#GetOutside! 

 The walking curriculum (Experiential Learning) is a memorable, meaningful, and fun way to engage students and actively participate in their own learning. Experiential learning drives educators to step outside the box and re-imagine what education looks like. Getting outside and away from the standard classroom teaching allows teachers and students to develop a sense of place and reconnect or create a relationship with the land, nature, wilderness, and communities. Creating a sense of place is essential to connect to place and community. Changing the context in which a student learns can be an effective tool to re-engage students.

Additionally, experiential learning contributes to the health and well-being by getting students and teachers moving and exploring. Exploring fosters curiosity and the joy of discovery. I was lucky to be a part of an amazing experience at the Fire circle at UNBC with the UHNBC drummers led by Wesley Mitchel, a skilled Indigenous drummer. The fire circle allowed me to connect to Indigenous culture and the welcoming community. We sang songs in honour of national truth and reconciliation day, and it was a place and time for healing, reconciliation, and connection. The drumming was a powerful entity that moved me. The fire circle was not a traditional method of incorporating Indigenous education in the classroom, but it was a powerfully effective method that I will remember forever. I felt a connection to the natural and cultural communities surrounding me. I gained a better understanding of sense of place, belonging, and community. I felt an emotional connection that was powerful in moving me. The fire circle was a tool to #getoutside and was a memorable and meaningful learning experience.