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NWTeducatorawardedfordesigningcurriculumonresidentialschoolsNWTeldersinspirepeerstogetmovingAwardshonourrolemodelsatannualEldersinMotiongatheringTuesdayDecember2201415SPORTSRECREATIONACTIVEELDERSByDALICARMICHAELNotevenahip-replacementsurgerycankeepRonaWilliams82fromattendinghertaichiclassesinYellowknifemuchinthesamespiritasMadelineCatholique84anelderfromLutselKewhostillmanagestoleadmembersofhercommunityintradi-tionalmoosehidetanningcamps-anactiv-itynotfortheweak.BothwomenwereawardedwithActiveElderAwardsatlastweeksEldersinMotionTrainingGatheringheldinYellowknifeNov.25to26fortheirtenacityandcommitmenttohelpingothersstayactiveastheyage.Wewerelookingforolderadultselderswhoarerespectedamongsttheircommu-nitywhoareinspirationalwhoareactiveandwhopromoteandsupporttraditionalapproachestowardsbeingactivesaidGeoffRaydirectoroftheNWTRecreationsandParksAssociationoneoftheorganizersbe-hindthegathering.Thecommitteelookedatthosetwoinparticularbecausetherewasmorethanonenominationsubmittedforeachofthemsotherewasanobviousrecognitionthattherewasbroad-basedsupportfortheirleadershipintheircommunities.Williamssaidsheishumbledbyheraward.Iknowtheresalotofactiveseniorswhodoalotofcommunityworkshesaid.TheypickedmebuttheycouldhavehadalotmoreIjusthadanumberofnominations.WhileshehasoptedtoliveindependentlywithherhusbandWilliamsenjoysherregu-larvisitswiththeresidentsatAvenManoraretirementfacilityinYellowknife.Untilherhipreplacementsurgerylastyearshewasteachingtaichiclassesforpeoplewitharangeofabilitiesbutfornowsheisjusthappytositinontheseatedclasses.Thetaichigroupwehavehereisverysup-portiveWilliamssaid.Wehavearangeofagestheyreverywelcoming.ThesessionsIdowiththeseniorsattheAvencomplex...rangefromfairlyactivetowheelchairtode-mentiapatients.AsfarasweknowthisistheonlyawardthatrecognizeseldersfortakingaleadershiproleintermsofbeingactiveRaynoted.Itsimportanttorecognizethoseindividualswhoarechoosingtonotonlybeactivebutpromoteamongsttheirpeersandamongsttheircommunitytheideaofbeingactive.Thegatheringisanannualeventheldinpart-nershipbytheNWTRPAthedepartmentofHealthandSocialServicesandtheDeneNation.Itbringstogetherpeopleworkingwitholderadultsinacommunitysettingtoworkwiththeeldersontness-typeprogramsoractivelivingprogramsRaysaid.Thiswasagoodoccasiontorecognizetheseeldersinaforumamongstsomeoftheirpeers.ByDALICARMICHAELAccordingtoeducatorsintheNorththebestwaytosharethehistoryofresidentialschoolsanditsimpactonthosewhoattendedistogostraighttothesourcetheformerstudents.ThisisthephilosophybehindTheResi-dentialSchoolSysteminCanadaUnder-standingthePastSeekingReconciliationBuildingHopeforTomorrowcurriculumresourcewhichearnedoneofitsdevelopersanationalteachingawardlastweek.JohnStewartdirectorofEducationCul-tureandEmploymentsECESchoolandIn-structionalServiceswasgivenanIndspireEducatorAwardforhisroleasanindigenouseducationpartnerandforhisworkontheresidentialschoolresourceinaTorontocer-emonyheldNov.20.ItsexcitingforsureanditsalsoalittlebituncomfortablehesaidinaninterviewwithTheJournal.Thethingtheyarespecicallyreferencingintheawardisaroundthema-terialsthatwevedevelopedtoaddressthehistoryofresidentialschoolsandtheheartofthatworkisinfactthoseformerresiden-tialschoolstudents.Sinceinitiatingthedevelopmentoftheresourcestheprojecthasbeencompletelydrivenbytheinputofresidentialschoolsur-vivorsStewartsaid.TheywerewillingtosharetheirstoriessothatthenextgenerationtheirkidstheirowngrandchildrendonthavetocarrythatburdenStewartsaid.WeaskedthemwhattoexploreandwhatnottoexploreandtheysaidbehonestfacedifculttruthsdontEDUCATIONTRUTHRECONCILIATIONavoidthosethings.Wecantavoidthemandhopetomoveforward.ThecurriculumresourceshavebeenusedintheNWTaspartofaGrade10NorthernStud-iescourseandatteacherinservicesessionsoverthepastthreeyears.Wherepossibletheresourceencouragescoursefacilitatorstoin-viterealresidentialschoolstudentsintotheirclassroomtosharetheirexperiences.IttookmanypartnershipstogetthenewcurriculumoffthegroundwithinvolvementfromthegovernmentsoftheNWTandNun-avuttheTruthandReconciliationcommis-siontheLegacyofHopeFoundationandofcoursethestudentsthemselves.LearningfromexperienceThemodernversionofthematerialplacesastrongemphasisonteacherandstudentcaretohelpthoselearningthematerialmain-taintheirmentalwellnesswhilediscussingwhatcanoftenbedarksubjectmatterliketheabusesufferedbymanyformerstudents.Inasimilarcoursecreatedaboutadecadeago-aroundthetimeoftheGrollierHallresi-dentialschooltrialsinInuvik-Stewartsaidthereweresomeunfortunateoutcomes.Ifastudentweretogohomeandasktheirparentssomethingabouttheirhomeworkassign-mentoriftheparentwasinvolvedinaroleplayexerciseitwasveryunpredictablewhatmighthappenhesaidnotingthatsomeofthemoredetailedaccountscouldtriggermentalunwell-nessinsomepeople.Theressomethingabouttheactivitythattriggersforthemverypowerfulmemoriesoftheirownexperiencesofresiden-tialschoolandthosecangoinanydirection.WiththemoderniterationofthecourseStewartsaidtheyhavetakencaretoinformcoursefacilitatorswhentheyareapproachingtriggeringcontentsoastotakecareofthestu-dentsandtheirownmentalwellbeing.WelearnedfromtheTruthandReconcil-iationCommissionhesaid.Weleanedontheminthesensethattheyhavetrainedmanypeopleinmanycommunitiesaroundcounsel-lingformerresidentialschoolstudentsorinfacttheirchildrenbecausethoseeffectspassonfromgenerationtogeneration.AsacurriculumwritertheresnothingIveeverdonethatisaschallengingasthisworkStewartsaid.Auditsconductedoverthelastthreeyearsshowforthemostpartthatstudentswhocom-pletedthecoursegainedanenlightenedsenseofempathyforformerresidentialschoolstudentsandthecommunitiesthatsuffered.WhileStewartishappywiththerecognitionandsuccessoftheprogramheandhispartnershavedecidednottosharetheirmaterialswiththeplethoraofeducatorssendingininquiries.Itsfoundationallyimportantthateachju-risdictionhastonditsownstorieshesaid.Wereveryhappyforourresourcestobeusedasatemplatebutwewontsellthem.Theyneedtodevelopandndthepeopleintheirowncom-munitiesthatneedtosharetheirstories.PhotocourtesyofIndspirePhotosTaraMarchioriMadelineCatholiqueleftandRonaWilliamstakehometheActiveElderawardsattheannualEldersinMotionTraininggathering.LutselKeresidentMadelineCatholiqueleftacceptsherawardfromBootLakeInuvikMLAAlfredMosesinYellowknife.IndspirepresidentandCEORobertaJamiesonleftSuncordirectorofcommunityinvestmentCathyGloverIndigenousEducationPartnerawardrecipientJohnStewartandMinisterofEd-ucationCultureandEmploymentJacksonLaffertyattendanIndspireconferenceinTorontoNov.20whereStewartwasawardedforcurriculumdevelopment.