Transition Year Program

Children of the Earth High School and the University of Manitoba offer in partnership an unique educational opportunity for our graduates and community students. The Children of the Earth Transition Year Program is a post secondary education opportunity consisting of 24 of 30 credit hours of first year university study offered in the culturally appropriate, family like environment of our school.

The university instructors who travel to our campus are cognizant of the challenges faced by first time Aboriginal university students. These instructors, along with the program coordinators from Children of the Earth and the university, are committed to helping the students acquire the skills necessary to address the academic or personal issues they may encounter. Mature and Special Status students also have the option of enrolling in the Dual Credit component of the program and the 24 credit hours they work at for university credit at Children of the Earth can be translated into needed high school credit to fulfill graduation requirements from Children of the Earth High School.

The design of our program allows students to get the support needed in order to succeed with coursework; meeting university staff and other students and forming supportive relationships with those individuals. Past students have indicated that the move to the large campus was eased knowing that they had been successful in obtaining university credits and the  cohort relationships they formed at Children of the Earth with other students went a long way in terms of having someone at the campus they could work and share with.

Our courses generally run from Monday to Thursday mornings from mid September to June. This allows students sufficient time to work on assignments or to seek part time employment. In the summer session, students move to the university campus for the final 6 credit hours needed to complete their first year of study.

Students are responsible for the costs associated with our program, which are the same costs as associated with the first year of study on campus. There are no additional charges for the services provided to the TYP students, just a greatly increased chance of completion of first year study in a very student centred environment.

Enrolment in TYP is not limited to Children of the Earth students, and in fact we have housed many students from throughout the province. Partnerships are also established with other local high schools for their graduates who would best benefit for this opportunity to attend TYP at our school.

TYP - Program Information

• Partnership established with U of M
   
• 24 credit hours at COTE, 6 hours at U of M
   
• Designed to help build academic and personal coping skills needed for success in university
   
• Small class sizes builds cohort relationships between students
   
• Courses taught by U o M professors with support of university based and COTE based coordinators to give individual and group support.

At the conclusion of Year 1, Students

• Have completed 1st year university
   
• Know a number of university professors and other university students
   
• Have become familiar with the U of M facilities
   
• Are more prepared to be successful in university