To kick off the start of the winter outdoor education season, we sat down with Aliya Minnema, Vice Principal and Experiential Learning Coordinator, to learn more about her own outdoor education journey and why she loves what she does.
Thanks for joining us Ms. Minnema. Could you tell us a bit more about your roles at SJS?
In a nutshell, I oversee the lived curriculum that goes beyond the classroom. My pillars are the co-curricular program, the global learning program, such as national and international trips, and outdoor education. I also support risk management along with our internal committee, and build relationships with external providers to create meaningful opportunities for students.
How did you get into teaching?
I’ve wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. I was inspired by my Grade 7 teacher, Ms. Evans. She made learning fun, and I always felt seen as a student. Education is an incredible opportunity to share life experiences with people and be a part of their story. Plus, I’ve always enjoyed working with kids, so those things combined led me to teaching.
I studied Physical and Health Education and Teaching Education at Laurentian University in Northern Ontario, later earning my qualifications in special education and home economics. I’m pretty well-versed in life skills subjects. After teaching in Ontario and for a year in Melbourne, Australia, I moved to Vancouver and eventually joined SJS as an associate teacher at first, then I became a coordinator and now a vice principal.
When did your own love of outdoor education start?
Growing up in rural Courtice, Ontario, I was outside all the time. We would explore the creeks, ride our dirtbikes and just always be in nature. My first real backcountry camping experience wasn’t until university. All programs in the School of Human Kinetics had an outdoor education component and after returning from our big canoe trip in my second year, I was hooked.
Why is outdoor education important?
Outdoor education builds essential life skills. Confidence, resilience, self-belief and the ability to take healthy risks are all skills and attributes that are grown through these experiences. Socially, it provides students with shared experiences that strengthen friendships and broaden their connections. They learn, laugh and tackle challenges together. It’s a cool, safe place to learn in a way where students are supported by their peers and nature itself.
These experiences also shape students well into adulthood. Outdoor experiences can be accessible to everyone and provide meaningful opportunities for people to connect mentally, socially and physically. The outdoors provides lifelong opportunities to be active, even for those who don’t see themselves as “sporty”. With thoughtful accommodations every learner can participate, understand their limits, push themselves safely and learn to advocate for themselves. And the skills they gain, their initiative, independence and problem-solving, translate into lifelong habits such as staying active as an adult and planning their own trips in the future.
How does experiential learning, like outdoor education, fit into the IB Programme specifically?
It fits in perfectly with the Learner Profile trait of being a risk-taker. The goal of SJS and the IB Programme is that students walk out of the building as well-rounded humans. The skills and attributes you develop through experiential learning are foundational building blocks for all the other areas of the curriculum.
And just like academic subjects, the outdoor education program is also a continuum. Every year the students are building on their skills, from Kindergarten Forest Fridays all the way up to the Grade 9 overnight canoe trip, for example. Skills like resilience, self-management and confidence all translate back to the classroom, into any subject, at any level.
What is your favourite thing about the SJS community?
It’s a small community that feels like a big family. I feel there’s a place for everyone. Personally, I don’t have family in Vancouver but this is a place where I feel I belong and we’ve got a great community of really good people. I love the welcoming atmosphere and the way both students and staff are encouraged to maintain balance in our lives.
Finally, what do you like to do when you’re not at work?
You can typically find me outside! In the summer I’m in the ocean every day, whether it’s surfing, paddleboarding or swimming, and in the winter I’ll go skiing or snowboarding on the weekends. I’m also a huge fan of good coffee, long walks in the forest, and slow Sundays. Recently I’ve taken up running, and I’ve done two half-marathons this year! I’m a proud dog mom to my two dogs, Ozzie & Murphy, who keep me busy too
As we move into a new season of outdoor learning, Ms. Minnema’s story highlights how meaningful education often happens beyond traditional classrooms. Forests, shorelines and snowy trails offer real challenges that help students understand themselves and each other in practical, lasting ways.
