Youth Educator

Artist Educator for 5 years with Learning Through the Arts, working alongside teachers to create and reshape curriculum focusing on art-based outcomes and student engagement.

Learning Through the Arts® (LTTA) is a proven transformative educational program that uses arts-based activities to teach the core curriculum by providing teachers with creative tools to engage all students in math, science, language arts, social studies, and more.

LTTA brings specially trained artists, certified to help teach curricular requirements, into the classroom to work creatively in partnership with classroom teachers. Together they create lessons that make the core curriculum exciting and relevant to all students and learner types. For example, students are learning numeracy through dance, literacy through media arts, and science through music." - taken from the website http://6social.org/about/

Custom After School Programs

Gitz has successfully created three different after school programs based in cultural reintegration and artistic expression. Through the ideologies of Indigenous Peoples and time spent with Elders reinforcing these beliefs, we began to see a change in the unity and kinship youth had with one another.  Clients also observed great improvements in attendance and behaviour patterns in their students. Teaching staff have since incorporated Gitz's teachings, communication style and methods into their classrooms.

Land Based Leadership Course

Gitz has led his Land Based Leadership course to schools all over Alberta including The University of Calgary.  This week-long course provides students with both one-on-one teachings and team activities to provide students with strong mentorship and leadership skills.  Gitz's methods include fostering a healthy, safe space and incorporating cultural teachings and contemporary critical thinking philosophies. 

A Walk Through Colonization Workshop

A complete and interactive simulation that tasks participants to walk through colonization, the way Indigenous People have.  This workshop provides a through understanding on Canadian nationality, identity, along with the meaning, intention and true purpose of treaties - all while the participants are being colonized.

This workshop can be customized depending on the time available, and can range anywhere from 60 minutes to four hours. It all depends on how deep of an understanding the participants want on historic and ongoing colonization.

This workshop will challenge your perception and create a greater understanding on systemic racism and oppression especially on the lost chapters of Indigenous and North American history.