< PreviousBritish Columbia School Superintendents Association 41 SPECIALTY SECTION: EDUCATION just been found the previous month,” said Jasek. “As we delivered Every Child Matters flags to different organizations, we felt the need to expand our message of Truth and Reconciliation. Duncan came up with the challenge, and we worked together and brainstormed how to do this, what it would look like, and why it was necessary.” Jasek and Whittick co-founded the Every Child Matters Year-long Challenge in October 2021, the day after Canada’s first official Truth and Reconciliation Day. That pilot project was the catalyst for the 4 Seasons of Indigenous Learning opportunity, which is open to educators across Turtle Island (North America), but content is most applicable to Canadian educators. This pilot initiative grew in partnership with Reconciliation Education, The First Nations University of Canada, Rocky Mountain School District, and Outdoor Learning Partners. The Learning Store, a charitable social enterprise that gives 100 per cent of its proceeds back to outdoor learning non-profit initiatives, believes that the land is an amazing teacher. continued from page 39 continued on page 4242 ED ❚ Fall 2023 Inspir Now offered with the partnership of over 40 other non-profit organizations from across Turtle Island, this learning opportunity acknowledges that authentically undertaking a personal learning journey towards Truth and Reconciliation takes more than just a day or month each year, but should be across all four seasons. Each month features an online module with curated mixed media (written, video, and slideshow) short and powerful lessons, finishing with simple quizzes to test knowledge and understanding that helps embed the learning. The live gatherings offer a personal, connective moment to hear from Indigenous speakers themselves on the module topics covered. The last iteration Season 1 – Foundations of Knowledge ran from October 2022 to June 2023, building from 1,000 participants in the 2021 pilot to 4,800 registrants for 2022. The 10 online learning modules (one to two hours per month) and 10 Indigenous speakers, in the monthly live gatherings, shared their perspectives around their Truth and what real reconciliation means to them. In addition, course participants co-created and collaborated in building a community resource sharing space where they could offer their thoughts on educator resources, language revitalization, organizations to engage with, books, podcasts, or documentaries, how to connect to and build territorial relationships, and thoughts on cultural appropriation. Participants included both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous participants. The gatherings and community became a safe space for question asking (each gathering offers a facilitated Q&A of participant questions) discussion and often sharing of personal stories or connections to the speaker’s presentation. With a space to cultivate curiosity, dispel fear “I was scared to ask questions or say or do the wrong thing, but I had questions that I felt I needed to know the answers to before I could move forward in my educating practice. This course is to help people find those questions for themselves, offer a safe space to ask them, and offer, or share advice on where to find information or answers for the future.” – Jade Berrill, The Outdoor Learning Store continued from page 41 SPECIALTY SECTION: EDUCATIONBritish Columbia School Superintendents Association 43 around appropriation, or other barriers to integrating Indigenous perspectives, these moments together exemplified the community building and relationship development that reconciliation can bring. This foundational Season 1 is available again for the coming school year for people beginning their learning journey. It delivers the same great virtual multi-media online modules and the opportunity to join the live gatherings with the 10 incredible Indigenous Leaders, Educators, Elders, and/or Knowledge Holders arranged to speak. The second season – ‘Learning from the Land – begins October 2023 and runs until June 2023. “Learning from the land is so important, I believe it is our greatest teacher,” said Jasek. “It’s so important that we learn where we are from and about our surroundings because the eco-systems are here for a reason, they take care of the land so that we can live here in a good way. Non-Indigenous and Indigenous educators – we all need to take steps to understand Truth and Reconciliation so that we can engage in Indigenous knowledge and perspectives in a reciprocal way.” Season 2 is all about deepening and building on the knowledge created in the first season while supporting educators in building stronger connections to their local land. The online modules encourage participants to take their activities outside and deepen their personal relationship with the land as a step towards reconciliation with the people of the land where they are, and provide the basis for lifelong learning, respect, and reciprocity for their area, school, home, and surroundings. The course development team has grown to include The Outdoor Learning Store, Natural Curiosity and Reconciliation Education, and includes resource support from Strong Nations (an Indigenous owned and operated publishing house), and Take Me Outside. This next season aims to help educators in overcoming many of the barriers to this work that have been identified through the Season 1 reflection and question sharing. Jade Berrill, Director of Learning for The Outdoor Store, shares, “As a new Immigrant, or settler to Canada seven years ago, I didn’t know about the Indigenous history, ongoing struggles and successes, languages, or perspectives of the Indigenous communities where I had settled permanently. I was scared to ask questions or say or do the wrong thing, but I had questions that I felt I needed to know the answers to before I could move forward in my educating practice. This course is to help people find those questions for themselves, offer a safe space to ask them, and offer, or share advice on where to find information or answers for the future.” Jasek desires to “grow more opportunities to learn about Indigenous ways of knowing and being.” With the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) First Peoples Principles of Learning now integrated into the B.C. Curriculum, we have to understand that, “We all have our own stories, and they all need to be honoured and respected,” Jasek said. Berrill continues, “As I’ve read, built relationships and friendships, and found mentors, the heart of why learning about Indigenous perspectives is so important has become apparent to me. We are all connected. Land, living things, non-living things, academic success, physical health, mental wellbeing – it is all connected to the land; the place we are and how that connects to all other places on this planet. As a scientist I knew science could explain this in some ways, and Indigenous teachings remind us of this too, repeatedly, while offering a more holistic approach that restores balance, hope, and generosity.” “In order to learn what matters here, in the past, present, and future, for the benefit and well-being of our communities, family, and schools, the Indigenous teachings and this course content have reawakened the parts of myself that see and feel these connections,” adds Berrill. “I feel like I have so much more knowledge and more diverse ways of thinking, and ways of expressing it now, and I can pass that curiosity onto my students.” This second season encourages reflection and innovative ways to link this professional development to cross-curricular connections with literacy, the arts, social studies, science, physical education, and more as educators are offered opportunities to Robin Wall Kimmerer Kevin Lamoureux Bonnie Harvey Smokii Sumac Nasuʔkin (Chief) Joe Pierre Sophie Pierre Dr. Christopher Horsethief Ariana Roundpoint Doug Anderson Dr. Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair REGISTER INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND PERSPECTIVES ARE FOUNDATIONAL TO OUTDOOR LEARNING OUTDOORLEARNINGSTORE.COM/4-SEASONS OCTOBER 2023 to JUNE 2024 Indigenous Learning 4 S E A S O N S O F Learn more about the 4 Seasons of Learning at https://outdoorlearningstore.com/ 4-seasons. continued on page 4444 ED ❚ Fall 2023 Inspir engage in relationship building activities with their classes with activities designed and shared by Indigenous educators. If you are not actively teaching, there are adaptations for family, or personal reflection only. Administrators looking for support in integrating this work and outdoor learning generally in their educational space can reach out to the authors (emails in byline), who contribute to a working group of Canadian experts dedicated to this. With over 5,000 participants signed up for Season 1 – Foundations of Knowledge and around 1,000 and growing for Season 2 – Learning with the Land, this idea for local knowledge sharing to offer year-round Truth and Reconciliation has grown into a movement that educates, inspires, and gives both non-Indigenous and Indigenous people the opportunity to build trust in their communities, education practice, and relationships. Season 1 offers foundational skills in language use, terminology, and vocabulary, the truth of Indigenous history in Canada, and the ongoing challenges we still face to deliver real reconciliation. This work and learning are vital for the health and well-being of our communities and ecosystems. The online modules and quizzes ensure educators are accessing reputable knowledge and the live gatherings offer personal expressions of presenters and their lived experience. This course is intended to share diverse perspectives and look at these important topics through different lenses. Jasek shares that, “Hearing Indigenous People’s voices and personal experiences is hugely impactful and validates the urgency of Truth and Reconciliation and putting the 94 Calls of Action into action.” Let’s take this opportunity to take action and ensure that the truth of what happened, still happens, and what can happen in the future – for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities – is shared With a space to cultivate curiosity, dispel fear around appropriation, or other barriers to integrating Indigenous perspectives, these moments together exemplified the community building and relationship development that reconciliation can bring. continued from page 43British Columbia School Superintendents Association 45 and top of mind. Let us be curious about innovative ways to build trust in ourselves, our communities, and educational institutions reconciling the past, to ensure the well-being of the land, and thus, ourselves. We are excited to announce a partnership with the kamnin’tik Children’s Truth and Reconciliation Society to build a Season 3 and Season 4, which will focus on building reciprocal relationships and working together towards a lasting peace. We hope to see you there alongside us in this journey towards real Truth and Reconciliation. Learn more at https:// outdoorlearningstore.com/4-seasons. Jenna Jasek is a BCSSA member, and the District Vice-Principal of Indigenous Learning and Equity in Rocky Mountain School District No. 6, which operates on the unceded territories of her ancestors, the Secwepemc and Ktunaxa people. Jade Berrill is Director of Learning for the charitable non-profit, The Outdoor Learning Store. She is an educator and program writer of 15 years and has spent time learning with and from Indigenous populations in Australia, Norway, New Zealand, and now Turtle Island over the past decade. Reach out by emailing jade@outdoorlearningstore.com. Duncan Whittick is the Executive Director/ CEO (Connector Extraordinaire Outdoors!) of The Learning Store. He enjoys connecting the dots between people and organizations, looking for pathways to positive systemic change, and finding ways we can all work better, together. This work and learning are vital for the health and well- being of our communities and ecosystems.46 ED ❚ Fall 2023 Inspir AGRICULTURE AND FOOD EDUCATION BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation ...............................................29 ARCHITECTURE FIRMS Station One Architects ...............................16 ART INSTRUCTORS Spectrum Art Studios .................................30 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT OFFERINGS Theatre SKAM ............................................17 ATTRACTIONS Vancouver Aquarium ....................................6 CERAMIC ART CENTRE Potters Addict Ceramic Art Centre .............44 CHILDREN’S SCHOOL PROGRAMS Cranbrook History Centre ...........................22 CLASS DESTINATIONS Grouse Mountain ...........46, inside back cover COMBINATION PADLOCKS D.G. MacLachlan Ltd. ..................................12 DUST COLLECTION, COMBUSTABLE DUST MANAGEMENT, AND EXPLOSION PROTECTION SYSTEMS Airplus Industrial Corp. ...............................44 EDUCATION PARTNERS BC Principals’ & Vice Principals’ Association ................................................3 EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR K-12 Focused Education Resources ....................45 FAMILY FRIENDLY RESORT Manning Park Resort ..................................38 FARM Maplewood Farms ......................................10 FINE ARTS GALLERY Coastal Peoples Gallery ..............................18 FUTURE READY PROGRAM GRANTS Build A Biz Kids ..........................................41 MUSEUMS Britannia Mine Museum .............................10 Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum .....34 Cumberland Museum & Archives ...............28 MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver ......44 Nisga’a Museum .........................................32 Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery ...........30 RECYCLING Encorp Pacific Canada ............24-25 & 36-37 ROOFING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION Roofing Contractors Association of BC ........12 SCHOOL DESTINATIONS Carousel Theatre ........................................42 STEM CLASSROOM AND PL RESOURCES Let’s Talk Science .............outside back cover STUDENT TRANSIT BC Transit.....................................................8 THEATRE Theatre La Seizieme ...................................19 THEATRE COMPANY Arts Club Theatre Company .......................34 THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES Axis Theatre Company ...............................23 UNIVERSITIES Queen’s University ...............inside front cover Simon Fraser University – Faculty of Education .................................................35 Trinity Western University ...........................40 Index to AdvertisersInspir ED Advertise in There are options to fit all budgets and marketing campaigns! To request a 2024 media kit, email sales@matrixgroupinc.net or call (866) 999-1299. An advertisement in InspirED magazine puts your expertise and products directly in front of education leaders across British Columbia.Next >