My Experiential Learning Journey at Werklund
When Caitlin Kane, Experiential Learning Facilitator for the Werklund School of Education, reached out to me to write about my experiences in experiential learning activities, it took me a little while to track down everything I had done (and was still involved in). In doing so, I realized this was also a great opportunity to take stock and to fill my resume with the wealth of rich experiences I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of.
As a parent to three school-aged children (ages 6, 8, and 11), juggling the hectic schedule of our family of five while also returning to full-time university, one might think I wouldn’t have had time for experiential learning. Somehow, I fit it all in and I am so much better for it.
Every experience I joined through the Werklund experiential team benefitted me immensely. From networking with teachers and administrators under the umbrella of the Werklund name, to workshops that directly influenced my teacher identity and lesson designs, and so much more, these opportunities have enriched my university experience in ways I would strongly recommend to all students, whether on campus or taking a community-based pathway.
Though new programs are added each year, here’s a run-down of the experiences I took part in, and what they meant to me.
Read more: ELevate Your Career: Andrea FaragalliLand-Based Learning with Elder Eileen Clearsky, In-Person Summer Semester 2024
This was both my first experiential learning experience and my first meaningful interaction with an Indigenous Elder. After meeting in the White Buffalo Lodge, our group made our way outside and sat in a circle in the grass. I attended the event with my role firmly in my mind: to be quiet, to listen, and to learn. So you can imagine my surprise when I realized I was not going to sit in silence and simply take in Elder Eileen Clearsky’s knowledge.
She spoke a few words about what a sharing circle was and, cupping a round stone about the size of a flattened tennis ball in her hands, told us about its significance, that only the person holding it was meant to speak while the rest of us listened. She explained that it had been given to her by her father, how she liked the weight of it, and its smoothness. She encouraged us to connect with that feeling; the stone in our hands, being outside, and truly listening to one another. Then she began to pass it around, and we spoke.
She posed a question here and there, and each of us took time to answer, going around the circle and speaking when we had something to say. I think it’s fair to say that we all felt vulnerable, and some became emotional. We listened to one another and discovered stories of healing journeys, desires to do the right thing for and with Indigenous peoples, feelings of imposter syndrome, the loss of Indigenous identity through generations, guilt over perceived mistakes, and advice about good ways forward. We met each other where we were and made space for the knowledge of who each person was.
This interaction pivoted my idea of what my role should be in Indigenous education—from silent observer to active participant—and I continue to carry it forward as I now work toward meeting TQS #5 and the TRC Calls to Action.
At the end, Elder Eileen Clearsky asked us what we all wondered before we parted ways. My mind was buzzing with new ideas and, I think this is okay to share, then Acting Dean, Dr. Amy Burns, who was in attendance, held the stone in her hand and said: “I wonder how to ensure every preservice teacher can have an experience like this.”
Canadian Wildlife Federation’s Eco Explorers: Unleashing Environmental Education in Any Greenspace
In this workshop, we joined Kailey Setter, Experiential Education Manager at the Canadian Wildlife Federation, to discuss using even the smallest outdoor greenspaces for environmental education. This was highly practical knowledge, considering how different school landscapes can be and that some of us will work in spaces with very limited green areas. From specific lesson ideas to accessibility considerations, this was a valuable session. As a bonus, we were gifted beautiful classroom posters and a very handy tote bag that I didn’t know I needed—but couldn’t go without for the rest of the summer semester as I lugged materials around.
ACE: Arts Co-Curricular Enhancement
This one is a meaty program, and not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think everyone would benefit from it. I began my Arts Co-Curricular Enhancement in Fall 2024 and will complete it in Winter 2026. It has been especially useful to add to my resume, given that I’m specializing in Social Studies (after majoring in History for my undergrad) and working toward teaching in Division I, but I also dream of teaching in the arts. The ACE program was the perfect way to expand my portfolio.
Designed to encourage students to participate in five different arts experiences, ACE has led me to sing in a choir, watch the Alberta Ballet, and attend Stories as Ritual at Campus Saint-Jean, where I witnessed the incredible stories of five Black women through visual art, spoken word, song, and interpretive dance. I’m looking forward to my last two activities, which will involve creating art myself, likely through pottery or glassblowing workshops. These experiences have led to self-discovery, teaching ideas, and valuable arts contacts I hope to use in my career.
