Education Is The New Buffalo
During my 13 years of schooling from Kindergarten through grade 12, I have come face to face with many different teachers. Some bad, some good and a few EXCEPTIONAL ones. These few exceptional teachers are everything I ever want to be as a teacher. These teachers have shown unconditional kindness and respect towards me. As a future teacher, I strive to be like these select few with my future students. My choice in becoming a teacher stems from the few exceptional teachers that I have encountered along my educational journey. These teachers never gave up on me, they supported me and helped me succeed in all my goals and dreams. We all come from different backgrounds, different religions, and different worldviews and although my worldview may have been different from these teachers, it never stopped them from supporting me.
With respect and positivity, a safe classroom can be formed. A positive classroom leads to successful education! Education is important for everyone, however as a First Nations woman and knowing about the education gap, I feel education is especially important for First Nations children and youth! As many people have said before me, “Education is the new buffalo”. Prior to contact, survival relied heavily on the buffalo. The buffalo provided food, medicines, clothing, tools and shelter. The great buffalo was a way of living. In modern times, survival relies heavily on education. Therefore, education is the new buffalo for First Nations children and youth. Education ensures success, a healthy way of life and stability. As a teacher, I want my students to know that I will be there to support them, encourage them and help them succeed with their education so they can have stability, be successful and accomplish their dreams. My goal as a teacher is to help my students break statistics within their lives and to show society that they are strong, they are powerful and that they are worthy of education and success!