Education

6 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2016 CMU, SAINT-BONIFACE & WHEAT INSTITUTE HUMANITARIAN, INCLUSIVE OUTLOOK By Holli Moncrieff for the Free Press C anadian Mennonite University (CMU) offers a variety of programs that combine science or business with social justice. New for fall, their Environmental Studies major melds community development and social justice with the study of biology. Their master's in peace and collaborative development follows the same approach. "We have an ongoing commitment to bring businesses together to work on humanitarian interests," says university president Cheryl Pauls. "We bring these things together. We're very strong in biology, physics, chemistry and math. A lot of people don't realize how much science we offer." Environmental Studies is a full-time three or four-year BA program, but students can also take individual courses. Social issues such as climate change and the reconciliation with indigenous peoples are extremely important to CMU students, Pauls adds. "These days, students are told what's wrong with the world from day 1, and they want their future to look different than the past," she says. "High school students care about the environment and the state of the planet, but they're also concerned about being able to find jobs. They want to figure out how their future can be part of the health of society." To that end, the Indigenous Peoples of Canada course helps bring students enrolled in the university's Peguis transitional program together with CMU's mainstream students. "Indigenous people are taking back indigenous education and working in partnership with universities like ours," says Pauls. "The personal relationships between our students and the faculty improve the educational experience." Meanwhile, Université de Saint-Boniface is doing everything it can to help its students earn their post baccalaureate in Inclusive Education. This year is the first time the program will be available online, says Stéfan Delaquis, dean of the faculty of education. "This is huge. To be able to get a special education certificate, you need to take this course, and now students will be able to take it any time, anywhere," he explains. "It's very difficult to find special resource teachers, but now there will be no excuse. Now schools that want to train their own specialists will be able to." Special resource teachers are trained to work with children who have a wide variety of different needs, allowing the children to remain in a "regular" classroom. Gone are the segregated special-needs classrooms of the past, Delaquis explains. "It's more of a collaboration than people working in silos. The students feel welcome, like they have a place in the classroom," he says. "It's not easy. Special resource teachers work with all kinds of kids who have all kinds of challenges, but we want to have an inclusive society where everyone's welcome and everyone has a place." Université de Saint-Boniface programs cater to bilingual learners, including teachers who want to further their education. "We wanted to offer this opportunity to all bilingual learners. In Manitoba we're ahead of the game when it comes to the inclusivity of our schools," says Delaquis. "Everyone has a right to education. Resource teachers collaborate with classroom teachers in helping their students achieve success." The Inclusive Education program is 30 credit hours. Université de Saint-Boniface will offer three different intakes throughout the year. "There are a certain number of other options and a certain number of courses students will be able to take online next September," Delaquis says. The university's school of business will make two courses available online this year. "You can't do the whole program online, but this gives students experience with online courses while they complete the program on campus," says Delaquis. "It may be beneficial, as a lot of MA programs are available online, so it won't be a shock for students who are already used to learning this way." At the WHEAT (Winnipeg Holistic Expressive Arts Therapy) Institute, students learn how to use art, drama, movement and storytelling to heal. Graduates can then apply these strategies in personal and professional practice. Through creative self- expression and harmonizing with nature, the institute fosters physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being through a culturally conscious, social justice lens. Wheat has two locations in Manitoba — one in St. Norbert and one in Winnipeg's Exchange District. To find out more about their programs, please visit their website wheatinstitute.com. Three very different schools are attracting students who want to make a positive impact in the world. Cheryl Pauls, president of Canadian Mennonite University. Photo by Darcy Finley "These days, students are told what's wrong with the world from day 1, and they want their future to look different than the past."

• Cover