News
Heimbecker Chair Update
Established in 2021 as part of Shawnigan’s commitment to the development of experiential education programming, the Heimbecker Inspiration Chair for Experiential Education supports the development of experiential education at Shawnigan and ensures that Shawnigan’s experiential programming continues to deliver extraordinary learning experiences for our students both on campus and in the beautiful wilderness of Vancouver Island. Through these experiences, Shawnigan students will discover their own untapped potential and experience curriculum through hands-on study beyond the walls of the classroom.
Currently filling the position is Dr. Alexei Du Bois, Hilton College in South Africa, who is working at Shawnigan while on a one-year sabbatical from his position as Director of International Learning at Hilton College. Dr. Du Bois holds a BA in English, History and Music from the University of Cape Town, a PGCE from the University of South Africa, and both an MSc in Comparative and International Education and a DPhil in Education from the University of Oxford (Commonwealth Scholarship), and is recognized as a leader in experiential education and the benefits it brings to communities, individuals and the environment.
The first Heimbecker Chair in 2022 was Mr. Tom Hall, the current Vice Principal of Geelong Grammar School in Australia, and former Head of Geelong’s Timbertop campus.
Dr. Du Bois defines experiential learning as “a commitment to students having transformational experiences outside the classroom,” and sees it as a way to link the academic goals of teachers with natural spaces. As an example, he suggests that a social studies instructor teaching a unit on the economy of Vancouver Island could take students on a hike up nearby Mount Baldy and use the vantage point to point out the impacts of economic development on the region. Another example is using the Mark Hobson Hatchery and the local salmon run to study topics like ratio and data tracking.
“We hope to build a sense of appreciation for the natural environment, and enthusiasm for problem solving,” Dr. Du Bois says. “We are trying to build bridges between classroom learning and how that translates to the natural world.”
What makes the Heimbecker Chair unique, according to Dr. Du Bois, is that the School and the Heimbecker family found experiential education so valuable to the Shawnigan Journey that they created a dedicated a position with dedicated space and time and without the restrictions teachers often face in their day.
Dr. Du Bois hopes to finish many more projects before his time at Shawnigan ends in December and he returns to South Africa. Highlights of his time on Vancouver Island so far include hiking the West Coast Trail, cross-country skiing at Mount Washington with Grade 9s as part of Beyond the Gates, and the entire experience at Ski Week, as well as collaborating with the Shawnigan staff.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
