Student aims to become teacher
Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Nov 10/00) - Priscilla Haogak is back in school so that one day she can be at the head of the class.
She is enroled in a one-year teacher education access program at Aurora College. It allows her to brush up on high school level subjects starting a three-year diploma program.
After the diploma program, "you can go to the University of Saskatchewan and get your degree in teaching, which I'm hoping to do," she said.
"I'd like to teach kindergarten," she said. "I love kids. They're great and I just love to see them learn."
Haogak said a typical day for her begins with an English course. "There's lots of reading, a lot of writing."
"Poetry's good. You really have to sort of pull apart every piece, every word, and figure out what the poet is trying to say. It makes you think a lot about how the poet's grown up, or what experiences they've had."
With math, "you really have to be on the ball," said Haogak. "It keeps you awake."
Science is one of her favourite subjects.
"We started with traditional knowledge. That's like looking at our elders around this region, and how they too can be called scientists, since they know a lot about the land and changes in seasons. It's like oral history that's been passed on."
A different world
Haogak said she found it interesting. She lived in Sachs Harbour before moving to Inuvik six years ago.
"My family lived off the land. We hunted and we fished and we trapped. There was always a store," she said.
As a result Haogak developed "two different views of the world."
Haogak dropped out two years ago at Grade 11.
Because she took some courses last year, Haogak has a free period after science. She uses it to catch up on her duties as vice-president of the student council.
"I try to keep the canteen stocked and deposit the money we earn from the canteen and the pop machine. We try to organize events, but it's really difficult to get people motivated," Haogak said.
"In December I'm all by myself, because my president is going to be going on his practicum," she said. "But it's good experience. I've never been vice-president of anything."
Works at college
As well, at 3 p.m. Haogak assumes her duties as an administrative assistant in the continuing education department.
"I deal with communication skills and interpersonal skills, and public relations," said Haogak, who began the job early in October.
Haogak is enjoying herself.
"Everyone's cool. The staff is great."
