What does it actually mean to “learn with the land”—and how can this look in real school and district contexts? In this interactive outdoor session, participants will experience four simple, repeatable nature routines—sit spot, nature walk, nature journaling, and circle—and explore how these connect to the Spiral of Inquiry. Grounded in a place-based and inclusive approach, this session highlights how small, consistent practices can shift teaching and learning over time. Together, we’ll examine how leaders can support staff in getting started, building confidence, and embedding outdoor learning into everyday routines. Leaders will leave with practical strategies, adaptable frameworks, and a clearer understanding of how to scale outdoor learning across classrooms and schools.
Lauren MacLean is a primary teacher, author, and outdoor learning consultant passionate about helping children and educators connect with nature. With a background in land-based education through Soaring Eagle Nature School, she brings a rich understanding of outdoor play and learning... Read More →
April is a passionate nature-based educator and principal dedicated to fostering meaningful connections between learners, communities, and the natural world. A recent graduate of the Transformative Educational Leadership Program (TELP) at the University of British Columbia, she brings... Read More →
It is becoming increasingly clear, that addressing global ecological crises requires radical personal and cultural transformation; tinkering with conceptions of pedagogy, of school and of leadership rooted in misconceptions of human separation from nature at best falls short and at worst, fuels ongoing crisis fires. Rather, we must reimagine these conceptions with and of the natural world. Join this walking-based session and employ tools of imagination to begin to consider what deep unlearning of dominant conceptions of leadership might look like and the kinds of possibilities for human and more-than-human flourishing that may result.
Gillian Judson is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University (SFU). At the SFU Surrey campus she gratefully works and learns on unceded Indigenous traditional territories, including those of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), Kwantlen... Read More →
In this interactive session, some of the research outcomes from our PICS-funded project, Infusing Climate Education into the BC Curriculum will be shared, including revisions to the 2007 Environmental Learning & Experience Curriculum Guide. We’ll then engage in experiential activities that model inquiry and stimulate discussion about two-eyed seeing, experiential learning and guided inquiry.
Join the session to: - explore barriers to climate education among teachers - discuss best practices for place and land-based approaches to climate education - increase awareness of Indigenous knowledges and worldviews related to environmental learning practices
The education system plays an important role in the Calls to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. The K-12 curriculum in British Columbia reflects these calls but teachers report feeling not knowledgeable enough and concerned about respectful inclusion of Indigenous knowledge. At a leadership level, how can we support educators with learning opportunities and resources so they can do the important work of including Indigenous knowledge systems in their outdoor learning teaching practice? Are professional development sessions and resources enough? In this dialogic session, examine how Ocean Networks Canada's K-12 education team has co-developed a series of resources that integrate Indigenous knowledge, ocean science, and data exploration. Discuss the team's important insight that relationships with community members move at the speed of trust and explore the implications this has on the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in the school system.
Building on last year’s introduction to O’to’po’pa, a Blackfoot Field School at Mount Royal University, this session explores what it takes to move beyond one-off experiences toward outdoor learning that is relational, accountable, and enduring. Grounded in Blackfoot teachings and guided by Elders, faculty, and program leaders, this workshop shares the ongoing work of deepening a field school within the realities of post-secondary systems.
Through story, reflection, and dialogue, leaders will engage the tensions of sustaining interdisciplinary and intercultural collaboration, resisting extractive approaches, and remaining accountable to community and land over time. This session offers practical and ethical insights for leaders seeking to build programs that not only begin well, but continue with integrity.
Dr. Sarah Brown is a settler of European descent who is grateful to live and work in Treaty 7 territory. She strives to embody kinship, respect, and reciprocity with the people and beings with whom she shares this land. Sarah is an Associate Professor at Mount Royal University an... Read More →
This interactive session invites school leaders to bridge theory with grounded practice in outdoor learning. Drawing on place-based and inquiry frameworks, we’ll explore how guiding principles, like time in nature, core routines, and knowledge-building, translate into real strategies for classrooms and school communities. You’ll engage with a spectrum of approaches, experience what they look like in practice, and leave with practical tools to mentor staff, communicate impact and embed outdoor learning meaningfully across the curriculum.
Andrea is passionate about teaching and learning outdoors. She has been the Education Specialist with Alberta Forestry and Parks for over 20 years where she has been developing, delivering and evaluating outdoor learning experiences for students and professional development workshops... Read More →
In May 2026, Take Me Outside, with partners at Trent University and Nipissing University, launched a national survey to better understand the demographic characteristics, identities and lived experience of educators within the TMO community. In this session, Blair will provide an overview of the survey findings, and contextualize the results within contemporary theories of social justice, including some of his own work on how to operationalize abstract ideas of social justice into the daily practice of educators who are committed to outdoor learning. The session will include time for dialogue on the implications of the survey results for system planning that prioritizes inclusive access to and welcome within spaces and places of outdoor learning.
Join me for a "walking workshop" that mirrors the journey of establishing a multi-faceted Rural and Agricultural Education program. Designed for school and system leaders, this session moves beyond the "why" of outdoor learning into the "how" of systemic implementation.
As we navigate a series of outdoor stations, each stop represents a critical milestone—from community consultation and navigating policy to building sustainable industry partnerships and inclusive pedagogy. At each milestone, I share the "boots-on-the-ground" realities of my experience as a rural Principal, offering practical strategies for resource allocation and stakeholder buy-in. Participants will engage in discussion prompts at every station, leaving with a roadmap to transform their school into a community-serving hub. Step into the field to explore how we can bridge the gap between rural heritage and modern career pathways.
The Yukon Association of Education Professionals, alongside education partners, is building a vision for a cross-territory, Place-Based network. Through our evolving partnership with TMO, new opportunities for outdoor learning are emerging for Yukon educators. Following two delegations to TMO conferences in 2024/2025, “Team Yukon” returned home to explore how collective actions might support land-based, experiential learning in school communities and on-the-land. We are a case study of how building relationships with the TMO organization has informed our team’s effectiveness in supporting Yukon learners and educators. Our 2024 Conference marked the beginning of TMO engagement in the Yukon and the 2026 Conference will see 1,000 educators across the Territory participate in 2 days of shared learnings as well as the Yukon’s first TMO Teacher Wellness retreat. Hear our story of connections and inspiration!
Helping Teacher/Educational Consultant, School District 44 North Vancouver
David has worked in classrooms, in a blended home-school/community framework, as Curriculum Coordinator and volunteered as president of the BC Science Teachers’ Association. He co-authored the BC K-7 Science curriculum, contributed to assessment documents, created resources for... Read More →
This workshop will focus on introducing simple outdoor routines into the work lives of the adults in your system to enhance performance, add joy, and create an outdoor identity and imperative for students, staff, and families to take learning and activities outside.
The session will provide rationale for and experience with several routines and facilitated peer conversation about how to incorporate them in your own context. Explore how bringing aspects of our work outside can enhance staff well-being and focus, and make more productive use of meeting time. Leaders will leave with a repertoire of ready-to-use activities and a plan to get started in your own district.
Explore how outdoor learning environments, such as schoolyards, parks, forests, and sidewalks, are powerful spaces for teaching mathematics that align with provincial curricular learning outcomes. This session highlights how key concepts and skills in number sense, multiplication, division, fractions, and geometry can be enriched through hands-on, real-world activities that help connect learners to their local place. Try out easy-to-implement outdoor math instructional routines and activities and experience firsthand how the outdoors naturally stimulates mathematical thinking, increases student engagement, and deepens conceptual understanding. Leave with a deeper understanding of not only how the outdoors supports and enhances math instruction but also practical ideas to share with the educators in your school or district to encourage them to take their math instruction outside.
Assistant Professor and Executive Director, SUNY Empire State University, Wild Learning
Dr. Rachel Tidd is passionate about using outdoor and place-based learning to enrich literacy and math instruction. She is the author of the book Wild Learning: Practical Ideas for Bringing Teaching Outdoors and the creator of the Wild Math® and Wild Reading® curricular resources... Read More →
Risk and Risk management: a practical exploration of methods to advocate for experiences where there is an increased level of risk and how to mitigate the challenges associated with risk.
