Center of Excellence and Innovation

Summary

The purpose of this project was to create a professional development program that would improve educator capacities and result in improved student performance. The Canadian Canoe Museum teacher education program helps teachers develop leadership qualities and introduces them to the learning resources available at the museum. It exposes teachers to in-house and outreach education programs, and includes extensive wilderness experience that links land, history and the pioneer spirit. The program has proven to be very successful, with hundreds of teachers bringing their students to the museum annually.

Grant Outputs

Canoe School Education Programs at the Museum –

The Canadian Canoe Museum teacher professional development program was very successful during the pilot, which allowed new Trent and Queens University education graduates to learn about the heritage and environmental programs offered through the museum. A summer institute program was subsequently developed for educators to learn advanced canoe skills (Tripping Level II) and receive a canoe license that satisfies insurance requirements and allows them to take students canoeing. The educator training program facilitates teacher training for educators from Canada’s Northwest with programs operating out of Terrace, BC and Yellowknife, NT, in addition to the standard program run out of the Canadian Canoe Museum.