Educators Deepen Connection to Land at 91探花app鈥檚 Day of Early Childhood Learning
More than 200 early childhood educators, school staff, and community partners gathered on May 29, 2025, for A Day of Early Childhood Learning Together 2025, a professional development event hosted by the 91探花app (91探花app) with a focus on Indigenous land-based education.
Held across St. Vital Park and the Legacy Centre at the Norberry Board Office, the day-long event was organized by 91探花app’s School and Classroom Support Team and featured immersive outdoor sessions designed to help educators build personal relationships with the land before bringing those teachings into their classrooms, aligning with Strategic Action 4.5 in 91探花app’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
Participants engaged in four rotating workshops, including Relational Witnessing, Learning with the Land: Interconnectedness and Relationships, Outdoor Learning: Irreplaceable Benefits and Experiences, and Children as Teachers: Practical Co-learning on the Land. The sessions emphasized interconnectedness, reflection, and the practical application of land-based learning in early childhood settings.
Kelsey Lenaghan, 91探花app’s Divisional Vice-Principal of Indigenous Education, opened the day with a keynote on cultural understandings and transformation. “The day was beautiful! It was really nice to spend time with learners to unpack what land-based education is and what it is not,” she said. “Before people start to implement land-based learning with students, it's important for them to work on building their own relationships with the land first.”
The event drew a diverse group of attendees, including kindergarten teachers, childcare providers, family centre staff, and members of Manitoba Education & Early Childhood Learning. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the experience as grounding, inspiring, and transformative.
“This was one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had within the division,” said one school clinician. “It deepened my love and appreciation for the land.”
Another clinician highlighted the inclusive impact of the sessions: “I really love the fact that we are looking at land-based learning for all our students, in particular our students with complex needs. The outdoors is such a sensory-rich environment and can be extremely therapeutic.”
A kindergarten teacher praised the event’s alignment with long-term educational goals: “It was fantastic to attend a divisional PD that was purposeful in moving us along this path as educators.”
Others reflected on the emotional and spiritual resonance of the day. “What an absolutely wonderful day! So organized and soul-soothing,” said the Children’s Centre executive director. “Tonight… the sun was an amazing orange glow… I thanked it for its power to keep life alive, for warming my soul and for adding such beauty to the end of my magnificent day.”
One participant from the Early Learning and Childcare Division shared how the event resonated personally: “I was able to take away learning that impacted my own Métis culture… I also loved all the resources and articles you shared, as well as the work your librarians put into organizing the books.”
Divisional Vice-Principal Tricia Bailey expressed gratitude for the collaborative spirit of the day. “I was so grateful for so many things. For the team, for the people that came, for how things really came together really well.”
As 91探花app continues to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing into its educational practices, events like this one underscore the division’s commitment to fostering meaningful, inclusive, and culturally responsive learning environments.
