Professional Development Day

Our staff had a professional development day that was amazing today. We went for a hike around the school community and met a Blackfoot elder. He told us stories of what things were like long ago. The Tuscany area used to be inhabited by the Blackfoot people. There is archeological evidence of 4 separate camps that date back to 8000 years ago. Tuscany is a beautiful area with a rich history. The elder also drummed and sang with us. I was expecting the songs to be more traditional but he sang about Mickey Mouse and Twinkle, Twinkle. He says that the English words help draw in the young Native kids.

After we spent time with the Native Elder, we finished walking around the 12 Mile Coulee area. We were asked to see if a part of nature stood out to us. For me the tall grass came to mind right away. I had noticed it first when we were sitting in a circle around the drum. From where I was sitting, it looked taller than the mountains in the background. As I continued to walk, I noticed how it swayed in the wind yet was sturdy and grounded. I felt like the grass was giving me advice for the year to come teaching at a brand new school. I will need to be flexible but grounded as I learn new ways of doing things. The grass had seeds at the top and that was a sign of new life and new beginnings to me.

Hello, hello.