Lac Seul First Nation land-based educators adapt to pandemic, virtual teaching

Outdoor and cultural educators with the Lac Seul First Nation Education Authority have had to adjust their teaching strategies over the course of the pandemic, shaking up the way they deliver land-based learning opportunities to students within their communities.

Before the pandemic, the program's lessons focused on activities like fishing, drumming lessons, moose hide cleaning and food harvesting techniques — the type of learning one educator believes to be essential to any First Nation.

"They need to learn the practices that come from living off the land and living in these communities because … we need to have a balance of western education and traditional education as well," explained Weslie Wabano, teacher with the education authority and member of Fort Severn First Nation.

Wabano said striking up a balance of these methods of learning has become even more vital amidst the pandemic, forcing him and his colleagues to adapt to how they provide their education to their students with safety in mind.

Before the pandemic, the outdoor and cultural program interacted with full classrooms both indoors and outdoors. Now, COVID-19 restrictions within schools means smaller cohorts of students who alternate between in-class learning and outdoor cultural lessons.

"We do family groupings, so we will do much smaller groups, so we will take a student or a couple of students from a family and their family members as well, like their parents or their older siblings as well," explained Wabano.

Pandemic adjustments becomes learning opportunity for teachers

Wabano and his colleagues have also experimented with new platforms to deliver lessons to their students, including educational videos demonstrating traditional teachings, drumming and tipi building.

"It's been a learning experience for myself, we actually brought in an individual with experience with video production … so we got to learn about that; I'm still learning how to do it, but I think I'm getting better and better," said Wabano.

He added that while the videos have been well received by students and families, the land-based learning that the program allows for continues to be the most important for the communities the education authority serves.

"All of the activities that have been presented are basic life skills that the participants can take home and practice on their own at the end of the day. These activities, that Weslie and I have brought forward seem to be an outlet of information on how we as a people can remain connected without being in the same place all at once," said Joe Wesley, educator with Lac Seul First Nation in a traditional teachings video posted online.

Wabano said currently the outdoor and cultural program is just getting back into a more regular routine after the holidays and since more COVID-19 restrictions have been put in place. He said the next outings and lessons will include visits to the youth trap line.