A group of university students studying in Bella Coola will be graduating in July 2023 with a bachelor of education degree.
For five years they have been taking courses – in person and online – through the University of British Columbia Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP).
Holly Poell is a teacher in Bella Coola at Acwsalcta School who also works with the cohort as a faculty advisor and student support.
“They are doing fantastic,” she said of the students’ progress.
Courses are condensed, but the students work with each other and have local teachers as tutors, she said.
“I am super proud of them and it is great to see them doing practicums in the classroom. It is nice to see their confidence growing – they are talking like teachers.”
When they graduate there will be lots of options, Poell said, noting the Bella Coola area has been short-staffed with teacher for the last three years.
NITEP student Roxanne George has resided in Bella Coola for approximately 30 years. One of the biggest benefits the NITEP course offered her was not having to leave her home and family to complete this program.
“For the first four years of the program I was able to continue working as an early childhood educator in the Headstart program and attend the NITEP program evenings and weekends,” she said. “Although challenging, with self-motivation and support from my cohort and instructors it was feasible.”
Now that she is in the final last few months, she has her end goal in sight, she added.
“I am excited to be given this opportunity to gain a solid education through UBC and Nuxalk College and look forward to being an educator in the community.”
Tim Michalchuk regards the program as a “terrific” opportunity because he has been able to stay at home while working toward a bachelor of education.
Prior to enrolling in the program, he worked full-time as an education assistant at Acwsalcta School.
“I’m not working this year because of the course load. We are focused primarily on our practicums at different schools in the valley.”
When he graduates, Michalchuk hopes to move into a position at a local First Nations school as a shop teacher.
Born and raised in Bella Coola, he said he is grateful for the faculty at UBC for making the program possible.
“Everyone involved has worked hard to make the impossible possible.”
Before beginning the program to become a teacher Lorianne Duran of Williams Lake worked as a teacher’s aid for four years with School District 27 and 10 years at Nenqayni Wellness Centre Society.
She started out with the Cariboo NITEP program and switched to Bella Coola for her final year.
Duran is one of four students from Williams Lake enrolled in the Bella Coola program.
She has been staying in the valley with her husband Horacio Duran when she is attending courses in person at the Paradise building or doing practicums.
“We are staying in Archie Tallio’s old house about a five minute drive from the ocean,” she said. “Horacio makes me tea when I am studying.”
Raised at Tl’etinqox First Nation, Duran does not remember spending time in Bella Coola since she was a child and would go to the rodeo with her dad.
She and Horacio have been enjoying the warmer winter and exploring the beautiful aspects of the area, she said.
Graduate reflects
Tanalus (Dana Mack) graduated from the program in July 2022 and is working as a librarian in the morning, and as a careers and tourism teacher for Grades 10 to 12 at Acwsaltca School. She said getting her education took dedication, time and brain thinking.
“The NITEP program and working towards becoming a certified teacher is quite the experience, but worth it,” she said. “We were asked to share good things about the NITEP program, however, you can’t give the good without the bad. It’s all part of life having both to level out learning experiences.”
Even though this program started in 2018 in her hometown of Bella Coola, the opportunity was offered in 2006 in the community, which she attempted.
“Things happened, but that is another story,” she said.
In order for her to sign up for the program the second time around, she needed to redo the NITEP courses again, which was fine, she said.
“I really wanted to be a certified teacher. I knew that this time around I was going to work hard to finish the program, by dedicating and/or applying myself to the school work.”
The second time around her children were older as was she and the majority of the NITEP students were full-time workers, full-time parents and full-time students.
“We also survived going through the program in a pandemic. We were very fortunate to have NITEP facilities members like Angela Wolfe, and Alexis Okabe who took care of us. I am so glad that Angela was there to guide and help along the way.”
She also noticed a difference between when she took the program before and the second time in how courses are now taught to the students.
“Education has changed for the better. Students are able to work together, share and present more in the learning process.”
Zoom learning or learning online became more of a learning process due to the pandemic and that aspect had its positive and negative aspects, she added.
“It was good because you can be in different places and learn from professors and facilities. Bad because if you’re not a tech person and the internet is bad in your community, that is not so good and [makes] real challenges for learning online.”
Most importantly for her was the cohort.
“Everyone that becomes a part of the program becomes your friend and you help one another along the way, encouraging each other and being successful together helping each other out. We’re humans, all the challenges are real and sharing the downfalls and celebrating your success together you develop friendships.”
Now that she has finished, she said she is grateful for the NITEP program, and hopes to inspire others to go back and get their education.
“You’re never too young or old, all you have to do is try and take it one step at a time especially being Indigenous, we need to be the change in our families and communities.”
Another person who graduated in 2022 is Nedeea Siwallace.
She is working at Acwsalcta School teaching Grade 6.
monica.lamb-yorski@wltribune.com
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Tanalus (Dana Mack) of Bella Coola graduated from the UBC NITEP program in July 2022. (Photo submitted)
Nedeea Siwallace of Bella Coola graduated from the UNBC NITEP program in July 2022. (Photo submitted)
