Last October, students from the Faculty of Education’s Indigenous Adult Education (ABED) program visited campus for the first time to learn more about the Indigenous community and supports available at Brock.

A year later, the same group crossed the Convocation stage alongside a significant cohort of Indigenous graduates, marking an important moment for Brock’s Indigenous Educational Studies programs.

Monique Lavallee (ABED ’24), Executive Director of Niwasa Kendaaswin Teg, crossed Brock’s Convocation stage to receive a Certificate in Indigenous Adult Education.

Monique Lavallee (ABED ’24), Executive Director of Niwasa Kendaaswin Teg, said journeying together with her team and professors at Brock reinforced her understanding that Indigenous education can — and should — happen in community, on the land and in relationship with Elders and Knowledge Holders.

“The blend of theory and experiential learning made this opportunity meaningful and culturally relevant. Incorporating elements such as a medicine walk, basket making and the creation of classroom resources, among many other activities, held space for us to honour Indigenous ways of being and doing,” Lavallee said.

The growing number of Indigenous graduates represents an important step forward, said Assistant Professor of Educational Studies Jeannie Martin, who teaches in the Indigenous Educational Studies programs.

“It is an affirmation that the program opportunities at Brock provided for Indigenous people to participate in post-secondary education are more reflective of the Indigenous ways of teaching and learning,” she said.

Friday’s celebrations included graduates from ABED, the Gidayaamin Indigenous Certificate and a Bachelor of Education program offered in partnership with the Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute.

Motivated by her career goal of teaching Indigenous adults, Graduate Karlina Belbeck (BEd ’24) began by taking a few courses in the ABED certificate program before deciding to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

“The program was unique and full of hands-on learning opportunities incorporating Indigenous pedagogies which has helped me gain knowledge and confidence. I was supported by my professors who were extremely helpful,” Belbeck said.

Martin said the success of Indigenous graduates means learning is happening in a place where they feel safe.

Indigenous Adult Education graduate Karlina Belbeck (BEd ’24) began her studies at Brock in the Indigenous Adult Education certificate program before deciding to pursue a Bachelor of Education.

“Given the history of the institution of education and Indigenous people, it can be challenging for Indigenous students. Further, many are first-generation, so their success is something to be doubly celebrated,” said Martin.

At the end of every course, Martin said students and faculty would engage in reflection to understand what worked for students and what didn’t — a collaboration Martin felt was a vital part of their learning process.

“How do Indigenous students want to learn? This reflection allowed us to continue developing within the program pedagogical approaches more aligned with our Indigenous ways, such as land-based learning,” Martin said.

Graduate Allison Mitten (ABED ’24) said this reflective process gave her insight into the student experience.

“This program has helped me be a better teacher, and I have learned ways I can make educational programming more culturally inclusive,” Mitten said.

For Dayna Quequish’s (BEd ’24), the journey toward becoming an educator was shaped by her time as a tutor in a Grade 4/5 classroom during the Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute program.

“I was assigned a student with special needs who had behavioural challenges. This student taught me a lot, along with the teacher in the classroom. My inspiration to continue my education came from these two people,” she said.

Quequish’s own educational path has included some detours. Driven to go back and finish Grade 12, Quequish completed high school and immediately pursued her post-secondary education.

“At the beginning, I remember how crazy I thought I was to be applying for a university program as I felt I didn’t have the necessary literacy skills to be successful,” she said. “I went anyway, and an instructor said not to worry, because we had five years to work on writing.”

Quequish held onto those words and couldn’t be happier she did.

“Reflecting on my first-year writing versus my fifth, I have seen so much growth,” she said.

Quequish said she is grateful to Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute and Brock for not only the program itself, but the online delivery that helped her to succeed.

“This program has been a part of my life for five years; I’m so glad I stuck it out,” she said.

Assistant Professor of Indigenous Educational Studies Sherri Vansickle, the lead on the partner program, said she is incredibly proud of this cohort.

“These graduates have overcome unimaginable obstacles to cross the stage at Convocation,” she said. “They are a truly inspiring group of Indigenous students, and now teachers. Yoyanere — you are on a good path.”