In 1973, the Council for Yukon Indians presented the Federal government of Canada a list of grievances and a pathway to reconciliation in the landmark document 'Together Today for our Children Tomorrow'. A central premise of this profound document was on the educational injustice of the Yukon’s education system and stressed that Yukon schools must teach the history of Yukon First Nations, employ culturally responsive teaching practices and ultimately must be relevant to First Nations students - honouring and validating First Nations rights, spirituality, language, culture, philosophy and pedagogy. Born of this context, the Yukon Native Teacher Education Program (YNTEP) began in 1989 with a vision for change in Yukon schools as collectively voiced by First Nations Chiefs and Elders, community members, educators, and politicians across the Yukon. By entering the program, you have made the decision to be part of an educational tradition that is committed to building educational practices and institutions that supports reconciliation as it pertains to Canada's colonial context. We expect graduates of YNTEP to lead for change in the provision of a curriculum of consequence as a foundation for a brighter future for all Yukon students.
In response to this mandate, The Yukon Native Teacher Education Program (YNTEP) is designed as a two-year, 60 Credit, developmentally configured program leading to a Bachelor of Education degree. Graduates qualify for both Saskatchewan and Yukon Teacher Certification and are eligible for teacher certification throughout Canada.
YNTEP is a full-time program comprised of fall and winter semesters; one spring practicum in a rural community, as well as a one-week summer cultural camp course. The program provides extensive school practicum experiences totalling 22 weeks throughout the two years to ensure that graduates are well prepared for teaching positions in the Yukon, including rural schools, and elsewhere.
One of the goals of YNTEP is to foster critical awareness of the negative consequence of historical colonized schooling and the imperative today for a curriculum experience that values Yukon First Nations’ cultural experiences. Courses in Yukon First Nations history and courses in cross-cultural education and progressive teaching practice serve to assure teacher candidates competence in working with and for the diversity of students across Yukon First Nations.
Central to this commitment is the emphasis placed on experiential learning as a critical part of the YNTEP Program in fostering this transformation and development. Community First Nations Elders and Yukon Education superintendents, consultants, principals and teachers provide YNTEP with support to provide many opportunities for students to experience various schools. Practicums are scheduled throughout the two years, with a capstone internship of 16 weeks in the final year. These are generally arranged in an elementary school setting, although individual arrangements can be considered, because of the specialization of a candidate’s previous degree, in high school and French-language settings. All placements are subject to the availability of co-operating teachers in these schools. Students are expected to undertake at least one four-week placement in a rural school.
Our commitment is to foster YNTEP teacher candidates in gaining the dispositions, knowledge and skills to develop the habits of mind and capabilities to be day-one-ready for best practice instruction within a cross-cultural and diverse classroom.