I am a Principal with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and a dedicated bilingual educational leader. I served 11 years in secondary and now 8 years in elementary. Beyond my school-based leadership, I serve on the Ontario College of Teachers’ Investigation Committee and... Read More →
Educational systems play an important role in supporting human and ecological well-being. Through a highly participatory, experiential, practice-focussed workshop, we examine the nexus between environmental education and mental health, particularly considering how school leadership can help support learners and educators to navigate distressing emotions related to the climate crisis. Coping strategies that foster emotional resilience and that align with the principles of environmental education will be explored and practiced. Leaders will have the opportunity to reflect upon and discuss how to integrate these strategies into their own contexts. Leaders will leave with concrete strategies and resources to address the emotional challenges of the climate crisis.
Laura Sims teaches in the faculty of education at the Université de Saint-Boniface, Winnipeg. Sims' research specializes in education-for-sustainability and learning in formal (i.e. faculties of education) and non-formal learning contexts (i.e. small scale farmers in Latin America... Read More →
What does it take for outdoor learning to move beyond individual champions and become embedded within a school system? Join a panel of educational leaders representing governance, system leadership, operations, and provincial leadership organizations as they explore how outdoor learning can support existing priorities rather than compete with them.
Through practical examples, panelists will share how outdoor learning can be integrated into strategic plans, policies, facilities decisions, professional learning, and everyday practice. Participants will leave with concrete ideas for reducing barriers, building alignment across departments, and creating the conditions that allow outdoor learning to become a sustainable part of how schools operate and students learn.
Today’s system leaders need to be environmentally responsive and climate predictive. We must design educational systems and frameworks that emphasize adaptable thinking and learning strategies so that all our stakeholders have the knowledge and skills necessary to mitigate our environmental impact and adapt to climate realities. In this session, participants will observe how data visualization techniques and applications can be used to take immediate and future action to address the challenges of climate change through citizen science in the analysis of real-time patterns. We will examine readily available data to better design future strategic plans meant to curb emissions now and in the future by building capacity in this generation of leaders and the next.
Instructional Leader for Environmental Education, TDSB
Alicia Roberge is currently the Instructional Leader for Environmental Education and EcoSchools in the TDSB's Sustainability Office. Before this role, she held the role of Hybrid Teacher-Coach for Geography and digital literacy. Her work as a lead teacher, curriculum writer and instructor... Read More →
What would it take to create a bold new post-secondary environmental education program in British Columbia—one responsive to climate crises, social inequities, rising mental health challenges, and the urgent need for educational transformation? This interactive outdoor session invites leaders, educators, researchers, and community partners to imagine a transformative environmental education program model grounded in eco-social justice, land-centred, and experiential learning. Drawing from my doctoral research on land-guided education for collective flourishing, participants will explore the Three Tributaries Framework, weaving together co-liberation, land relations, and wellness for program design. Together, we will explore immersive, embodied, place and community-responsive program development, as we generate ideas, identify barriers and opportunities, and co-design pathways for training future educators and leaders to bring outdoor learning into diverse post-secondary contexts.
Outdoor learning is often delivered as occasional programming or enthusiastic individual teacher initiatives. Systems change requires something different: leadership structures, partnerships, operational planning, and community relationships that allow land-based learning to become part of the educational fabric.
This outdoor workshop shares practical lessons from building land-based learning across an entire education ecosystem in partnership with a First Nations community in northern British Columbia. Leaders will explore how outdoor learning can connect K-12 schooling, adult education, employment training, and post-secondary pathways while supporting Indigenous language, culture, and student wellbeing.
Through a short case study, walking discussion, and collaborative planning activities, participants will identify strategies for building leadership support, addressing operational barriers, and creating sustainable outdoor learning structures within their own districts.
