Biography

I grew up in Toronto in a family and community that practiced Jewish family values, yet I do not practice any faith (spiritually or politically), beyond what might be called faith to a will to support and help develop senses of wellness.

I am passionate about outdoor learning and time spent outdoors. I attempt live ‘locally' and explore locality in my approach to outdoor learning. I hold a B.C. teaching certificate (BEd) from SFU, as a high school Science (Biology and Earth Sciences) teacher, and I have taught with various age groups and in distinct educational settings, from pre-school to post-secondary and beyond, including seniors. My educational pursuits include a Master’s (Diversity in Curriculum and Instruction) and a PhD (Curriculum Theory and Implementation), both from SFU.

I resided in Vancouver (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm) from 1999 to 2021. Other than Canada, I lived in Chile and Costa Rica, y puedo hablar el Español, ya un poco oxidado. I identify as a father, partner, son, brother, friend, colleague, educator, and community member. Volunteering and community service are important to me.

I love to adventure, cook, cycle, garden, hike, jury rig, paddle, play chess, philosophize, read poetry and philosophy, skate, ski, strum guitar, throw a disc, and make others smile (aka be silly). I have been an outdoor educator since my mid-teens – initially, guiding back-country wilderness trips, then leading non-formal outdoor education programs as an administrator and executive director. I have worked with a wide range of community-based, non-profit programs and services, and even started a few up.

I have enjoyed participating in experiences with some fairly radical work teams, which have significantly (in)formed my “ways” of teamwork, learning, and knowing. I am open to diversity, difference, and meaning-making through sharing and participation. I have learned that outdoor quests are not about the summit, but rather adventure.

Selected Publications

Banack, H., Berger, I., Elliot, E., Hirsche, K., Stone-Cole, B. (2020). Finding Movement in Stillness: Storying Our Collective Journey of Advocating for Outdoor Early Childhood Programs in British Columbia During a Global Pandemic. Education in the Time of Covid 19: Storying the Crisis Vol. 10 No. 3. Retrieved from https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/antistasis/article/view/31450

Banack, H. & Berger, I. (2019). The emergence of early childhood outdoor education programs in British Columbia: A meandering story. Children’s Geographies. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2019.1590527

Banack, H. (2018). Where STEM binds, and ST(eee)EM flows: A case for where in STEM discourse and practice. Critical Education. 9(16). Retrieved from https://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/criticaled/article/view/186183

Banack, H., Beattie, A.E., Berger, I., Montague, A., Strich, D. (2018). Acts of reading and gathering in place: our stories so far…Ecothinking. Volume 1.

Banack, H. (2015). Reflections on Outdoor Experiential Learning in Teacher Education: Raffan’s words revisited Pathways: the Ontario journal of outdoor education. 27 (3).

Banack, H. (2015). Fractals of Outdoor and Experiential Learning: Interview Patterns with Dr. James Raffan. Pathways: the Ontario journal of outdoor education. 28 (1).

Banack, H. and Elza, D. (2009). Desentence (sizing) the Reference: Lifenotes in Endnotes. Educational Insights, 13(4). Available: https://www.ccfi.educ.ubc.ca/publication/insights/v13n04/articles/banack...

Bai, H. & Banack, H. (2006). To see a world in a grain of sand: Complexity and moral education. Complicity: An international Journal of Complexity and Education, 3(1), 5–20. Available online at https://www.complexityandeducation.ualberta.ca/journal.htm