Kay of Inuvik said, "I like the closeness of the classroom environment."
Lorna Storr of Aklavik said it's been nice to meet other teachers, and Clark said, "We're all laughing a lot of the time."
The other students are Annie Bernard of Fort McPherson and Catherine Ross of Toronto.
The students will be studying into June, and all said they'll probably return to teaching this September for at least one year.
Starting this September the college will offer year one of the revamped TEP, with the second and third years to follow.
TEP co-ordinator Una Chinna said that three years of training is now needed for teachers due to government regulations. She said that students are "strongly encouraged" to get their degree, and that they must do so within a set time after completing TEP.
