As project-based learning teacher-advisor, Janna Barkman collaborates with her students to design immersive learning experiences that engage the head, hands, and heart. She facilitates projects that encourage learning from the land, local experts, and knowledge keepers, addressing critical issues pertinent to students and their communities. Her educational approach is integrated, student-centered, and place-based, aiming to prepare students for personal success and lifelong engagement with ecological literacy, sustainable living, and gratitude. Janna is the 2024 Runner Up Grand Prize Winner of the Edward Burtynsky Award for Teaching Excellence in Environmental Education ! Here is her story:
Janna Barkman views food as a profound connection to celebration, sorrow, and remembrance, recognizing its role in linking individuals to history and identity. This realization, sparked by a discussion about coffee origins in her classroom, has become the foundation of her teaching philosophy. With 17 years of experience across diverse educational environments—from inner-city Winnipeg to remote Indigenous communities—Janna now facilitates project-based learning at Maples Met School, employing environmental inquiry (EI) to create transformative experiences. Her lessons, framed by Susan Drake’s KDB model (What do we want students to know, do and be?), encourage students to engage deeply with the world around them, exploring critical questions about knowledge, action, and identity.
Teaching grades 5 to 11, Janna fosters connections between students and the intricate systems of nature and society. Her approach transcends academic success, focusing on cultivating a sense of responsibility and stewardship for the environment. Through hands-on projects like community gardening and collaborations with local experts, her students learn the complexities of sustainability while developing a sense of purpose and belonging. In Janna's classroom, discussions about plants and meals reveal the beauty of interdependence. Her role as a guide and mentor empowers students to recognize their place in a larger narrative, encouraging them to actively participate in shaping a sustainable future. Through the power of food and the wisdom of the earth, Janna nurtures a generation committed to environmental stewardship and interconnectedness.
Branch I: Inquiry & Engagement – Lighting the Fire
Janna believes that curiosity is essential for igniting a lifelong passion for learning. Her journey begins at The Leaf, Winnipeg’s educational greenhouse, where she introduces her Grade 10 students to the complexities of food systems through the question, “What stories do our food tell?” This inquiry led to a significant project on food security, culminating in a collaborative ‘cookbook’ that intertwined personal narratives with critical analyses of recipes.
Janna balances teacher-led experiences with student-driven projects, creating a dynamic classroom where students feel empowered to pursue their own questions. Each project begins with thought-provoking questions aligned with curricular outcomes, encouraging collaborative planning and personal investment. Through this approach, students explore the environmental and social implications of their food choices, connecting personal stories to larger global issues. To spark curiosity, Janna employs unstructured outdoor experiences, such as nature journaling, which cultivates observation skills and comfort in engaging with the natural world. As students gain confidence, she guides them into more structured lessons while allowing autonomy in their learning. This methodology is adaptable, as seen in her Grade 8 'Water is Life' project, where students documented local water sources and created a comprehensive map highlighting their significance.
In Janna's classroom, learning thrives through vibrant interactions with the environment, fostering curiosity about the world. Her inquiry-based projects empower students to become active participants in their education and environmental stewards. Through her innovative approach, Janna cultivates a love for learning and a deep connection to nature, equipping her students with the skills and confidence to engage with the complex narratives of their world—one meal, one observation, and one story at a time.
Branch II: Experiential Learning – Sending Out Roots
Janna’s teaching philosophy centers on storytelling as a vital tool for connecting students with their curriculum, each other, and their environment. Inspired by AnnMarie Baines, she encourages her students to explore essential questions about identity and community, laying the foundation for experiential learning projects that blend academic knowledge with personal narratives. This approach fosters a strong sense of place and identity while allowing students to reflect on complex topics like climate justice and decolonization through diverse learning modalities, including text analysis and video game simulations.
A highlight of Janna's teaching was a transformative two-day trip to the Harvest Moon Society (HMS), where students experienced various agricultural practices firsthand. For many, this was their first encounter with rural life, and the immersion in nature deepened their connection to the land and its caretakers. Students returned with reflections on the beauty of their surroundings and the values of reciprocity and care for the earth. Back in urban settings, Janna continued to cultivate this sense of connection through visits to local environmental NGOs, where students engaged in hands-on activities like garden preparation. These experiences inspired them to create their own gardens and explore sustainability in their lives.
