"You only have to look at a child and you will find something to love in that child, even at first when you think the child a little rascal. The children know what you think of them. From then on, you only teach from the heart and that is the only way to teach!"
- Roseanna Houle
 |
| nohkom teaching the Cree language |
Her blood flows through my vains & I will always honor my hero and get strength, and remember her immense unconditional love kakike (always) ~ the strong messages we get from our ancestors!
I just wanted to share this with you and hope she inspires you to see all that is beautiful in the world and even in the eyes of a child...
 |
| She would teach all day & come home to us, her grandchildren, and teach us our mother Tongue, Cree. |
"You only have to look at a child and you will find something to love in that child, even at first when you think the child a little rascal. The children know what you think of them. From then on, you only teach from the heart and that is the only way to teach!"
- Roseanna Houle
- Roseanna Houle
Here are a few exempts of other accounts of her tireless work in the promotion of the Cree Language:
"In conjunction with the Alberta Curriculum Development Branch, Blue Quills had developed language books, teachers’ guides, student texts, and exercise material in the Cree language. Cree was also taught as a second language to students in the high school and was accepted by Alberta Education as a second language credential for university entrance. The materials developed were Cree 15-25-35 for grades ten to twelve. The Board assigned this responsibility to Mrs. Roseanna Houle who worked with a team of Cree language curriculum developers. Impassioned with the love for the language and a gifted teacher, Mrs. Houle inculcated this passion for the language into her students. Upon completion of the curriculum development project, Blue Quills had continued to write and publish other types of materials including a beginner’s manual for non-Cree speakers, the syllabic system of writing, and the correct application of Roman Orthography. The history of the Treaties was to be recorded to enrich the academic programs and strengthen students’ pride in their heritage."
Another recollection of nohkom, comes from an interview of late Stanley Redcrow in 1972, former employee of Blue Quills School in regards to the take over of Canada's First Native Owned & Operated school in Canada. Jean Chretien was overheard saying we would fail within the first year. That was over 41 years ago and the school is still alive and well. As I write this it is conducting it's annual Week Cultural Camp at the very grounds that used to be a prison for many during the Indian Residential School era.:
"...Sask. Indian: Did you make any changes as far as the curriculum went and the teaching of Indian Culture?Saskatchewan Indian. 1972. Interview with Stanley Redcrow. Available at http://www.sicc.sk.ca/archive/saskindian/a72feb08.htm (accessed May 30, 2012).
Mr. Redcrow: Yes we made a lot of changes. There was no Indian language taught at this school. Right away I told the people to start teaching the cree language, reading and writing and also different ways of doing things to improve the Indian situation that is say, making moccasins, and bead work and all kinds of things like that. They are doing that now and the children are very happy.
Sask. Indian: I understand you have a cree teacher here, Mrs. Roseanna Houle, from nearby Saddle Lake Reserve. Perhaps you can tell us a little bit about her class and how she teaches the children.
Mr. Redcrow: She started with the alphabets and it took her a little while before she could make the kids understand what she was trying to do but of course she's talented to teach the cree language and she just goes ahead like a real teacher and she's doing a very good job. Some of them didn't even know how to speak Cree, their own language and now they are starting to learn their own language again by reading and writing and practicing with the others..."
