These 13 students finished their studies in La Ronge on Thursday for a Indigenous Community-Based Master of Education degree. (Submitted photo/Michael Maurer)

By Derek Cornet

learning

New cohort of students complete Indigenous Community-Based Master of Education Program

Jul 26, 2024 | 4:14 PM

A new group of post-secondary students finished their studies in an Indigenous Community-Based Master of Education Program in La Ronge this week.

“A lot of them are from different communities in Northern Saskatchewan, so this is not just having an impact in La Ronge, it is having an impact across the North,” said Viviana Ruiz Arcand, who was the group’s final sessional instructor.

“With me, basically the students had to bring everything together what they have learned over the last two and half years and share what they had learned. They had to bring their knowledge together and create a project that was looking at implementation, budget, timelines, theoretical foundations through a literature review, and participating in class around different topics related to education. I personally feel a wealth of knowledge was shared.”

The current cohort began their studies in 2022 and Ruiz Arcand described it as a very intensive 30-credit hour program. In total, 10 courses were offered on-site during the summers with each course being condensed into two weeks with tight deadlines.

The program was delivered in partnership with Gabriel Dumont Institute, Northlands College and the University of Regina. It focused on leadership in the context of Indigenous education and, out of 19 students who were originally accepted into the program, 13 successfully finished it.

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Current Lac La Ronge Indian Band teacher Michael Maurer, who is Métis, is one of the students who finished the program. He explained he decided to earn the degree because other students had spoken highly of it.

“I got quite a few things. I learned how to improve Indigenous education effectively as an educator and I also learned through my colleagues,” Maurer said.

“They are from all over the place … so there were different perspectives of the education systems and just getting their knowledge and sharing from them.”

Gwen Cubbon of Canoe Lake Cree First Nation also just completed the program. She noted she learned what her limits are, how to push through and that she made some lifelong friends along the way. Cubbon has worked as a Cree language and Indigenous studies teacher, as well as served as a Cree consultant for the Meadow Lake Tribal Council.

“They need to be able to balance life, work, family, friends,” she said of those thinking of taking the program.

“You still have to make time for yourself and be mentally ready and have some supports. You need a lot of support. You’ll get that from your cohorts. I think that is what’s unique about this program is your cohorts are your supports whereas if you were to take it on your own, you wouldn’t have that same family, that same support and same comfort.”

Other students who completed the program are Joyce Torrie, Iona Linklater, Clarissa Augier, Shirley McLeod, Danielle Pelletier, Melanie Mirasty, Victoria Charles, Jacqueline McAuley, Susan L. Sanderson, Natanis Daigneault and Marla Daigneault. They will all officially receive their degrees at the U of R fall convocation ceremony.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com