“Nature as a Teacher: Reflecting on Land-Based Learning”

In our EDUC 394 course, we visited Cottonwood Park as part of a land-based learning experience. While there, we developed a lesson plan on climate education that focused on the big idea that human practices affect the sustainability of ecosystems. Our guiding questions was: What impacts have humans had on the land? To engage students, we decided to organize a nature walk where they observe and record human impacts on the environment. They work in small groups with specific roles—reporter, recorder, and facilitator—and share their findings through words or drawings.

This experience of teaching while being in nature was eye-opening. I realized that the land itself plays an active role in shaping how we learn and teach. Observing elements such as litter around dustbins or the structure of bridges led to meaningful discussions about human impacts on the environment. The land provided real-life examples that enhanced the lesson, making abstract concepts like environmental sustainability more tangible for students.

One key takeaway for me was how powerful land-based pedagogy can be. When students are actively engaging with the environment, they can connect more deeply with the lessons being taught. Instead of simply learning about human impacts in a classroom, students could see and interact with those impacts firsthand, which made the learning experience more impactful and memorable. This hands-on, real-world connection is a vital part of land-based learning and something I plan to incorporate into my future teaching.

Reflecting on this experience also made me appreciate Indigenous perspectives on the land. Indigenous peoples see the land as a living entity with its own knowledge, and this approach aligns with the way we used the land as a teacher during our lesson. I am inspired to learn more about how I can integrate Indigenous knowledge into my teaching to offer a deeper, more respectful connection to the land for my students.

Looking ahead, I am excited to explore more ways to use land-based pedagogy in subjects like math. By using nature as a source of learning, I hope to create meaningful and engaging lessons that inspire students to think more critically about the world around them.