Indigenous Education
Professional Learning Community

Reconnecting Learning to Land, Story, and Season

Canadian Schools | March – May 2026

Do you struggle with trying to authentically infuse Indigenous perspectives in your classroom? Do you want your students to be more connected to the land? Do you want to learn from a seasoned Indigenous educator?

Join our 3-month collaborative journey for K-12 educators to build understanding, strengthen connection, and teach in rhythm with the land — through experiential learning rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing. With a focus on seasonal teaching and land-based learning, every session leads to practical takeaways and immediately impactful learning for your students.

Complete Interest Form by March 10 ↴
Complete Interest Form by March 10 ↴

  • Led by Jennie Town, an Indigenous facilitator with decades of experience working with K-12 staff and students.

  • Co-hosted by Canadian educators & administrators

  • Practical, curriculum-connected approaches — not performative activities

  • Ongoing, collaborative learning with year-long access to the learning community and resources

  • Ideal for grade-level and department teams to build shared capacity

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Hear from Jennie Town’s past participants!

  • "Jennie Town has worn many hats over the 15 years and has consistently demonstrated excellence in cultural programming. Her dedication to supporting the community in every possible way is truly inspiring. Through her strong community connections, she has created meaningful opportunities and programs that make a real difference."

    Valerie Kerr (She/Her)

    Supervisor, Family and Community Programs SCFLC

    Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

  • “...[Jennie] created a safe and nurturing space for the youth, crafted meaningful activities and opportunities for them to grow, heal, support one another, and come together as a family. [She] has so much heart and passion for the community and it truly shows in everything she does. The knowledge she holds and shares creates community and connects everyone through culture.”

    Nicole L., Child & Youth Care Practitioner

  • "[Jennie] opened up a safe space for the community to come together and be creative. I appreciate [her] and [her] continued dedication to our community, [she is] the glue that holds us together. She has done such amazing work in the community and still continue[s] to shed a light where there isn’t any for us to have an opportunity to grow. "

    Natalie Sweeney, CNN’s Beautiful Creations, Indigenous Community Member

  • "Jennie is able to see within a person, helping bring out their passion for creativity. "

    Melissa McNeil, Indigenous community member and workshop participant

  • “I’m always excited to attend one of Jennie’s workshops, she puts a lot of thought into her teachings and is very knowledgeable about the land, plants, and Indigenous ways of being. Her three sister’s workshop gave me great ideas to take back to my classroom, so entertaining and the soup was a bonus added touch."

    Nazanni Bell Redbird, Anishnaabemowin Language Culture and Traditions Teacher, TDSB

  • “Jennie's impact on my life extends far beyond that of a traditional mentor. She has been an inspiration, a maternal figure, a trusted aunt, and an educator…Jennie has always been a safe haven for me. The lessons I've learned from her have been instrumental in helping me establish and maintain my small business. I'm thankful that I've been able to share this knowledge with my children, effectively closing the gaps between generations…”

    Charlena Toney, Indigenous Community Member

  • “My overall experience working with Deschool was extremely positive. The content was strongly aligned with the curriculum and with my goals for students — understanding our connection to the Earth, recognizing how our actions impact one another, and learning how to care for the land for future generations. Thank you for this opportunity.”

    School Teacher, Toronto District School Board

  • “[Jennie] selflessly gives her gifts to others in the community. She incorporates visual arts, using it to convey messages of traditional ways while boosting engagement and critical thinking with her students…”

    Nahanni Bell Redbird ECE, Indigenous Community Member

  • “Jennie Town has been a huge support to my three Indigenous youth. She has had a powerful impact by encouraging them to find the courage to sell their handmade crafts. Her knowledge and guidance have supported them through teaching and mentorship, and the youth have been thriving in their craft-making…”

    Ashley Wheesk, RECE Parent of 3 siblings who are being mentored as entrepreneurs TDSB (Gr 8,9, &10)

  • "I really enjoyed the program. Students gained meaningful insight into Indigenous traditions and developed a deeper respect for the land and the Earth."

    School Teacher, Toronto District School Board

  • “Our students deeply connected with the teachings around heartberries (Ode Min). It was very special to learn with Jennie, and the opportunity to play the drum and actively participate made the experience truly memorable.”

    School Teacher, Toronto District School Board

Go to Interest Form ↴

Program Structure

  • 3 live sessions (1x/month). Recordings will be shared.