SELF: Self-Directed Experiential Learning Framework
I have often volunteered in schools, especially with my three girls currently in Divisions I and II. Once I began my BEd, I started volunteering in more extensive and meaningful ways in two school communities. This fit neatly into the SELF program, which recognizes both the paid and unpaid work we do outside of Werklund, perfect for many people working as an EA or the like.
I quickly realized that any time spent in classrooms was incredibly valuable. Practicum placements are essential, but they are also full of lesson and unit planning, reflections, and the pressure of being in the hot seat. The SELF program gave me a chance to be in schools under the Werklund umbrella in a lower-pressure environment. Teachers were grateful for the help, and I got to ask so many questions I might not have otherwise asked until my first year of teaching. The networking alone has already begun to build a positive reputation for me, and I know those connections will likely lead to subbing opportunities next May.
Community Helpers
This two-part workshop may have been one of the most important I took. It resulted in a certification in how to provide mental health supports to students, peers, and ourselves, while also helping us recognize when someone needs to be connected with a professional.
The course clarified the difference between self-soothing and self-care, something I was able to apply in my HeartCare plan, and laid a foundation for understanding duty to report, setting healthy boundaries, and navigating crisis situations which prepared me well for taking Law and Ethics in Education in Summer 2025.
Land-Based Learning with Dr. Jennifer MacDonald
This workshop directly influenced a unit plan I designed that semester. Led by Dr. Jennifer MacDonald (Werklund alum), we explored multiple entry points for engaging students in land-based learning: an orienteering scavenger hunt (full disclosure, we may have gotten a little lost), reflections guided by Indigenous teachings, observations of local flora and fauna, counter-mapping, and reflective perspective drawings.
It was impossible to walk away without feeling inspired to bring this work into the classroom. I should also note that the entire day was funded by a generous anonymous benefactor (thank you!) and included a catered lunch along with journals and pens for us to use and keep. It was the perfect way to kick off the summer semester.
Canadian Wildlife Federation’s Nature Sketch with the Robert Bateman Foundation
This was my second workshop with Kailey Setter and the Canadian Wildlife Federation, this time in conjunction with the Robert Bateman Foundation. There was a small fee, but I’d pay it again in a heartbeat. We explored how students can learn about art, nature, and the environment simultaneously using simple, accessible tools.
Having not drawn in years, I found the class both informative and rejuvenating. Like any good art lesson, it made me want to pick up a pencil and sketch more often—exactly the kind of spark I’d hope to ignite in my own students.
CMBSSN – Community-Based Student Support Network
Ok. I’ll admit I was voluntold for this one! But it turned out to be another great experience. In a short Zoom session, another final-year student and I answered questions from incoming community-based students about what to expect during those busy summer weeks. I shared what I knew and learned a few new things myself.
Later, we met in person. Caitlin Kane, Experiential Learning Facilitator, reminisced about her drama days through some hilarious icebreakers, and I got to chat with new students. We also gave feedback to the Experiential Learning team, hopefully helping to shape and refine these opportunities for future students.
BCCC – Building Community & Connection in Classrooms
This final experience came directly from advice my partner teacher gave me during Field I. We were talking about routines and behaviors when she said she wished preservice teachers could see what it’s like to set up a classroom at the start of the year. Luckily for me the experiential learning team serendipitously posted about the BCCC opportunity, and I jumped on it.
I gained hands-on experience with the logistics behind starting a classroom: organizing supplies, setting up the environment, planning assessments, and onboarding a large class of students. I know this experience will be invaluable as I prepare for my first year of teaching.
At this point, I might look like a bit of an overachiever, but honestly, the more I participated, the more I saw the value in each experience, and the more I wanted to do, some felt equal to the takeaway from an entire course. I selected activities that matched my interests, especially in the arts and volunteer work, which helped balance them with coursework and family life.
My advice? Choose opportunities that align with your passions, keep open communication with the experiential learning team, and don’t stress if you can’t finish everything on time. You can pause, extend, or come back later they’ll simply be glad you stepped a toe in.
I promise, whatever you take on, you’ll be glad you did.
Andrea