Paige Desmond
Local aboriginal pre-school children are getting a jump start on elementary school thanks to the Zaagi-idiwin Aboriginal Head Start program.
Funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, the program provides school readiness curriculum for children aged three-five, with an emphasis on aboriginal heritage and culture in the classroom.
The September- June program aims to “prepare the children for school and prepare the parents,” explained family support co-ordinator Amanda Perreault.
“Head Start” is a non-profit service with curriculum focusing on education, culture and language, health promotion, nutrition, parental involvement, and social support programs.
Students are provided with a nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snack, and the program is administered by early childhood educators, educational assistants, and a social service worker.
But program co-ordinator Angela Mihichuk is quick to point out “Head Start” is neither a day care nor a nursery school, although they do adhere to guidelines set out in the Day Nurseries Act.
“We’re a unique school readiness program that focuses on the aboriginal culture,” she explained.
Indeed, observing “morning circle,” children learn the days of the week, weather, and numbers in English and Ojibway, with few struggling to follow along.
The classroom features both mainstream toys, as well as a special area marked by a wall-to-wall mural which strictly represents aboriginal culture. Aboriginal books and toys are available in the space, located at one end of the large and cheery classroom.
Thanks to funding from the Public Health Agency and sponsorship from the local United Native Friendship Centre, in addition to the program’s own fundraising efforts, “Head Start” is offered free of charge to families of aboriginal descent (Mihichuk points out they can accept a one percent population of children of non-aboriginal descent, and that all students must fit other criteria to attend).
One 20-child class runs Monday and Wednesday while a second class goes Tuesday and Thursday.
While “Head Start” is a warm-up for children, it also serves to brace parents for the time when their children attend school and make referrals to other services they might have a need for.
“If you have a healthy parent, then you have a healthy family,” explained Perreault.
“It’s just so much more than a child care program,” enthused head teacher Charity McMahon.
Mihichuk explained Zaagi-idiwin strives to develop relationships with parents, allowing families to get ready for school together.
“They can come to us. It’s good to have that rapport with our parents,” she remarked.
Parents make up a council which offers input on “Head Start” in co-operation with the UNFC. They also are invited to workshops and other events at the school.
Adjusting to a bus schedule, registering their child, and receiving progress reports or attending parent-teacher nights can be firsts for some, so “Head Start” offers parents the chance to adjust along with their youngsters.
“Just to get them used to the formalities of the school system that they go into [is key],” McMahon said of parents.
Perreault agreed it can be difficult for parents to adjust to their children attending school—and even more difficult for children to cope.
“It’s devastating when all of a sudden they go to school,” she asserted
What happens at Zaagi-idiwin is truly a head start for families. The program offers speech and language screening and counselling, developmental assessments, dental screening and fluoride treatment, parent workshops, social supports, and specific program support through the UNFC.
The staff at “Head Start” see a definite need for aboriginal children and their families to receive these services.
“Some children tend to get lost within the school system,” noted Mihichuk, stressing the early screening and other services are that much more necessary.
Through the emphasis on aboriginal culture, students also are given the opportunity to connect with their background before entering a school system which might address that cultural need less.
McMahon, however, did say the schools she has dealt with here have been very positive about the approach taken by Zaagi-idiwin.
“I’ve had some really good feedback from the community. I’ve been very proud to be part of [the program],” she said.
Now in its fourth year of full-time teaching, “Head Start” has grown from an eight-week summer program to where it is today, and staff couldn’t be more enthusiastic about what they do.
“They carry that pride to school with them,” Mihichuk said. “We try to make it as easy as possible for them to get into that school system.”
