Meet Jonah Monoghan, a member of Gakino’amaage’s 2022 Cohort and a computer science teacher at Nisichawayasihk Neyo Ohtinwak Collegiate in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN). Known affectionately by his students as Mr. Mango, Jonah has built a classroom where curiosity, humour, and hands-on learning come together—and where technology opens doors to new possibilities for students in the North.
Jonah Monoghan, a member of Gakino’amaage’s 2022 Cohort and a computer science teacher at Nisichawayasihk Neyo Ohtinwak Collegiate in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN).
When I first arrived in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation two years ago, I didn’t expect to be called Mr. Mango. It started as a small joke in class, and before long, the name just stuck with my students. It’s a reminder of the lighthearted energy they bring into my classroom each day.
Humour is a big part of learning here—and it’s a big part of how relationships are built. You can’t walk into a northern classroom expecting to be an authority figure in the traditional sense. You’re not above your students—you’re with them. Once I understood that, everything changed.
One of Jonah’s students working hard on a storybook project.
Now in my second year teaching computer science, my classroom is filled with movement, laughter, and ideas. Between coding projects and chess club, my students are learning how creativity and technology can shape what’s possible. Right now, we’re working on a project to build our own weather station. The students are learning how to collect and analyze data using an anemometer they’ll operate themselves. It’s exciting because it connects science, math, and technology—but it also connects them to the world around them.
Outside the classroom, I’m the school’s unofficial beekeeper. We’ve harvested honey three times—before the forest fires, after, and again this spring—and each batch tells its own story. Students helped with the process, from maintaining the hives to bottling the jars. We even started planning a beekeeping club, and one of my students took care of the hives through the Youth Employment Program this summer.
In the classroom, my focus is on giving students the chance to work with technology—to touch it, use it, and see what they can create. We work with Raspberry Pis, 3D printers, and other tools that make abstract ideas real. Exposure is everything. Once students start exploring, their confidence grows. The way I see it, technology is about access. Whether it’s coding, 3D printing, or writing prompts for AI, these are skills that can help students feel more comfortable in future learning or work environments. For some, it might even spark a lifelong interest.
A great poster printed through the school’s in-house program, reminding students to protect their valuable learning tools.
My students have printed everything from hockey stick extenders to custom parts for their own projects. But the real value isn’t in what they make—it’s in the curiosity and independence they gain along the way. I want them to leave here comfortable with technology, not intimidated by it. Those small skills—sending an email, troubleshooting a device, understanding how software works—are building blocks for opportunity.
My partner, Leah, works in Human Resources at the school, and together we’ve found a sense of home here. The community welcomed us with open arms. When we arrived, the administration told us, “There’s a place for everyone here,” and they meant it. Outside of school, I serve as union president of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Teachers Association. We’re working to bring back community-focused events that used to bring people together—like union-supported fishing derbies. It’s a way to strengthen relationships beyond the classroom and celebrate what makes this place so special.
Here is the school where Jonah teaches and feels such a strong connection
I’m in my second year now, and I don’t see myself going back to Ontario anytime soon. I want to stay and see this group of Grade 10 students graduate. Watching them grow—and knowing I had a small part in their journey—is incredibly rewarding.
I wouldn’t be here without Gakino’amaage. It gave me the tools, the support, and the confidence to take this step North. Teaching here has changed me as a teacher and as a person—and I can’t imagine being anywhere else right now.
Technology has the power to open doors—and so does teaching in the North.
If you’re an educator who wants to inspire curiosity and confidence in the next generation of learners, learn more and apply to teach with Gakino’amaage.
