(This interview was conducted in 2022)
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Twelve years ago, Nelly Duvicq made the move to Ivujivik for love. She felt an attraction to the northern village, but little did she know she would eventually raise her three children and become a teacher there.
Like many others, Nelly Duvicq started her teaching career in the North thinking she would just substitute for a while, but once she found herself in Nuvviti School, she felt it was home.
She was drafting her PhD thesis on Nunavik Inuit literature when she moved to Ivujivik 12 years ago to be with the one she now calls her husband. She started out working as a remedial French teacher. “I knew that a large part of this task would involve learning to read, and I absolutely loved my work! Even though I wasn’t new to teaching, it confirmed that this was my calling.”
In addition to learning Inuktitut, once her PhD was completed, she started an MA in teaching, to fine tune her knowledge.
She now has her own classes of Grades 5 and 6. Although she liked working with students one-on-one, Nelly can’t help smiling when she is talking about her class. “I’m so happy with my decision! I use remedial teaching tools when students struggle or need to rework certain notions. We use play a lot.”
Many hours go into adapting the subject and making the lessons as accessible as possible to Inuit children, but Nelly takes pleasure in it. She is not afraid of a challenge.
And of course, there’s also life in Ivujivik, the community in which she chose to share her life with Thomassie Mangiok, who also works at Nuvviti School.
I’m attached to the people; they are like family to me. When I became a mom, I joined a network of parents, and quickly found my place there. It’s amazing everything I’ve learned here in Ivujivik, and I hope to give back just as much.