    • Session 1: Indigenous Ways of Knowing — Educators come together to explore Indigenous perspectives on understanding the world, grounded in values such as respect, acknowledgment, reciprocity, and truth and reconciliation.

    • Session 2: Cultural Identity & Storytelling — Participants learn how storytelling serves as a powerful way of teaching and sharing knowledge, and explore practical ways to use storytelling in age-appropriate classroom activities.

    • Session 3: Seasonal Teaching — Educators explore how Indigenous knowledge is closely connected to the land and seasonal cycles, with ideas for aligning classroom learning with seasonal rhythms and the natural world.

  • Asynchronous learning and collaboration on CoLab - an easy-to-use platform for resource sharing, group discussions, and networking

  • Small group, 1-on-1, and large group collaboration to explore key concepts

  • Structured time for cross-school and within-school collaboration—our participants' most valued feature

Go to Interest Form ↴
Go to Interest Form ↴

Three Foundational Frameworks

  • 🌏

    Indigenous Ways of Knowing
    Learn that there are multiple ways of understanding the world. Explore how Indigenous ways of knowing differ from—and complement—Western approaches, with a focus on respect, acknowledgment, reciprocity, truth and reconciliation.

  • 📖

    Cultural Identity & Storytelling
    Discover the role of storytelling as a way of teaching, learning, and passing down knowledge. Learn how stories support identity, belonging, and connection—and how to implement storytelling in age-appropriate ways across subject areas.

  • 🍂

    Seasonal Teaching
    Learn how Indigenous knowledge is deeply tied to the land and the seasons. Explore practical ways to align classroom learning with seasonal rhythms, helping students build awareness and connection to the natural world around them.

Expert Team

Jennie Town |

Indigenous Education Lead | PM, Redbird Circle Inc.

Jennie's maternal heritage is Mi'kmaq and Black, with roots in the Shubenacadie and Bear River reserves in Nova Scotia. As Project Manager of Indigenous Land-Based Education at Redbird Circle Inc., she brings over 45 years of experience supporting Indigenous children, youth, and families. She creates land-based and creative learning experiences grounded in mindfulness and Indigenous ways of knowing, and committed to supporting educators in decolonizing learning spaces.

Ritu Jhaveri | Program Lead | CEO, Deschool

From crafting exciting STEM programs for students and staff, to teaming up with top-notch experts, Ritu shapes the way we learn. With over 12 years as a school administrator, educator, and curriculum specialist across Dubai, Singapore, India, and Canada, she's a true education explorer. She’s worked with public and independent schools across Ontario to make STEM learning impactful and integrated into the curriculum.

Rebeka Ly | Program Lead | Director of Education at Deschool
Rebeka is a heart-led educator, Toronto District School Board teacher, and Director of Education at Deschool. She holds a Master of Teaching from the University of Toronto, and her conversations with Indigenous educators during that time continues to inform her practice through ongoing reflection and learning. As a co-creator of this course, Rebeka brings the perspective of a settler educator committed to listening, learning, and walking alongside Indigenous voices to support respectful, relationship-based teaching.



Ariella Racco | Community Lead | CEO, CoLab Education

From designing intuitive tech to cultivating thriving educator communities, Ariella makes meaningful collaboration feel effortless. With over a decade teaching in public, independent in international schools across Canada and Spain, she deeply understands what educators need to connect, learn from each other, and never have to reinvent the wheel alone!



Educators at any stage of their Indigenous education journey - Current or pre-service K-12 educators across Canada (public, independent, private)

We recommend joining with several staff members per school to build internal capacity and establish shared language.

Grade-level and department teams has found great success joining our PLCs together for dedicated collaboration time and action plans.

Who Can Participate?

Go to Interest Form ↴
Go to Interest Form ↴

The Opportunity

✺ 3-Month Indigenous Education Progression: Personal practice → context integration → peer collaboration → leading school change

✺ Year-Round CoLab Platform Access: Ongoing resource sharing and professional networking with CIS Ontario educators

✺ Expert Support: Curated content, research, facilitation guides, and coaching with Indigenous education specialists


✺ Ready-to-Use Resources: Practical, educator-ready materials for immediate school application

✺ Division-Specific Workshops: (K-3, 4-8, 9-12)

✺ Certificates of Completion: Valid for professional development hours

Reach out to our team for details on pricing. Group rates and early bird discounts available for those who register before February 28, 2026.

Book a call 📞
Book a call 📞
Email us ✉️
Email us ✉️