This interactive 75-minute outdoor session invites school and system leaders to explore how kinship-centred, land-connected learning can become a practical part of school experience for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students alike. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action have a key educational calls to action (#62- 65) which explicitly relate to our work with Kinship Club, bannock making with Grade 5 students, and learning with Elders in the school. Outdoor learning can grow through relationship, story, food, making, and community partnership. Grounded in wahkohtowin, this session shows how leaders can move beyond one-time cultural events toward sustained, inclusive practices that strengthen belonging, Indigenous student identity, family-school connection, and interculturalism. Participants will leave with concrete examples, leadership strategies, and practical first steps for removing barriers and supporting outdoor learning in their own schools and systems
Nazia Hiscock is the Principal of Christina Gordon Public School. Originally from Toronto, ON, she has lived and worked in Fort McMurray since 2010 as a Junior High Humanities teacher and coach at École McTavish and Westview School, both part of the Fort McMurray Public School Division... Read More →
Dr. Trudy Cardinal, a Cree/Métis professor at the University of Alberta, is a mother, kokom, aunt, and scholar deeply co
Dr. Trudy Cardinal, a Cree/Métis professor at the University of Alberta, is a mother, kokom, aunt, and scholar deeply committed to community and Indigenous education. Her doctoral research, a narrative inquiry into experiences of Indigenous youth and families, continues to inspire... Read More →
Outdoor and place-based learning thrives when the conditions around teachers are intentionally designed to support it. A recent doctoral case study of three Calgary teachers, completed by Alexandra (Sam) Ross under the supervision of Dr. Erin Spring at the Werklund School of Education, identifies the institutional conditions that allow this work to take root and spread. This session focuses on what system leaders can build. Five conditions emerged as the strongest predictors of sustained practice: collegial teaching partnerships, mentorship structures pairing experienced practitioners with developing ones, administrative stances that actively champion outdoor learning, staffing decisions that include students with complex needs, and system-level prioritization that names this work as a district commitment. Participants will reflect on their own districts and leave with one clear action they can take this term.
Dr. Erin Spring (she/her/hers) is a scholar and educator of British descent now living and working with/in Treaty 7. She grew up on Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe Territories and lived in many different places before moving to Moh’kins’tsis (the Blackfoot name for Calgary). She... Read More →
This session supports school and system leaders in moving outdoor learning from isolated practice to a sustainable, school- and district-wide approach. Drawing on experience leading a whole-school shift and organizing the Let's Lead Outdoor Learning Conference, participants will explore practical strategies to build staff confidence, align outdoor learning with literacy, numeracy, and wellbeing priorities, and embed it into school improvement planning. Designed for leaders in the early stages of implementation, the session addresses common barriers such as risk perception, time constraints, and staff readiness. Through real-world examples, collaborative dialogue, and structured planning time, leaders will leave with a clear, adaptable framework to foster a culture of “yes” and confidently initiate or scale outdoor learning within their context while supporting equity, inclusion, and student engagement.
In this follow-up session, we’ll slow down and look more closely at what the land can teach us about leading change, nurturing growth, and understanding complex systems. Using the Spiral of Inquiry as both a reflective and leadership framework, leaders will explore the conditions, beliefs, and practices that support—or hinder—meaningful outdoor learning. Through observation, dialogue, and simple thinking routines, we will examine what may need to shift, evolve, or be intentionally let go of in order to move beyond isolated initiatives. This session focuses on aligning vision, practice, and culture so that outdoor learning becomes embedded in everyday pedagogy across classrooms, schools, and districts. Leaders will leave with a clearer sense of their role in supporting sustainable, system-wide change.
Lauren MacLean is a primary teacher, author, and outdoor learning consultant passionate about helping children and educators connect with nature. With a background in land-based education through Soaring Eagle Nature School, she brings a rich understanding of outdoor play and learning... Read More →
Join Vancouver Island administrators Alison Leslie and Kelly Girvan from Cowichan Valley School District as they share district initiatives such as the Climate Action Plan, Place Based Learning Guide and Land-based learning leadership committee. This informative workshop will give district leaders a road map to create systemic changes that value First People’s Principles of Learning and Land as Pedagogy to enhance student learning and building relationships with the land they live on. Building relationships with local Indigenous Nations is integral to building and creating district initiatives and documents to guide student learning, development, cultural competence and mental wellness.
