The doors to our NEW Outdoor Classrooms website have opened which also includes our NEW CIRCLE Membership Hub. I'm excited to start helping all new members access the resources they need to cultivate and grow an enriching outdoor classroom.

In today's episode, CIRCLE Member Ann Ranger is sharing her reflections on her experience as a member of our community.

We are celebrating BIG! If you sign up now, then you will get the best price the membership will ever be, plus access to ALL our resources.

Join today for only $20/month. Limited Time Offer.

The doors to our NEW Outdoor Classrooms website have opened which also includes our NEW CIRCLE Membership Hub. I'm excited to start helping all new members access the resources they need to cultivate and grow an enriching outdoor classroom.

In today's episode, we have Nicole Marie Majewski.

MEET NICOLE:

Nicole resides with her family on an off-grid ranch in Nayarit, Mexico. She is an active participant in her local alternative educational community, a founding member of the micro-school her children attend in the jungle, an active member of the Board of Directors of The Cedarsong Way, and a creative director and lead grown-up of Iyari Play, an unplugged play project for families in Nayarit, Mexico. Nicole is a big believer in messy and risky play, nature-based learning, and cultivating curiosity and connection for children with their natural world.

LEARN more about Iyari Play HERE.

We are celebrating BIG! If you sign up now, then you will get the best price the membership will ever be, plus access to ALL our resources.

Join today for only $20/month. Limited Time Offer.

The doors to our NEW Outdoor Classrooms website have opened which also includes our NEW CIRCLE Membership Hub. I'm excited to start helping all new members access the resources they need to cultivate and grow an enriching outdoor classroom.

In today's episode, CIRCLE Member Laura Delgado is sharing her reflections on her experience as a member of our community.

We are celebrating BIG! If you sign up now, then you will get the best price the membership will ever be, plus access to ALL our resources.

Join today for only $20/month. Limited Time Offer.

The doors to our NEW Outdoor Classrooms website have opened which also includes our NEW CIRCLE Membership Hub. I'm excited to start helping all new members access the resources they need to cultivate and grow an enriching outdoor classroom.

We are celebrating BIG! If you sign up now, then you will get the best price the membership will ever be, plus access to ALL our resources.

Join today for only $20/month. Limited Time Offer.

MEET LINDA:

Linda Shottes Bouchard began her career at the non-profit organization, SHED Children’s Campus in 1992. She grew from her original role as School Age Coordinator to School Age Director and then to her current role as Executive Director. Linda has worked alongside her staff to grow this organization from a grassroots program to a thriving campus that serves over 400 families.

Linda’s experience at Massachusetts Liberal Arts College, where she received a Sociology Degree, gave her the foundation and skills for her life’s work of developing best practices for children and families. Her curiosity about the needs of children and families inspired conversations with her teammates to further programming at SHED Children’s Campus. The foundational pillars of the Reggio Emilia philosophy, mindfulness, organic gardening, community & nature are a living, breathing force at SHED.

Linda has an amazing passion for life. She loves to play and dream big. Linda brings her passion and playful spirit to her leadership role at SHED. She encourages her staff to continue learning and growing. Linda invites her staff to question the world around them, to challenge the status quo, to breathe deep, to play in the great outdoors, to fill themselves with health, and to reach out to others to form strong, meaningful connections. SHED’s foundational pillars are alive inside Linda.

Linda lives a life of gratitude and she feels blessed to be part of an organization that spreads out the rippling effect of goodness to its staff, children and families.

 CONTACT LINDA'

• EMAIL: [email protected]
• WEBSITE: https://www.shedchildrenscampus.org/

The doors to our NEW Outdoor Classrooms website have opened which also includes our NEW CIRCLE Membership Hub. I'm excited to start helping all new members access the resources they need to cultivate and grow an enriching outdoor classroom.

In today's episode, CIRCLE Member Michelle Lipp is sharing her reflections on her experience as a member of our community.

We are celebrating BIG! If you sign up now, then you will get the best price the membership will ever be, plus access to ALL our resources.

Join today for only $20/month. Limited Time Offer.

We are celebrating the launch of our NEW Website!!! Make sure you check out the CIRCLE Membership SALE! Now only $20/month. In today's Outdoor Classroom Tour and Talk we are talking about Place-Based Learning with Taira Restar from Emerald Heard Forest School

MEET TAIRA:

A lead teacher who has taught children and adults for nearly 40 years and specifically as a place-based educator for over 20 years. She is a somatic movement therapist and a certified Breakthrough Parenting instructor. 

