Introduction
The partnership between Seven Generations Education Institute and the Rainy River District School Board supports the education of Anishinaabemowin Teachers and Early Childhood Educators. Fully-trained Anishinaabemowin educators are employed in schools and child care centres across the district, and are responsible for encouraging the growth of Anishinaabemowin programming in their communities.
Becoming an instructor of Anishinaabemowin can take many different forms. Some people choose to pursue a Bachelor of Education degree and OCT qualifications to teach in a school board. Others choose to enter into mentor-apprentice relationships and immersion education. Still others learn from books, speakers, and videos. Every way of learning Anishinaabemowin is valid, and we strive to provide a variety of programs and resources that support learners and speakers to become Anishinaabemowin instructors.
Become a Teacher in a School Board
Most school boards, like our partners at the Rainy River District School Board, require their language teachers to have a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education, and be in good standing with Ontario College of Teachers. Many universities offer programs that allow this amount of education to be completed in 4-6 years, including our colleagues at Lakehead University. Additionally, the Ontario College of Teachers offers a Teaching Ojibwe Additional Qualification, as well as other AQ courses for registered teachers to upgrade their learning and instruction styles.
Anishinaabemowin Facilitator Program
This program was created in response to the need for more language speaker instructors and their requests for training. The program connects participants with the tools, resources and support they need to pass on their language to their families and community. Over the course of six months, participants receive training from other fluent speaker instructors and language learner instructors who talk about their methods, materials, obstacles, and successes, and provide assignments that require participants to create lesson plans, resources, and materials. Participants will also plan their own community based language learning project, facilitate it, and share their experiences.
Intake information
Intake is currently closed. Check back for applications & announcements.
Anishinaabemowin Ando-gikendamowin
Originally begun in 2018 as a small regional event for local ECEs and Teachers, the Anishinaabemowin Ando-gikendamowin for Early Childhood Educators focusses on instructional materials, professional development, and networking opportunities for those involved in Anishinaabemowin revitalization. In 2021, with the global pandemic in full swing, the event transitioned online and became a public virtual gathering for Anishinaabemowin educators, speakers, and learners.
Click below to view photos and resources from our most recent gatherings.
Professional Development Opportunities & Resources
As we have developed our resources, we have received requests for professional development in basic Anishinaabemowin, using our materials, and creating materials and programs. Some of these sessions have been hosted virtually and recorded.
You can view these sessions and recordings by clicking through the links below. We have also compiled some of the resources that we use when hosting in-person PD sessions that you can download and adapt for your own PD sessions.
Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network
Anishinaabemodaa – Waking Up Ojibwe is a proud member of the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network. MIIN is dedicated to assisting Ojibwe language immersion programs to communicate and collaborate to collectively address common needs. With more than 10 Ojibwe immersion programs in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Canada working together they strive to address needs in professional and linguistic development, organization and distribution of materials and assessments, and recruitment of staff and students. Their website is rich in curriculum and classroom resources organized by grade, as well as learning materials for adults.
