For Janelle Houle, teacher, artist, and jig dancer, sharing her Métis heritage with her students is something she models every day. In her third year of teaching second grade at École Arthur Meighen School in Portage la Prairie, Houle believes that exploring culture is not something you just learn about; it is something you celebrate and carry with you.

“I feel like how I bring myself and my passion is how I get kids excited about it,” she said.

That passion comes in many ways. Houle has been mastering pottery for the last 10 years, specializing in Métis dot art inspired by traditional beadwork. She sells her pieces through various markets, and her art has been featured at a few exhibits. “The Métis were known as the Métis flower beadwork people,” she shared. “You could recognize a Métis person because they were decked out in beadwork.”

While bringing pottery work into a second-grade classroom is not practical, Houle has found creative ways to share her art with her students. “We’ve done projects with paint and Q-tips to imitate the dot art style,” she said.

During Festival du Voyageur, she came to school wearing her Métis sash and the beadwork pieces she taught herself to make over the summer. “The kids said, ‘Madam, you have to teach us how to bead!’.” She is now brainstorming ways she can safely introduce beadwork to her class.

Houle also shares her love of Métis jigging with her students. Having danced since she was ten, Houle is part of the Métis Prairie Steppers. One of her most memorable teaching moments was when she got the chance to teach the whole school how to jig. When the weather is nice she gets her students outside and shows them the friendship dance.

“Showing my dancing with the kids, and sharing that I’m part of a dance group, makes it more real. They can see this is something I actually do, and love to do. It shows them the possibility of doing it too.”

Celebrating Identity

Houle’s students are encouraged to explore and celebrate their own identities. By showing them how excited she is about her own culture, she invites them to reflect on their own experiences.

“I think it’s huge to introduce not only my culture, but to have kids thinking about their cultures and celebrating themselves in that way,” she said.

Beyond the classroom, Houle has presented art workshops at MTS Indigenous Chairs training. She recently joined the Indigenous Academic Achievement (IAA) committee at her school and is excited to help build an Indigenous healing garden and decorate it with her students. She has also signed up for the newly formed Red River Métis Circle of Educators, a province-wide professional network connecting Métis K-12 teachers across Manitoba.

“This job can sometimes be isolating, and I love collaborating with people. Let’s talk and share our ideas.”

Houle believes that showing up as you are, is one of the best ways to connect. “I’m huge on dance and art, so just bringing it in naturally…it doesn’t always have to be a formal lesson. It’s how you show up. It’s what you value and the space that you create for your students.”

To learn more about the Red River Métis Circle of Educators visit here.

To see more of Janelle’s pottery check out her Instagram page here.