Learning from the Land – A written compilation of resources and stories

“Learning from the Land: Resources and stories from K-12 schools engaging with Indigenous plants and pedagogy”, published in November 2021 by our BC project partner Public Health Agency of BC (PHABC), is a written compilation of resources and stories highlighting programs related to Indigenous plants and pedagogy within schools located in what is colonially known today as British Columbia, Canada.

One of the programs highlighted in the report is the Skeetchestn and Sk’elep Local Food to School Learning Circle that has been administered by F2CC with funding support from our partners at the Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC).

This document intends to inspire and support teachers, school administrators, and community members who are interested in developing similar initiatives connected to K-12 schools. This resource is both an “invitation and a provocation” (Robert Clifton, Indigenous Education Department at SD39). 

On the one hand, it invites the reader to explore new ways of engaging with and learning about plants, land and place, and community. It invites one to commit to life, to nurturing, to rewilding, restoring and supporting our plants, animal, and human relations. It is also an invitation to include Indigenous land-based pedagogies and practices within existing school contexts in a meaningful and respectful way. 

On the other hand, this guide also acts as a provocation for the reader to dive deeper into their learning around native plants and traditional pedagogies, such as Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

The resource lists a number of questions to guide the reader through the document:

• “What is the history of the land you are on?” 
• “How do the local Indigenous peoples engage and relate to plants and the land you live on?”
• “Who holds knowledge in your classroom and in your local area?” 
• “How is knowledge being shared?”
• “What plants are already growing on your school grounds?” 
• “How do these plants and environments change with the seasons?”
• “Who are the individuals and collectives engaging in similar work and dedicated to restoring culture, land, and community in your region?”

This toolkit offers a series of learnings from existing programs and an invitation to explore these concepts.

Access the toolkit here

For more Farm to School BC resources, check out their site at farmtoschoolbc.ca