Treaty Education for the classroom

November 5-6, 2025 The Languages and Culture team hosted a professional development session (PD) on Treaty Education Training for K-12 Teachers: Catalyst Training. Fifteen teachers and educational assistants attended this PD session to enhance their understanding of treaties, along with their historical and contemporary contexts. This session provided teachers with the tools to share lessons on treaty education for all ages. Teachers enjoyed knowledge-packed lessons from Elder Harry Bone, Treaty Commissioner Loretta Ross, Education Manager with Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba Amanda Simard, Treaty Education Advisor Cynthia Bird, and In-School Support Teacher Penny Ross, and Elder Florence Paynter. Lectures from esteemed speakers covered the origin of treaties, the historical context in which they were formed, and their impacts on recent generations. To relay the condensed lesson to students, Ms. Ross led teachers through grade-appropriate hands-on lessons in the classroom. For day 2 of the training series, Elder Florence Paynter delivered lessons in Treaty Education along with Languages and Culture Coordinator Geraldine Campbell and Social Studies Facilitator M’Shall Daniels. Lessons on day two included group activities to brainstorm more grade-appropriate lessons that incorporate treaty education into the classroom. The professional development session concluded with the distribution of Treaty Education Kits to each teacher and a certificate to commemorate the completion of the training.