It’s just past 8:30 am and the kids of Nelnah Bessie John School in Beaver Creek, Yukon are easing into the day. Principal and kindergarten to Grade 4 teacher Heidi Warren likes to start each morning with half an hour of self-regulated free time. Some students play games, some chat with friends, some need a little more rest before the day s lessons can begin.
“It’s about getting you into that window of tolerance and optimal zone for learning,” says Warren. “I also have a dog that comes in and hangs out with the kids.”
The westernmost community in Canada, Beaver Creek sits just at the border to Alaska. Fewer than 100 residents live here on the lands of the White River First Nation. The seven students at Nelnah Bessie John are the only kids in the community.