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REPULSE BAY - Culture and co-operation were at the top of the learning curve for students at Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay earlier this month.

The students spent a day visiting with elders inside a tent set up outside the school and senior students spent an afternoon reading to the younger kids as part of Literacy Week activities.

Eric Nanorak spends some time with his grandmother, Alice Nanorak, during a special cultural learning day in a tent set up next to Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Leonie Aissaoui

Grade 1 teacher Paula Kringayark said her students love spending time in the tent with the elders.

She said because they can't see any buildings from inside the tent, it's almost like being on the land for awhile.

"Many of the students feel right at home inside the tent and a lot of them enjoy the experience even more the second time they get to visit," said Kringayark.

"Some of them would enjoy listening to the elders no matter where they were but for most, it's a feeling of being away from the community for a while as they learn."

Kringayark said the younger kids also seemed to enjoy the buddy reading with older students during Literacy Week activities.

She said even the kids who don't really like books all that much enjoyed having stories read to them by older students.

"It was different kind of thing for the younger kids to spend time with the older students like that.

"The older students were really into reading to the kids, too.

"It was nice to see them spending good time with the young students like that."

Kringayark said she'd like to see a bigger budget for cultural activities at the school.

She said the students really enjoy the activities and it's a great way to keep them connected to their culture and learning more about how elders lived in the past.

"The elders come when they're asked and it's always fun to have them at school.

"I'd love to see more programs like this so the students could learn drum dancing, traditional singing and things like that.

"Even having the elders in for lunch more often and having them tell stories while everyone ate, would help the kids learn about the past.

"They listen better when the school can do things like that because it's a break from their regular routine."