Program Overview

Introduction to the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program

The Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program, established in 1980, is offered at the University of Regina. The program was developed to address the need for Mťtis teachers in classrooms and to educate people on Mťtis history, providing role models for Indigenous children in schools.

Program Structure and Features

The program is designed to provide a supportive community for its students, with small class sizes and cohorts of around 15 to 20 students. Each cohort is assigned a dedicated faculty member, with whom they stay throughout the duration of their four-year program. The program emphasizes a feeling of community and support, including spending time with Old Ones and Knowledge Keepers, and ensuring that students can find ways to give back to the community.

Unique Program Components

• A three-week Michif immersion camp in the Qu'Appelle Valley, around the Lebret area of Saskatchewan, at the end of the first year.
• An emphasis on cross-cultural education, Mťtis and First Nation people's history and culture, the Michif language, and land-based learning throughout the program.
• Several classes have a Mťtis-specific component, such as:
  • INDG 221 - Mťtis Culture and History, where the class visits Winnipeg to explore the Hudson's Bay Company Archives, look at their genealogy, and find ways to connect with their Mťtis ancestry.

Program Outcomes

Students graduate with a Bachelor of Education degree and can apply for a Saskatchewan teaching certificate. Upon receiving their certificate, they can teach anywhere in the province, from Kindergarten to Grade 12.