On July 24th, St. Paul’s staff and faculty visited the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford. The visit served to launch a new professional development initiative aimed at improving all employees’ understanding of subjects central to the College mission. These subjects include Indigenization, social entrepreneurship, student well-being, international development, human rights and refugee issues.
The tour concluded with a video about the experiences of the children who were at the residential school next door, which closed in 1970. It is currently undergoing renovations so that it will be available for public visits as of next year. The video provided a vivid picture of the living conditions in the school, especially as recounted by some of its survivors.
After the visit, some staff shared their insights.
“I learned so much at Woodland, which made me think that my educational experience did not do Indigenous people justice. This experience piqued my interest in Indigenous education and I hope to learn more as I progress in my new role at St. Paul’s” said Landon of Advancement and Alumni Relations.
After the tour finished, College staff gathered for a late lunch in Paris to reflect on what they had seen and heard. All agreed that the insights they had gleaned were invaluable.
“This was a great start to our professional development series” said Principal Rick Myers. “I think the staff are really going to get a lot of this.”
For more information about the Woodland Cultural Centre, please visit: