Pond InletSA国际影视传媒檚 Pirurvik Preschool trainers will soon set off on a three-and-a-half year journey across NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 three regions to introduce their award-winning, made-in-Nunavut early childhood education program.

ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 thanks to the $1 million Arctic Inspiration Prize the Pirurvik team won in mid-February and an initial quarter-million pledge from the Qikiqtani Inuit Association.

As co-founder Karen Nutarak explains, Pirurvik blends Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) and the Montessori method.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 very excited. I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 a very good learning method for children,SA国际影视传媒� said Nutarak, who recalled a visit to the Glebe Montessori School in Ottawa to observe its Montessori preschool.

SA国际影视传媒淐hildren can learn at their own pace. If children learn at their own pace, they enjoy what theySA国际影视传媒檙e doing. It looked like the way Inuit learn. Children observe and they play.SA国际影视传媒�

Children learning at their own pace is grounded in the Inuit societal value pilimmaksarniq SA国际影视传媒� development of skills through observation, mentoring, practice, and effort SA国际影视传媒� and the foundation of the Montessori method developed by Italian physician and educator Marie Montessori.

Nutarak references a TV series, wherein one episode two men are building a qamutik.

SA国际影视传媒淭he children observe, even though theySA国际影视传媒檙e playing on the side. They see whatSA国际影视传媒檚 happening and later on they imitate the men.SA国际影视传媒�

Nutarak calls the meld of Montessori methods and materials and Inuit culture and language powerful.

Inunnguiniq, the process of making capable and contributing human beings, is also an essential element of the Pirurvik program.

Co-founder Tessa Lochhead says developing the program for daycares answers the call they heard from many childcare centres in the territory.

SA国际影视传媒淥ver the past few years since we opened SA国际影视传媒� word of mouth travels fast SA国际影视传媒� weSA国际影视传媒檝e had people approach us about training opportunities, possibilities to support daycares in the Qikiqtani region. Family members who were connected to the preschool had family and friends in other communities beyond Qikiqtani who had heard about the program and wanted similar programming,SA国际影视传媒� said Lochhead.

Vow over a handshake

While the creation of Pirurvik Preschool came to be because Pond Inlet students taking Nunavut Arctic CollegeSA国际影视传媒檚 early childhood education (ECE) program in 2015 needed a location for their practicum, the partnership between co-founders Karen Nutarak and Tessa Lochhead began earlier, in 2013.

SA国际影视传媒淏efore the ECE (program), Tessa and I shook hands. We both had ideas of preschool childcare at the daycares. We shook hands that maybe one day weSA国际影视传媒檒l go for it,SA国际影视传媒� said Nutarak. SA国际影视传媒淲hen the ECE program started, it all came together.SA国际影视传媒�

Support from QIASA国际影视传媒檚 Iligiktunut Fund has been instrumental SA国际影视传媒� for the ongoing Pirurvik Preschool in Pond Inlet and the successful Clyde River pilot SA国际影视传媒� as has funding from Makigiaqta Inuit Training Corporation, which approached Pirurvik Preschool to develop training modules in 2017.

The time had come to turn to the Arctic Inspiration Prize.

SA国际影视传媒淲e contacted each of the community daycares and talked about all the things that were required to apply, a point person, bios on each of the people involved. We reached out to 10 childcare centres that had asked about support and seven got back to us very quickly with all of the information,SA国际影视传媒� said Lochhead.

Pirurvik had to demonstrate how they were innovating.

SA国际影视传媒淲e will learn how to apply the same programming, community-specific, and apply it to infants and toddlers, three months to age two, which is a new area for us since we currently just operate as a preschool for ages three to four,SA国际影视传媒� said Lochhead.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd how to make the programming all-encompassing in a half-room daycare, in small spaces, that is realistic to the context of Nunavut daycares in our communities.SA国际影视传媒�

Ilitaqsiniq (Nunavut Literacy Council) executive director Adriana Kusugak nominated the team, which, along with Nutarak and Lochhead are: Raymee Angnetsiak, Ilisapi Haulli, Celina Kalluk, Leah Kippomee, Samantha Koonoo, Ceporah Mearns, Denica Nahogaloak, Julian Oyukuluk, Pauline Pauloosie, Noodloo Peter, Tannikie Peterloosie, and Sandi Vincent-Connelly.

Koonoo and Kippomee have been a part of the team since the start. Koonoo trained staff in Clyde River. Over three-and-a-half years, they will be training and setting up materials at IqaluitSA国际影视传媒檚 Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik Daycare beginning in April, then at daycares in Arctic Bay, Iglulik, their home community of Pond Inlet, Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay, and Taloyoak.

Parents can rest assured there will be no increase in daycare fees, said Lochhead.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been asked about this a lot because people associate Montessori with expensive daycare, as it is in the south,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

TheySA国际影视传媒檙e important, says trainer about children

SA国际影视传媒淔irst they will come to Pond Inlet for training, and when theySA国际影视传媒檙e done weSA国际影视传媒檒l be coming (to their community) to help set up their daycare,SA国际影视传媒� said Kippomee.

The two explain the Montessori set-up includes a dramatic play area, as well as materials for sensorial learning, math, language and reading, in Inuktitut and English.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut we try and use more Inuktitut,SA国际影视传媒� said Kippomee, who says she loves working with children.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur preschool is a wonderful place for children. They enjoy coming. They enjoy learning.SA国际影视传媒�

Kippomee says itSA国际影视传媒檚 also rewarding to get feedback from parents on their childSA国际影视传媒檚 growth.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 for the children,SA国际影视传媒� said Koonoo. SA国际影视传媒淭hey are team leaders when they are older.SA国际影视传媒�

Teachers at the school also provide feedback, said Kippomee, such as children seeming calmer when they come to kindergarten after attending Pirurvik.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne feedback we got was they (school teachers) partner up a kindergarten student thatSA国际影视传媒檚 been to our preschool with a kindergarten student thatSA国际影视传媒檚 never been to the preschool. They make them work together,SA国际影视传媒� said Nutarak.

The children become learning buddies.

Koonoo and Kippomee say Nunavut Arctic College should offer the early childhood education course in Pond Inlet again, as well as in as many other communities as possible.

SA国际影视传媒淭he course really taught me how to work with children, even with our own children. We have to be patient with children and help them. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e our future. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e important,SA国际影视传媒� said Kippomee.

Nutarak thanked family SA国际影视传媒� children, spouses, parents and friends SA国际影视传媒� for their support throughout the process of developing the Pirurvik programming.

SA国际影视传媒淚 believe in the supporting system. When a person is supported, things happen,SA国际影视传媒� she said.