Blog

During the long, cold winter months it can be hard to find the motivation to get outside and stay active. While we definitely approve of staying cozy indoors and catching up on a good book, here are some suggestions to keep your physical literacy sharp as well. Get out in your community: Sign up for community or territorial fitness challenges like Walk to Tuk. They’re a great way to keep… Read more.

For the second year in a row, the sun didn’t rise for the Inuvik Sunrise Festival. The annual celebration signals the return of the sun after almost a month of only twilight and night. It’s a full weekend of traditional dancing, a bonfire and fireworks, ice sculptures, and hot drinks, and is a staple activity of life in Inuvik. But this past Saturday, at 1:40 pm, when the sun was scheduled to… Read more.

The staff at the NWT Literacy Council has some help with your Christmas giving. Here are the books that we’re giving, hope to receive as gifts, or plan to curl up with over the holidays. Our executive director, Kathryn Barry Paddock, couldn’t choose just one!   Drive, by Daniel Pink and Voice in the Wild, by Laurie Sarkadi. Drive - The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel Pink,… Read more.

Inclusion makes people feel like they belong. Having a sense of belonging means people feel accepted and supported. This can help people understand each other better, and that helps build respect. All of these positive feelings can make people happier and healthier. The NorthWest Company is setting a positive example of inclusion in their northern grocery stores. They are translating the names… Read more.

My job at the NWT Literacy Council is to set up informal literacy programs for Permanent Residents (newcomers to Canada). I was inspired by my recent tour of programs for Permanent Residents in Calgary and Edmonton. There was something for people of all ages and interests. Programs include employment programs, after school programs, seniors’ coffee times, parenting programs, conversation circles… Read more.

“What are essential skills?” That’s how a recent training session for NWT Literacy Council staff members began. The answer turns out to be much more complex than any of us thought. Pat Salt is a Calgary consultant. She challenged us to consider definitions that go beyond the Government of Canada's definition of essential skills. The Government of Canada defines essential skills as "the skills… Read more.

There has been a great deal of research in recent years into how the brain develops.  We know that healthy development in the early years provides the building blocks for kids to succeed in school and at work, and leads to better community health and wellness. We also know that the brain starts with simple circuits that develop into more complex circuits with age and experience. The genes we get… Read more.

You wouldn’t think an on-the-land program — especially one promoting Dene ways of life  — would involve packing a suitcase full of iPads and digital cameras. But that’s the way it’s been for the first two Dene Ts'ı̨lı̨ (Dene Way of Life) School sessions in the Sahtú region. Last February, and again this fall, the on-the-land school featured digital storytelling, facilitated by Jessie Curell, of… Read more.

Kim Barthel delivered a fascinating workshop last week on trauma-informed practice that could impact the work of everyone who attended, including the six of us from the NWT Literacy Council. We learned about how a person’s history can impact the DNA and behaviour of future generations, and how relationships are key to a learner’s success. Probably more than one workshop participant wishes they… Read more.

Calling all children from the ages of 0 - 6! Help us celebrate Halloween. Drop in for our 3rd Annual Trick or Treat Book Give-Away at the NWT Literacy Council office from 9 am-6 pm on October 31.  If you don't live in Yellowknife or cannot make it into the office you can participate by posting a picture of your costumed child on our Facebook page, Twitter account, or by emailing one to… Read more.