Principal at Mill Bay Nature School, SD 79 Cowichan Valley School District
Alison Leslie began her teaching career at a small rural school in Surrey, B.C., where she discovered her passion for integrating the natural world into her students' daily curriculum. This initial experience ignited her interest in ecological education, leading her to pursue further... Read More →
Vice-Principal Quw’utsun Secondary, SD 79 Cowichan Valley School District
Kelly Girvan grew up in treaty 8 territory in northern Alberta and is a graduate (2005) of the U of A Teacher Education North program. She has worked and learned on the traditional territory of the Cowichan Tribes Nation for the past 18 years. Her thesis work involved 2 Eyed seeing... Read More →
How can nature-based learning move from isolated initiatives to sustained, equitable practice across education systems? This interactive workshop brings together perspectives from K–12 district leadership, teacher education and research, pediatric occupational therapy, and a community-based wilderness school.
Each presenter will lead a brief experiential activity from their context, offering practical, adaptable approaches that foster wellbeing, inclusion, physical activity, connection with Land, and environmental learning. Participants will then consider what enables or constrains these approaches, including partnerships, professional learning, institutional structures, and access to outdoor spaces. Through collaborative reflection, participants will identify opportunities to strengthen nature-based literacy within their own systems and leave with concrete activities and implementation ideas for making outdoor learning a regular, inclusive, and sustainable part of every learner’s educational experience.
Jennifer Gruno, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education at the University of Victoria. Her research focuses on nature-based physical activity, outdoor learning, Physical and Health Education pedagogy, and schools–university... Read More →
Physical Literacy Lead Teacher, School District 71
Jina Taylor is the Physical Literacy Lead Teacher for School District 71. She is passionate about collaborating with teachers and students to share knowledge, build confidence, and foster competence in physical literacy in a variety of environments through engaging resources and meaningful... Read More →
Spending time outdoors in healthy, natural settings is a powerful contributor to children’s health and well-being. Yet, there is a dearth of policy and data collection to guide, track, and incentivize school systems in the creation of health-promoting outdoor spaces (e.g., settings with ample shade, limited use of plastics and artificial surfacing, etc.). Drawing on research evidence, case examples, and participants’ knowledge and experience, this session will explore what policies and systematic data collection are needed to drive on-the-ground improvements, support equitable access, and demonstrate the benefits of health-promoting, climate resilient, and sustainable outdoor learning environments.
Executive Director, Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and Environment (CPCHE)
Erica Phipps, MPH, PhD, is a long-time advocate for strategies to improve children’s health and well-being by reducing toxic chemicals and other environmental hazards in the places where they live, play, learn and grow. She serves as the Executive Director of the Canadian Partnership... Read More →
As climate change reshapes outdoor learning, educators face rising concerns around allergies, asthma, invasive species, ticks, air quality, and shifting weather. This session explores how to respond with clarity and confidence while keeping outdoor learning open, safe, and inviting. Through whole‑group and small‑group collaboration, participants will examine effective messaging, policy development, and implementation strategies that inform without creating fear. We will explore practical tools for climate‑responsive planning and communication, alongside land‑based approaches that strengthen connection and resilience. This workshop supports educators in navigating risk while ensuring students continue to learn with the land in meaningful ways.
Field Centres Coordinator, Peel District School Board
Rob Ridley has taught outdoor and environmental education since 1988 and for the last 13 years has been the Field Centres Coordinator for the Peel District School Board in Ontario. He coordinates environmental, outdoor and historical interpretation programming for 30,000 students... Read More →
This session will invite participants on a journey through the outdoors, not only as a space for physical exploration but as a profound source of emotional, mental, and communal grounding.
Starting with reflections on the ways that nature has personally shaped and anchored me as an educational leader, I'll delve into how outdoor experiences can serve as a foundation for a more resilient and student-centered school community.
Through compelling stories, data on the benefits of nature for mental well-being, and interactive activities, I will share strategies that empower leaders to bring the outdoors into the heart of their educational philosophy. Together, we will explore how a commitment to outdoor learning can make our schools more inclusive, resilient, and grounded in values that truly serve our students.
President, Global, Environmental & Outdoor Education Council
For almost 20 years, Court Rustemeyer has been inspiring youth and educators to connect with nature through daily exploration and adventure. A passionate advocate for outdoor learning, he creates opportunities for leadership, resilience, and stewardship through immersive experiences... Read More →
