Inuvik (Sep 12/03) - High school teachers learned some skills last week that weren't taught in university, but will serve as valuable skills as teachers in Inuvik.

Teachers learned Northern Games while at the cultural orientation. Under the guidance of Abel Tingmiak, Eric Church set the new staff record for the high kick. - Terry Halifax/NNSL photo

Samuel Hearne Senior Secondary school held a professional development day last Thursday that was more of a cultural orientation day at the Gwich'in Territorial Park. Teachers new and old were immersed in Gwich'in and Inuvialuit culture for a day.

Organizer Denise Moore-Kruszewski said the school held a similar camp last spring, but they thought it might be helpful to have the camp before school started, to benefit the new teachers.

"We have some new teachers and we thought it would be helpful if they got in contact with the resource people and the land and just get to know the lifestyle," Moore-Kruszewski said.

The school has six new teachers on staff this year who will be better equipped to take part in future on the land programs with the school.

"They had to go and get wood and we prepared traditional foods," she said. "We also went picking berries and medicinal plants."

The group also did some boating, set snares, tried the Inuvialuit blanket toss and some other Northern games.

She said the camp is a nice break from the usual classroom orientation and will also help during the course of the school year.

"It gives them more of a practical, hands-on experience," she said. "When they are doing anything like this with the students, it will be a lot easier on them."

"It shows them a little bit of our way of life."

As well as teach the newcomers a bit of the local culture, the day also brings the group together in a less formal way.

"I think everybody had a really good time," Moore-Kruszewski said.