Jana Claire

Miller

Bachelor of Education (Consecutive), OE3
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

Moving to Thunder Bay to study in Lakehead's OE3 program marked an important step in my journey to becoming an outdoor experiential educator. Growing up on a farm in rural Saskatchewan, place-based learning was important to me long before I discovered it was a recognized teaching method. After witnessing my parents' demanding careers as classroom teachers and administrators, studying to become a regular classroom teacher didn't exactly sparkle with inspiration. I yearned to be outside allowing students to build relationships with their surroundings and their playfulness to breathe. After researching the different bachelor of education programs offered in Western Canada, Lakehead's OE3 program was the only program I felt would nurture the kind of education I hoped to practice. I remember phoning to inquire and talking directly to my future professor, Tom Puk, about what the OE3 program entailed. I was shocked, "wow, they are actually taking me seriously!" The following year, I was in awe to find myself in a cohort with 20 other students who held similar ecological values and educational beliefs. In addition to Tom Puk's mentorship, I was especially privileged to take the School Based Outdoor Education course with Connie Russell and the Interpersonal Communication Skills course with Daniel Klassen. Neither of these courses was required, but the meaningful learning they afforded continues to affect the way I teach today. In addition to challenging me, my professors mentored me and spent time helping me to understand the different possibilities present in the field of education. Connie Russell, in particular, nudged me in a direction I never previously considered - graduate studies. It was true; I felt like my studies in the OE3 program helped me recognize areas of interest I didn't even know existed in the field of education. After teaching three years in northern Saskatchewan, I moved back to Ontario, eager to continue exploring the idea-seeds, which took root while at Lakehead. Looking back, the learning opportunities I had at Lakehead a decade ago opened the door to teaching experientially in Northern Saskatchewan, completing my Master in Environmental Studies at York University, and team teaching in the grade eight integrated and experiential program in Saskatoon called Eco quest. I am in my fifth year with the Eco quest program, and it is a wonderful gift to be able to teach in the experiential and place-based way I envisioned over a decade ago. Thank-you to the faculty of Education and the OE3 program for providing me with the knowledge and credentials to get started and the mentorship to help me clarify and navigate my route within the field of education.