In the 1980s she became an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia where she was appointed Director of the Native Teacher Education Program, founded the Ts" Kel Graduate Program, and was a driving force behind the creation of the First Nations House of Learning. Honoured by community and country, Kirkness is a visionary who has inspired, and been inspired by, generations of students. Like a long conversation between friends, Creating Space reveals the challenges and misgivings, the burning questions, the successes and failures that have shaped the life of this extraordinary woman and the history of Aboriginal education in Canada."--pub. desc.

My family -- My teaching career [Reedy Creek and Bellhampton ; Going to Normal School ; Fisher River ; Birtle Indian Residential School ; Rossville Indian Residential and Day School in Norway House (schools)] -- Beyond teaching [Counselling in Winnipeg ; Supervisor of Schools ; Cross-cultural education consultant] -- Working provincially and nationally [Manitoba Indian Brotherhood ; A year at university (University of Manitoba) ; National Indian Brotherhood ; Travelling to Israel ; Freelance consultant ; "Not a prophet in your own land"] -- The University of British Columbia [Native Indian Teacher Education Program (NITEP) ; Ts' 'Kel is born ; First Nations House of Learning ; Study Tours to Aotearoa (New Zealand, Australian Aborigines, Maori people) ; Feasibility study on an Aboriginal Languages Institute ; The First Nations Longhouse] -- Retirement -- Leaving Vancouver -- Epilogue : Upon reflection -- Appendix 1 : Awards and honours -- Appendix 2 : Bibliography of selected publications -- Appendix 3 : Archival collections at the University of British Columbia.