Walk and Talk – Practicing What We Teach

In the TREE project, we focus on transformative teaching and learning, exploring a variety of methods to create meaningful learning experiences. A key element in our approach is embodied learning—engaging both the mind and body in the learning process. Being out in nature and moving physically plays an essential role in many of our methods.

One practice we frequently use with students is Walk and Talk. In this activity, we send students off in pairs or small groups to reflect on and explore a specific topic while walking. Movement fosters deeper conversations, stimulates creative thinking, and allows for more dynamic interactions.

Between semesters, we decided to take our own advice and step outside—this time, for our own reflection and intention-setting. As we walked, we looked back at our journey with TREE so far, asking ourselves:

What have we achieved since the project began?
What went well?
Where did we face challenges?
When did we feel appreciated, and when did we feel overwhelmed or stressed?

But we didn’t stop there. Reflection is most powerful when combined with forward thinking. So, we also asked ourselves:

What are our main goals moving forward?
Which tasks excite us the most?
Where do we believe we can have the biggest impact?
How can we improve our collaboration?
How do we create meaningful learning spaces—not just for students, but for each other?

These conversations, held in motion, helped us reconnect with our purpose and realign our efforts for the next phase of TREE. We firmly believe that transformative education is not just something we teach—it’s something we live.

Stay tuned as we continue to explore and experiment with new ways of learning, both inside and outside the classroom!