Outdoor Learning Conference 2025: Full Schedule

Welcome to the 2025 Outdoor Learning Conference

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11:00am MDT

Indinawemaaganidog: Roots of Connection Honouring all our Relations FILLING

Friday May 9, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT

"“For Nishnaabeg people, belonging is not just a feeling, but a practice...” (Leanne Betasamosake Simpson)
This workshop invites participants to connect more profoundly with the natural world by exploring one of the 13 Moons through Anishinaabe teachings, focusing on the ""Budding Moon."" This unique experience combines learning, sensory engagement, storytelling, and modeling methods that participants can share with their own learners.

Using the metaphor of a tree’s growth, we’ll journey through the rings and buds, symbolizing the continuous cycle of learning, growth, and renewal. Each element of the tree offers a powerful reminder of our connection to nature: the roots that ground us, the trunk that supports us, the branches that reach outward, and the buds that inspire new growth."

Speakers

Elder Melissa Roberts

Indigenous Advisor, Community Elder in Thunder Bay Ontario

Melissa Roberts is an Elder, knowledge keeper, cultural advisor, powwow dancer, grandmother, and retired educator, living her life according to the Seven Sacred Teachings. With over 31 years of experience at Lakehead Public Schools, she has dedicated herself to promoting understanding... Read More →

Jasmine Sgambelluri

"Jasmine Sgambelluri from Thunder Bay, Ontario is a proud member of Pikwakanagan First Nation, and an educator with 15 years of experience. She is a passionate advocate for relationship-based learning and believes in the power of building connections to foster growth and understanding... Read More →

Kali Bernst

Principal of Indigenous Education and Program, Lakehead Public Schools

Kali Bernst, Principal of Indigenous Education at Lakehead Public Schools, brings 20 years of experience to her role. Born and raised in Thunder Bay, and a proud member of Dokis First Nation, Kali has a deep commitment to fostering student growth and curiosity. Her teaching philosophy... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Chickadee

Indigenous Ways of Knowing Workshop

2:00pm MDT

Unlocking the Power of Song for Environmental Learning LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 2:00pm - 3:15pm MDT

Chickadee

Join educator and acclaimed songwriter Remy Rodden for an engaging workshop on music as a transformative tool for environmental education. Drawing on years of experience bringing music into classrooms across Canada, Remy will lead you through singing, analyzing, and even creating your own environmental songs. You’ll leave with a toolkit of online resources and fresh ideas for integrating music, education, and environmental stewardship.

We’ll start with Remy’s “greatest hits”—audience-tested songs that embed environmental themes—and explore why these songs resonate with students. Together, we’ll discuss how they link to curriculum goals, boosting student engagement and retention. Then, it’s your turn! Participants are encouraged to share personal experiences using music in environmental education. We’ll dive into why music uniquely connects learners of all ages to ecological concepts. If time permits, we’ll wrap up by composing a collaborative, original environmental song!

Speakers

Remy Rodden

Remy Rodden Envirosongs/Songs for Environmental Education

"Remy Rodden, aka the “envirosinger,” is a Yukon-based environmental educator and singer-songwriter who’s been inspiring kids and adults alike for over 30 years. Known for his catchy, eco-friendly tunes, Remy combines music and nature to help people groove their way to greener... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 2:00pm - 3:15pm MDT
Chickadee

Environmental and Climate Change Education Workshop

3:15pm MDT

Walking with Our Relations: Nature's Wisdom in Supporting Student Emotional Health LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 3:15pm - 4:30pm MDT

Chickadee

Speakers

Marla Klyne

Marla Klyne Consulting

"Marla has spent her five decades gathering wisdom from both the land and the classroom. As a Métis educator, she looks to her ancestors when offering nourishment for the contemporary needs of today's educators and learners. Alongside her husband on their Manitoba ranch, the animal... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 3:15pm - 4:30pm MDT
Chickadee

Indigenous Ways of Knowing Workshop

Outdoor Learning Conference 2025