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NorthernersTeachers15TuesdayJuly92013Visitnwtel.caByRENEFRANCOEURThedarndestthingschildrensayatthemostun-expectedmomentswillbewhatlong-timeteacherEdithBourkemissesmostasshesaysgoodbyetothehallowedhallsofelementaryeducationwhereshespentthebulkofthepast29yearsofherlife.Itsneverceasedtoamazemethethingskidswouldsay...Therehasntbeenonemo-mentwhereIwasntenjoy-ingwhatIwasdoingsaidBourkewhoretiredfromJosephB.TyrrellJBTele-mentaryschoolinFortSmithlastmonth.Iloveworkingwithchildrentheyaresoeagertolearnandyoulearnfromthemtoo.Itisoneofthemostrewardingjobsyoucouldaskfor.Bourke65beganherteachingjourneyinherhome-townofAklavikin1971whenshewashiredonasaclassroomassistantatMooseKerrSchoolforthreeyears.Ihavealwayslovedlearn-ingmyselfsoItookcoursesthroughoutthesummersandtheprincipalknewIhadtheabilitytoteachsothestaffencouragedmetogoforof-cialtrainingandsoIdidBourkesaid.SheattendedtheTeacherEducationProgramfrom1974-1976trainingforthreemonthsinIqaluitandthennishingupinFortSmith.ItwasatthetimewhentheywerejuststartingtheprogramupinIqaluit...Ire-memberwestayedwayoutoftowninaresidenceitwasinterestingshesaid.AftertheprogramshewashiredonfulltimeatMooseKerrwhereshetaughtforthenextthreeyearsbeforerelo-catingtoHighLevelAlta.forherhusbandFredsjob.DuringthistimeshetookabreakfromteachinguntilFredscareerbroughtthecouplebacktotheNorthin1986thistimetoFortMcPherson.HereIworkedforanadulteducationcentreforaboutayearbeforeIwashiredonatChiefJuliusSchoolandIworkedthererightupto1995asanelementaryteacher.WhileinFortMcPhersonBourkesaidshesawherloveofmusicblossomandexpandintoherteachingmethods.IsangwiththestudentsandforthersttimeIstarteddoingtheChristmaschoir.Istillgetcommentsandcom-plimentstodayfrompeoplewhowereinmyclassesdur-ingthattimeandparentsabouttheimpactthathadshesaid.SincethenIstartedincorpo-ratingmoremusicintowhatIdidintheclassroomjustasasidenotetolearninglikehowtocarryatuneandencouragemystudentstodevelopaloveformusic.BesidesmusicBourketaughtalargearrayofclassesovertheyearsincludingmathlanguagesciencesocialstud-iesartandhealth.Inevertaughthomeeco-nomicsorgymBourkesaid.Everythingelsethough...Andeverygradeinelementary.AftereightyearsatChiefJuliusBourkesthirstforknowledgeledherbacktoschoolwhereshetookatwo-yearbusinessmanagementdiplomacourseatAuroraCollegeinFortSmith.DuringthistimeIcametoseehowpassionatelyImissedteaching.Idwalkdownthehallatthecollegeandrunintothestudentsintheeducationpro-gramandIwantedtobebackteachingshesaid.TohelphercopewithtwodeathsinthefamilyBourkedidgobacktoteachingafterreceivingherdiplomatak-inganeducationassistantjobwithGrade8teachersatPaulW.KaeserhighschoolinFortSmith.ThenitwastimetogobacktoschoolforrealandIwenttotheUniversityofSaskatchewanformyBachelorofEducationnallyshesaid.Nextitwas2001beforeIknewitandIwashiredonatJBTasaGrade6teacherandIwasthererightupuntilIretiredthisyearwhenIwasteachingGrade2.Bourkesaidshesmetmanyamazingchildrenovertheyearsandistrulyblessedtohavelandedinsuchalife-changingcareer.Myparentsreallyinstilledinmethevalueofgettinganeducation.Mymomwasrightthereencouragingmetilltheend...Iwantallyoungandnewteacherstonotbediscouragedtoknowtheycanovercomeobstaclesandtoholdontothegoodmomentsfromtheirstu-dentslikethosemomentsastrugglingstudentnallyun-derstandsadifculttopic.Bourkeandherhusbandnowplantospendtheirdaystravellingvisitingtheir11grandchildrenandthreegreat-grandchildrenscatteredacrosstheNWT.IjustgotbackfromYellow-knifeandbeforethatIwasinEdmonton.Nowwereplan-ningtogotoInuvik.Myhus-bandisanevangelistandweministeraswetravel-thatspartlywheremyloveformusiccomesfromBourkesaid.Werejustgoingtoenjoylifeandtakeiteasy.IwassicklastyearandsonowthatImhealthyImthankfulwecantravel.Aklavikwomanwrapsup29yearsofteachingPhotoBrittanyBourkeEdithBourkerightandhusbandFredplantotravelaroundtheNWTfollowingherrecentretirementafter29yearsofteachingvisitingtheirchildrenandgrandchildren.