Some footage used in this video was filmed prior to the pandemic and may not depict social distancing measures.
Transcription – Marie Levi- 2021 Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Childhood Education
[Photo, with voice over. Photo: A drawing of a person with arms outstretched holding a heart and three people; drawings of a turtle, eagle, bear, bison, beaver and a footprint on the wall of the centre classroom. Music playing.]
"Sitting on the floor with the children. Interacting with the children. Listening to the children. Allowing them to guide me, and to follow them with a lot of their activities that they're doing in the class."
[Fade to white with a medium shot of woman, smiling, on the right side of the screen, with the following words appearing, line by line, on the left: Marie Levi, Aboriginal Headstart Program, Eel Ground, New Brunswick. Cut to close-up of Marie in the interview setting. Music playing.]
[Cut to photo, with voice over. Photos: A teepee with a drum inside.]
"It's child-centred. So I usually just you know sit on the floor with them, listen to it you know."
[Cut to Marie in the interview setting.]
"I know children require a lot of structure, and environments and stuff. But sometimes it's just a matter of just sitting down and listening to what the children want to say, or do, or want me to do. You know if it's reading a book, or you know painting or stuff. It's just being that openness where you know and allowing the children to direct me on whatever they want me to do."
[Cut to photo, with voice over. Photo: flags of the Seven Teachings, wisdom, love, respect, courage, honestly, humility, truth, hanging on the wall; Sipekne'katik Aboriginal Headstart sign.]
"One of the most successful best practices that I was part of was the development of a core values project in the Atlantic Region. Where we brought 33 First Nations frontline childcare providers to a central location to look at what are the core values of this program?"
[Cut to Marie in the interview setting.]
"And it used the Two-Eyed Seeing approach to early child development. And we were able to focus on these 12 core values and how we as a collective in the Atlantic Region are able to provide those core values into the day to day activities of the early child development centres."
[Fade to black and then up to photos, with voice over. Photos: Children outside in the forest building a teepee; a structure made out of sticks.]
"My opinion of the perfect space would be outdoor learning. And yes we have a lot of centres in our region that are strictly outdoors. You know being in – from New Brunswick, and having snowstorms, and freezing rain and stuff or whatever. And the children are still learning off the land."
[Cut to Marie in the interview setting.]
"Having that environment, bringing traditional elders into the facility, or to the outdoor space. To teach the children about their living on the land and the use of traditional medicines. And incorporating the culture along with them."
[Fade to black and then up to Marie in the interview setting.]
"It's a very rewarding career. I find you have these children; they'll look up to you. Being from a small community – Mi'kmaq community we know everybody. We know all the children. Sometimes we're there at birth and you know, and it's very rewarding seeing them outside of the early childhood centre and they know exactly who you are. And they you know, come up and running to you. And you know, giving you a big hug.
[[Cut to photo, with voice over. Photo: A sign with orange hand prints and the words "Every Child Matters"]
"So it's very rewarding to know that we're making a difference in the lives of these children."
[Fade to black, with the Government of Canada FIP and then the Canada Wordmark appearing in white.]
Year: 2021 — Province: New Brunswick
Certificate of Excellence Recipient
Aboriginal Headstart Program
Eel Ground, New Brunswick
Quote
“The entirety of Marie’s professional career is grounded in selfless actions, with exemplary standards towards achieving the best conditions for the communities she serves and the children she supports. Marie’s determination is driven by the overall support and childhood development of every Indigenous child and their families who live within the seven First Nations communities throughout the Atlantic Provinces.”
Philosophy of care
Marie has always been concerned with continually improving the quality of childcare within First Nations communities. And measuring progress is essential. She is now working on the development of a rating system to define “quality” childcare for First Nations communities. This initiative includes the ‘Assessment Quality Improvement Playground Tool’ (AQI) to enhance outdoor learning through cultural play. Elders’ involvement in the AQI as knowledge keepers and on-going efforts towards language revitalization is an exciting and forward-looking feature of the AQI.
Support of child development
Marie is committed to designing and implementing approaches that foster creativity and bring learning experiences into playtime. She is also focussed on integrating First Nations languages and culture into the curriculum. She strongly believes that First Nations children’s education must be inclusive of their identity and their ways of knowing.
Marie is now becoming accredited in Theraplay – a short term therapy that promotes self-esteem as well as social and behavioural skills, with a focus on the enhancement of relationships, notably for children with trauma who have been taken from the home environment. This is all about inclusion and leaving no one behind.
Involvement with parents, families and the community
Marie’s career path is rooted in service to the community and the needs of Indigenous children and families. The list of the causes that she has been involved with over the years is truly impressive. Marie’s dedication to expanding First Nations learning paths has led to innovative methods, enhancing skills-sets, and addressing gaps in services.
Innovation is crucial in responding to First Nations children and families' needs. Like most other Canadian organisations, Marie's team has felt the impact of the COVID epidemic. During this sensitive time, Marie has created a ‘Technical Working Group’ that operates professional development websites to keep staff safe in remote locations while staying informed and connected.
One of Marie's most significant accomplishment is the establishment of ‘Mi’kmaq Family Support,’ which offers collaborative care for First Nations children and families from the seven First Nations communities in Atlantic Canada. Under Marie’s supervision, Mi’kmaq Family Support provides guidance to prevention workers and offers essential health programs that cover a wide range of matters including mental wellness, inclusion, access to care, child development, and issues related to substance abuse.
Get in touch!
Aboriginal Headstart Program
38 MicMac Rd
Eel Ground NB E1V 4B1
506-627-4611