Ray Smith was honoured at the Northlands College post-secondary graduation in April where his daughters, Leila Morin and Jarica Smith, received education degrees. (submitted photo/Roland Corrigal)

By Derek Cornet

retirement

Ray Smith looks back on teaching career spanning three decades

Jun 5, 2019 | 1:50 PM

After a teaching career spanning more than three decades, Air Ronge’s Ray Smith hopes young people see the value in a post-secondary education.

“I used to go to my classroom at 6 a.m.,” he said. “That’s how it went at NORTEP (Northern Teachers Education Program), too. I would go there early just to sit around and think about what I’m going to be doing for the day.”

Smith was born in Île-à-la-Crosse, raised in Pinehouse Lake and graduated from La Ronge’s Churchill Community High School in 1976. Back then, Smith originally wanted to become a social worker because there was a push for northerners with those skills at the time. He began pursing a Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies, but later shifted his focus to education and was accepted as a student in the NORTEP program in the 1980s. Smith earned an arts degree, as well as a Bachelor of Education, in 1989.

Smith taught for a short time at Keethanow School in Stanley Mission, before accepting a position at the Beauval Indian Education Centre where he taught until 1995. Around this time, he met former NORTEP Director Al Ducharme who encouraged Smith to apply to teach for the program when a position became available. He started in 1995 along with fellow educator Laura Burnouf, who also retired from Northlands College this spring.

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“We were sitting and having supper and we started talking about teaching and he told me I would be the kind of person he would be looking for if any positions were open at NORTEP,” Smith said.

During the next two decades he spent working with the program, Smith taught mostly introductory Indigenous studies, as well as conversation Cree for fluent speakers. He taught much of the same classes at Northlands College when was hired in 2016 until his retirement this spring.

Ray Smith received a gift at his retirement from Northlands College. (submitted photo/Roland Corrigal)

During the summers of 2001 and 2002, Smith also took two, 10-week class sessions at San Diego State University where he earned a Masters in Leadership.

As someone who taught Cree to aspiring teachers for decades, Smith noted it’s important Indigenous Peoples keep the language alive. He talked about having an understanding of Cree provides a unique worldview and it’s a very important part of the culture.

“When it comes to Indigenous studies, I think all classes and professions should have an Indigenous studies class as part of their requirements to graduate,” Smith said. “One of these days, the Saskatchewan population is going to be composed 50/50 of Aboriginal Peoples and non-Aboriginal Peoples, and we need to get along somehow and know more about ourselves as well.”

During retirement, Smith would like to do more painting – one of his favourite hobbies. He’s currently being mindful of his health, however, as he’s spent time in the hospital for various reasons in recent weeks.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno