Land-Based Learning

Intrigued by stories of courage and passion to offer Indigenous and non-Indigenous students a learning experience from a First Nations perspective, the Canadian Education Association (CEA) interviewed over forty individuals – teachers, administrators, community members, parents and students – to understand how one school community put their minds together to bring innovation in Indigenous education to the forefront.

About the H’a H’a Tumxulaux Outdoor Education Program

The H’a H’a Tumxulaux Outdoor Education Program is a land-based project of the Kootenay-Columbia Learning Centre in Trail, B.C. The program is offered in an alternative educational setting and is targeted towards students ages 12-15, many of whom experience a variety of social, emotional and mental health challenges, and who have either tuned out and/or dropped out of conventional school programming. About half of the students in the program identify as First Nations and Métis, drawing roots from a variety of Indigenous communities. The program has both in-class and outdoor learning components, the latter of which takes place each Friday at nearby wilderness sites in B.C.’s Kootenay Region. This land-based approach to teaching and learning has proven effective in fostering a sense of community - a “family-like” atmosphere that is experienced by staff and students within the program - easing anxiety and depression symptoms, and improving student retention.

The selection process

The H’a H’a Tumxulaux Outdoor Education Program was selected amongst 47 program applicants from across Canada to participate in the ‘Indigenous Innovation that Sticks’ Case Study Program. A panel of Indigenous education scholars selected the program based on two distinguishing features: its demonstrated ability to engage both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students while bridging cultures through Indigenous pedagogy, and its potential to be replicated in view of it being a teacher-driven initiative. Members of the ‘Indigenous Innovation that Sticks’ Selection Committee also found the program to be a practical example of how non-Indigenous educators can acquire the cultural competencies necessary to engage in an Indigenous-centred education program.

This case study report examines how three key components of an Indigenous-centred program – land-based learning, spirituality, and the Medicine Wheel – have created a template for heightened student engagement and retention. In learning from the challenges and experiences of the students, staff and administrators of the H’a H’a Tumxulaux Outdoor Education Program, this report proposes the following recommendations for educators and administrators tasked with integrating Indigenous Worldviews into the classroom:

• Recruit an Indigenous educational resource person to join the program’s guiding team by inquiring about the types of resources that are available at the school district level. This resource person can provide direction on the integration of Indigenous perspectives into program activities, and can form connections between the program and local Indigenous communities.

• Inform yourself as to the culture, protocols and Worldviews of local Indigenous communities by contacting local Band/Hamlet Offices, Native Friendship Centres or Indigenous associations. Begin a conversation about your program’s objectives by setting up a meeting and taking the time to build relationships.

• Determine ways to integrate traditional practices into a 21st century school context by consulting with your school team, principal, and Traditional Knowledge Keepers. Begin with the idea of a traditional practice, followed by collaborative inquiry that ensures both contextual fit and spiritual integrity. This includes allotting professional development hours to developing and refining the program, including time for cultural competency training where needed (attending ceremonies, consulting with Elders, etc.).

• Facilitate land-based learning programs in urban centres by bringing nature indoors. There are numerous ways achieve this, such as growing a garden on school grounds, laying out rocks, plants or fountains in the classroom, or setting up floor lamps to adjust indoor lighting.

• Create practical connections between traditional Indigenous paradigms and classroom practices. For example, resolve conflicts using the Reconciliation Circle as a model, or manage classroom behaviour by developing a set of rules that emphasizes the interconnected, whole community consequences of actions and behaviours.

• Foster partnerships with local Indigenous communities to provide students with an authentic cultural experience. This would facilitate the inclusion of community-driven activities such as guest visits and field trips with ceremony leaders, Elders and storytellers, while ensuring that traditional practices are implemented in a respectful manner.

• Create a guiding team that has the skills to foster students’ mental, spiritual, emotional and physical well-being in an outdoor context. This would include an educator with a high interest in physical activity and outdoor education, an Indigenous resource person or community member with Indigenous Traditional Knowledge and, depending on individual learner needs, a Guidance Counsellor, school therapist or Child and Youth Worker.

• Develop lesson plans using the Medicine Wheel as a template. Evaluate the quality of program activities in engaging students by considering the four components of the self: the mental, spiritual, emotional and physical. Conduct debriefs with fellow educators after land-based outings to reassess the program’s effectiveness in meeting the four components.

• Incorporate creative, unconventional ways of evaluating students’ knowledge during land-based outings. This can include allowing students to express their knowledge on ceremonies, Indigenous history or the spiritual significances of plants through oral presentations, the arts or guided sharing circles.

For more examples of top-performing Indigenous-centred education programs, read Moving Beyond Rhetoric in Indigenous Education.