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Métis council youth rep learns more about Indigenous education

'I want to create classrooms where Indigenous students feel seen, valued and respected,' Katelyn Cudmore says following national gathering in Winnipeg
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Katelyn Cudmore is a youth rep for the Barrie South Simcoe Métis Council.

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BARRIE SOUTH SIMCOE METIS COUNCIL
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Katelyn Cudmore, youth rep for the Barrie South Simcoe Métis Council, received a scholarship from Indspire to attend their National Gathering for Indigenous Education last month in Winnipeg.

According to Indspire, the national gathering is a "one-of-a-kind venue where educators and partners can share their voices and work together to improve the educational outcomes" of kindergarten to Grade 12 Indigenous students.

Being Métis, a student and future educator herself, Katelyn is attending Nipissing University to get her bachelor's degree in education, expressed how important this gathering was for her to attend.

“I want to create classrooms where Indigenous students feel seen, valued and respected. This means incorporating Indigenous perspectives in a safe and positive environment,” says Cudmore.

The gathering allowed Katelyn to expand her knowledge of how to do just that. One important takeaway she hopes to implement into her work is the importance of land-based learning.

“Including land- and water-based learning allows students to connect to the land and their cultural practices,” says Cudmore. “Land-based learning could be anything from harvesting, traditional foods, traditional arts, sharing circles on the land, trapping and medicine teachings. All these aspects can be incorporated into the classroom or school community.”

Another big idea the conference emphasized was the need for students to see themselves reflected in the curriculum. Katelyn says this goes beyond just adding Indigenous content.

“It's about making sure Indigenous students see their cultures, values, and histories as a part of Canada. A good way to do this is by bringing in knowledge keepers. They bring wisdom and perspectives that go beyond textbooks and can help create a hands-on, in-person learning experience for all students.”

Katelyn will take these teachings into the classroom in her future career and back to her local Métis community council in Barrie, where she serves as youth representative.

“There were a lot of Métis-specific workshops that provided more information and resources for me to bring back to my community," she says.

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