Through these immersive opportunities, Janna not only imparts knowledge but also instills a sense of responsibility and belonging in her students. They learn to appreciate the complexities of food systems and recognize their roles as environmental stewards. In her classroom, education becomes a journey of discovery and identity, equipping students to engage with contemporary challenges as informed and passionate advocates for sustainability!
Branch III: Integrated Learning – The Flow of Knowledge
In Janna’s classroom, learning is an interconnected web, with environmental inquiry woven throughout various subjects. She begins by aligning curricular outcomes (COs) with the skills students wish to develop, engaging them in discussions about their interests—whether in research, film editing, or scientific methods. This focus on student agency fosters autonomy and deepens their connection to the world, particularly as they progress into higher grades. A notable example of her integrated approach is the food project, where big ideas guide exploration. Janna centers learning around students' core values and identities, creating a dynamic classroom environment. An interactive board tracks learning processes and goals, visually connecting different subjects and reinforcing the relevance of their studies.
For personal inquiries, Janna holds one-on-one meetings to establish individualized goals that reflect students' interests. A striking project in grade 8 involved exploring water and habitat loss at the Aki Land-Based Learning Center. Students created historical and ecological walking tours, examining their chosen areas through storytelling, perspective writing, and art. This experience empowered them to share their understanding with peers, transforming them from learners into educators. Through these integrated experiences, Janna cultivates a holistic understanding of the world, encouraging students to engage with real-world issues and community connections. Her commitment to integrated learning enriches their educational journeys, preparing them to confront the complexities of their environment with curiosity, empathy, and responsibility.
Branch IV: Moving Towards Sustainability – Breathing with the World
Janna believes education is vital for fostering sustainable attitudes and actions in her students. Her teaching practice focuses on creating opportunities for reciprocal relationships with the environment and their communities. A key initiative in her grade 8 class was the creation of a medicine garden, where students learned about Indigenous plants and engaged younger peers in caretaking, fostering a legacy of environmental stewardship.
Additionally, Janna developed an eco-buffer in collaboration with the local watershed district, providing hands-on experience in biodiversity and ecosystem management. Her grade 5 students organized Earth and Water Day festivals for younger classmates, inspired by their weekly bike rides to the Aki Land-Based Learning Center, where they explored sustainable transportation. In a grade 11 inquiry on Landback, a visit from a Métis leader sparked discussions about decolonization and the importance of understanding one’s roots. Another significant project was a collaborative cookbook, which encouraged students to consider their audience, recognizing the value of personal narratives alongside communal education.
Through hands-on experiences—growing food, volunteering, and engaging with their community—students recognized their roles as stewards of the land. This journey inspired a sense of responsibility and commitment to positive change, as they learned about ecological interdependence and their connection to the world. In Janna Barkman’s classroom, meaningful experiences cultivate a deep understanding of sustainability, empowering students to advocate for a more sustainable future. Her approach nurtures a sense of purpose that extends beyond the classroom, connecting students to their environment and community.
Integrating Indigenous Perspectives and Fostering Environmental Stewardship in Education
Janna Barkman is deeply committed to integrating Indigenous perspectives into her environmental education. She collaborates with divisional elders, such as Elder Dan and Elder Audrey Logan, to incorporate traditional knowledge about water, landback, and food security. These partnerships enrich her curriculum, grounding her students' learning in Indigenous epistemologies, particularly through programs at the Aki Land-Based Learning Center.
In her classroom, Janna uses texts like "Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults" to emphasize reciprocity and gratitude, while exploring diverse Indigenous narratives through literature. This approach helps students connect their identities and cultural backgrounds to broader themes of Indigenous sovereignty and ecological understanding. Janna’s innovative teaching methods include structured inquiry projects, which facilitate student engagement and exploration. She provides tools for effective inquiry, guiding students from grades 5 to 11 in projects that link personal narratives to environmental themes. For example, her grade 11 food project inspired students to pursue inquiries on climate action and food security.
Community collaboration is central to Janna's practice. She facilitates activities that connect students with environmental NGOs, advocates for ecoliteracy as a human right, and promotes student mentorship programs. Through these efforts, her students learn to view themselves as stewards of the earth. Ultimately, Janna’s philosophy reflects a commitment to collective action and environmental stewardship. Her teaching emphasizes respect for the earth and community building through storytelling, culminating in projects like the “From Seeds to Stories” digital collection. The transformative experiences fostered in her classroom encourage students to carry these lessons into adulthood, promoting sustainability and reciprocity with the environment.
-By Sachi Shukul
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