One of Kivalliq's best
Naujaat teacher recognized for three decades in classroom
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
NAUJAAT
A special Kivalliq teacher was recognized by the Government of Nunavut for her outstanding service to education for more than three decades recently.
Tusarvik Elementary School Grade 1 teacher Ducas Milortok shows the service award she recently received from the Government of Nunavut for more than 30 years as an elementary teacher in Naujaat. -
photo courtesy of Jonathan Bungay |
Tusarvik Elementary School Grade 1 teacher Ducas Milortok was born in Iglulik, but grew up in Naujaat, where she has remained.
Milortok was about 20 years old when she began as a classroom assistant in 1985.
She went from being an assistant to teaching her own kindergarten class in 1993.
Milortok has spent her entire 31year educational career in Naujaat.
She said the years have gone past incredibly fast.
"It seems like it's only been about 10 years, but it's been 31," said Milortok.
"I have students whose grandparents I taught, plus many whose parents I had in kindergarten.
"It feels awesome to have taught three generations in Naujaat.
"Sometimes I get a new student and I immediately start thinking about teaching their parents, and sometimes I call them by their parent's name because they look so much like them at that age."
Milortok said seeing struggling students start to progress and be happy with their accomplishments is one thing that kept her coming back to the classroom.
She said there have been times when she felt tired and wondered why she continued to teach, but she always looked at it like tomorrow is a new day and a new day is a new start.
"The thing that's really changed the most in the classroom since I started is technology.
"When I first started, we didn't have printers or copiers, so, if we had to copy something, we had to do it by hand by putting the paper we wanted to copy through with carbon paper.
"I don't miss that."
Milortok said the behaviour of kids in the classroom has also changed since she started her career.
She said there was a lot more discipline and respect among young students in 1985 than there is today.
"Back then, the students were so calm and quiet in the classroom.
"But, today, they are much louder and there are way more disciplinary issues.
"That's mainly a result of so many young parents today, but technology also plays a role because they're so easily distracted."
That being said, Milortok quickly added the majority of students today still give their best effort in class.
She said her Grade 1 students love to go to the gym more than anything, but they're also quite content when reading in the classroom.
"They love to learn how to read, especially with the Guided Learning program.
"Their least favourite subject is, by far, math."
Milortok said while she still enjoys going to her classroom every day, she is getting ready to retire.
She said one thing she knows for sure, she won't be teaching any longer than the next five years.
"I may retire sooner than that, but I'm not really sure yet.
"I went to Iqaluit at the end of October to be recognized for all my years teaching, and Mary Kopak was with me to be rewarded for her 25 years at the health centre, and it was an awesome experience.
"I've loved my career in Naujaat and it's not over yet... close, but not quite yet."
High school principal Aubrey Bolt was Milortok's administrator for almost seven years at Tusarvik.
He said Milortok was the kindergarten teacher when he arrived in Naujaat in 2009, and her experience was a huge resource for the school.
"She knew all the families and not just her own students, but students she had taught over the many years of her career," said Bolt.
"Ducas (Milortok) knew of any issue with the kids or their families, so she was a real source of information for us on the students and their families.
"If their were issues going on that impacted any of the children in the school, she knew long before it would come to my attention.
"Students trust her, so even our high school students would let her know what was happening in certain situations, and she'd relay the information onto me so we could do something about it, which was quite important for us."
Bolt said in addition to her teaching skills, he regards Milortok as a super, super nice lady.
He said she is highly respected within the school and community, and most of her students look upon her as almost a second mother.
"The best description I could give of Ducas is that she's a really classy lady - a very kind person who would always make sure we got food or snacks for any of the kids who were hungry.
"If there were issues with clothing, if a kid didn't have mitts or a winter hat, she'd make sure I knew so we could do something about it.
"She has a real affinity for children, and she does everything she possibly can to make sure they do well in school.
"Ducas is just an allaroundexcellent lady, not only as a teacher, but as a person, and she's always very concerned about not just the educational welfare, but the overall general welfare of all her kids."
