55 Teach For Canada teachers head back to school in 13 First Nations communities

Sara-Christine Gemson —

Students in 13 First Nations communities in northern Ontario will be welcomed back to school by 55 Teach For Canada teachers this year. 23 of these teachers are returning to remote communities in northern Ontario to teach for a second year, and they will build on the trust they developed with students, colleagues, and community members last year. 32 teachers are starting a minimum two-year teaching commitment in the north to provide students with an engaging, culturally responsive, and inclusive classroom experience.

These dedicated teachers, hailing from Ottawa to St. Thomas, Calgary to Millbrook First Nation, will reach over 1000 children and teenagers in 13 First Nations communities. Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recognized them for their contribution towards reconciliation in our country in a back-to-school message (http://bit.ly/2cgEFR5).

“From starting extracurricular clubs to increasing student attendance to getting involved in the community, Teach For Canada’s 2015 cohort of teachers demonstrated the positive impact that well-prepared and well-supported teachers can have. In 2016, this impact will grow with 55 outstanding teachers working with over 1000 First Nations students,” said Kyle Hill, Executive Director of Teach For Canada. “Teach For Canada is looking forward to the many ways that these 55 teachers will impact their students inside and outside the classroom.”

Teach For Canada (http://www.teachforcanada.ca) is a non-profit organization that works with northern First Nations communities to recruit, prepare, and support outstanding teachers. Too often, teachers arrive in remote and Indigenous communities without the preparation and support they need to succeed—and stay—in the classroom. The twin challenges of teacher supply and turnover compound historical injustice and systemic inequities to produce an education gap between First Nations and non-First Nations communities. Teach For Canada works with First Nations communities to begin to close that gap. Now in its second year of operations, Teach For Canada has expanded to partner with six more First Nations communities for a total of 13.

Teachers, community members, and Teach For Canada staff are available for interviews about the impact that teachers are having in their communities.