Brent Reaney
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Aug 01/05) - Teacher Josefina Rueter felt a little uncomfortable while out on the land during an education training session recently held in Rankin Inlet.

"I really thought that's how students must feel," the Aqsarniit middle school in Iqaluit teacher said of being inside a classroom. "We really need to find things that the students can shine in."

Because of this, the department of Education is trying to better integrate Inuit culture in the classroom.

As part of the process, educators from 14 of Nunavut's communities underwent a 10-day professional and cultural training session in Rankin Inlet, July 5-14.

The 24 educational leadership program participants took part in workshops on topics such as learning from a traditional knowledge perspective, and spent a night on the land.

This is just the second time in the program's 20 years that educators came exclusively from Nunavut. Pangnirtung's Cathy Lee, the program's co-principal, says the format is evolving to better reflect and meet the needs of Inuit students.

"We talked about leadership from an Inuit perspective, and schooling and learning," said Lee on July 7, a day after the group came back from its overnight outing.

Integrating Inuit cultural values into Nunavut's education system is important, Lee said, but she also hears from parents who want their children to be well educated in both cultures.

To help communicate an Inuit perspective, a number of elders from Arviat and Rankin Inlet offered their views during the land trip.

"I learned quite a bit," said Sarah Takolik, vice-principal at Taloyoak's Netsilik school. "Because we're in Nunavut, I really feel strongly that the elders should attend."

The two-phase program is mandatory for principals, but some teachers, like Rueter, elected to take part.

"I felt it was important as a new teacher to get to know other teachers and to get to know more about the culture in which I was learning and teaching," said Rueter.