CONNECT WITH TAIRA:

• WEBSITE: https://www.emeraldheartkids.com/
• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ourforestlife/

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:

• FREE Seedling Newsletter
• WEBSITE: www.outdoor-classrooms.com
• EMAIL: [email protected]
• Instagram: instagram.com/outdoor_classrooms/
• Facebook: Facebook.com/OutdoorClassrooms1

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RESOURCES:

• The Outdoor Classrooms CIRCLE Membership
• The Outdoor Teaching Bootcamp
• Seeds of Inspiration for Outdoor Learning Card Deck

Taira Restar, our lead teacher, has taught children and adults for nearly 40 years and specifically as a place-based educator for over 20 years. She is a somatic movement therapist and a certified Breakthrough Parenting instructor. 

We are celebrating the launch of our NEW Website on the Podcast with an interview with one of my heroes, Juliet Robertson. Juliet and I sat down virtually in 2020 at the Outdoor Classrooms Summit. She has since graciously agreed to share this conversation again on the Podcast. Juliet's work runs deep for many natural teachers around the world, as her books about her playful approach to outdoor learning for early years children are award winners. 

MEET JULIET:

Juliet used to be one of Scotland’s leading education consultants who specializes in outdoor learning and play. She worked at a national level delivering training, giving keynote speeches, leading and supporting innovative outdoor projects, and writing content for websites, documents, and case studies. She was passionate about enabling schools, play organizations, and early years settings to provide quality outdoor learning and play opportunities for children and young people. Prior to this, she was an elementary school principal. 

Juliet is the author of two award-winning books, Dirty Teaching: A Beginner's Guide to Learning Outdoors and Messy Maths: A Playful, Outdoor Approach for Early Years. In addition, she provides lots of free resources and advice which can be found on her website: www.creativestarlearning.co.uk

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:

• FREE Seedling Newsletter
• WEBSITE: www.outdoor-classrooms.com
• EMAIL: [email protected]
• Instagram: instagram.com/outdoor_classrooms/
• Facebook: Facebook.com/OutdoorClassrooms1

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RESOURCES:

• The Outdoor Classrooms CIRCLE Membership
• The Outdoor Teaching Bootcamp
• Seeds of Inspiration for Outdoor Learning Card Deck

Today we are venturing to Barefeet Farm School; a licensed outdoor preschool located just outside of Bellingham, Washington.

HERE'S WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS EPISODE:

1. The Barefeet Farm School story
2. Barefeet Farm School Tour and Talk
3. Emergent Curriculum at Barefeet Farm School
4. The Business Side of Things

MEET ERIN:

Erin Majeske is a mother, wife, dreamer, kitchen experimenter, wannabe gardener, nature explorer, and founder of Barefeet Farm School. When she's not in the outdoor classroom with preschoolers, she loves to enjoy the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her family and make as much music as possible.

CONTACT ERIN:

• Website
• Email

"If you know better, you do better." Maya Angelo

In today's episode, we are continuing the conversation from episode #33: No One Goes Outdoors Anymore.

What to expect from this episode:

• What is Shifted Baseline Syndrome?
• What is environmental generational amnesia?
• Can we cure it?
• Are children forgetting about nature?
• How can parents pick up the torch?

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:

• FREE Seedling Newsletter
• WEBSITE: www.outdoor-classrooms.com
• EMAIL: [email protected]
• Instagram: instagram.com/outdoor_classrooms/
• Facebook: Facebook.com/OutdoorClassrooms1

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RESOURCES:

• The Outdoor Classrooms CIRCLE Membership
• The Outdoor Teaching Bootcamp
• Seeds of Inspiration for Outdoor Learning Card Deck

The Suffolk County Farm and Education Center’s mission is to provide hands-on research-based learning to all residents with themes in agriculture, animal sciences, history, STEM, healthy living, and life skills in a unique year-round learning environment and in community spaces. The Farm’s vision is to connect with our agricultural heritage and to pave the way for a bright, healthy, and sustainable future.

Today are venturing to the Little Farmers Preschool!

HERE'S WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS EPISODE:

1. Early Childhood Programs​ on the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center
2. Farm Activities
3. Weather on the Farm
4. Hands-on Learning Activities
5.  Learning as a Sensory Experience
6. Nature is the "Third Teacher" ~ Areas of the Farm
7. Emergent Curriculum on the Farm
8. Using Art to Guide Curriculum
9. Outdoor Classroom Tour & Talk pictures

MEET MAIA:

Maia G. Lewis is the Early Childhood Coordinator with Cornell Cooperative Extension at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center. Her main focus is with the team that designs and implements Little Farmers Preschool, an outdoor play-based program for children 3 - 5 years old. Maia has her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Stonehill College and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Curriculum and Instructional Design at Penn State. She has worked within CCE in numerous different roles over the past ten years; starting as a camp counselor during summer breaks in college. Maia is passionate about creating opportunities to preserve the simple joys of childhood, helping foster children’s relationships with the natural world, and preparing young learners for all aspects of life, not just for kindergarten.

CONTACT MAIA:

• EMAIL: [email protected]
• WEBSITE