Events Archive
Guided by the ‘Why’: Making Intentional Decisions in Nature-based Early Childhood Classrooms.
North Branch Nature Center
Montpelier, VT
Presented by Rachel Larimore | Admission by donation
Educators make thousands of decisions every day that influence children’s learning. It’s important to consider the overall goals of nature-based programs and whether or not our teaching and administrative practices reflect those goals. Rachel will challenge attendees to consider how well program structures, physical spaces, and teacher-child interactions align with the “Why?” of nature-based early childhood education. No matter how long you’ve been in nature-based education, you’ll leave this keynote reflecting on your practice, energized, and ready to change the world!
This presentation is followed by a full-day workshop for educators on Saturday morning. The Art of Mentoring
Farm & Wilderness
Plymouth, VT
The Vermont AoM is a five-day experiential, nature-based training with concurrent programs for ages 0 to 99. The week is facilitated by a veteran leadership team, representing over 90 years of collective experience in nature-based mentoring and culture design. Over 70 staff members from around the US support the experience of the 120 registered participants. NatureStart™ Professional Development Course
Kenosha, WI
Competency-based PD for skill-building in how young children learn, developing nature play & nature-based early learning programs, experiences that foster life-long connections to nature and build competent and confident young thinkers and scientists. Intro Nature-Based Teacher Certification by ERAFANS
Wildflower Learning Community
Chapel Hill, NC
We are thrilled to offer a five-day Nature-based Teacher Certification! This 36-hour course provides in-depth study of best practices in nature-based early childhood education to prepare you for meaningful outdoor learning experiences. Whether you are in a formal school or childcare setting or working in a nature or forest preschool, this course is designed to meet the needs of early childhood educators working in any setting. The introductory certification course covers a range of skills and approaches crucial to implementing nature-based early childhood pedagogy. 2nd Annual American Forest Kindergarten Conference
Maple Valley, WA
This year's conference will have a special emphasis on utilizing the US Forest Kindergarten model as a pedagogical foundation. Learn valuable "tools of the trade" for best practices, business strategies, research and advocacy from experts in our field like Niki Buchan, our keynote speaker. Share your own successes and take advantage of networking opportunities within community gatherings throughout the conference. See examples of a program in action through observation of Nature Nuts, the first Cedarsong-accredited school. Sing, create, play, reflect, and connect with us, and leave feeling refreshed and invigorated. Juniper Hill School's Summer Institute
Juniper Hill School
Alna, ME
Teaching with Nature: An Introduction to Forest Kindergartens is a 4-day summer workshop taught primarily by the school’s founder and director, Anne Stires. Local naturalists and additional teachers are highlighted for key activities and concepts. The workshop will provide participants with a strong baseline from which to delve deeper into outdoor- and community-based schooling for prekindergarten- and kindergarten-aged children. Teaching with Nature is designed as a pre-cursor to Antioch University’s Nature-Based Early Childhood Certificate program. Nature-Based & Forest Preschool Business Planning Workshop: Helping your business take flight
Manchester, NH
This one-day workshop will help you develop a road map for opening a nature-based or forest preschool. We will begin with an overview of the business planning process, then we will guide you on questions to ask and tools to answer those questions—all specific to the unique business needs of nature-based and forest preschools.The workshop will be a mix of presentations and small-group interaction and problem-solving. All of these activities are designed to ensure you leave the workshop having made substantial progress on your business plan. Yes, you’ll leave with more work to do, but our goal is for you to leave with a clear road map of next steps to quickly and efficiently make your preschool a reality. Natural Start 2019 Nature-based Early Learning Conference
700 Elm Street
Manchester, NH 03101
The Natural Start Alliance's annual conference is the nation's largest professional event for teaching, administration, research, and advocacy in nature-based early learning.
Join us on July 31-August 3, 2019, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire for engaging presentations, experiential workshops, site tours, and professional networking with 400 nature-based early childhood professionals from around the country and beyond. Playful Learning in Kindergarten
Antioch University New England
Keene, NH
This course will provide teachers with a framework for facilitating play-based learning in the kindergarten classroom. Participants will learn strategies for supporting purposeful-play by establishing clear expectations, providing play prompts, observing children, and designing curriculum that responds to student interests. Classroom design, provisioning of materials, and pacing of the day will also be considered as important components of play-based programs. When teachers leave this course, they will have practiced identifying the learning that occurs during play, and will have seen many samples of ways that they might share these learning journeys with colleagues and families. They will also have a toolbox for using curriculum standards and published programs to inform and guid play based learning experiences. Talking and Thinking Floorbooks Approach
Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Road
Glencoe, IL 60022
Providing children with time to think and talk allows for inspirational learning opportunities and nurtures fascination of complex subjects. The Talking and Thinking Floorbook Approach®, developed by Claire Warden, is a child-led process for observation, documentation, and planning. This three-day workshop, led by associate trainer Erin Fitzpatrick, explores all elements of this technique: Talking Tubs™, which use provocations to discover interests, Mind Maps that discuss previous knowledge, and Floorbooks for documentation. Access to a free Claire Warden webinar is included.
$172.80 members/$216 non-members
CPDUs: 18, Gateways: 18, Graduate credit: 2 (optional; additional fee)
Grade level: preK – 2
Instructor: Erin Fitzpatrick, associate trainer, Claire Warden Ltd.
Learning Center Leadership Institute National Conference
Lied Lodge and Conference Center
Nebraska City, NE
New ideas, new connections and new inspirations are waiting for you at the 2019 Nature Explore/Outdoor Classroom Project Leadership Institute: Sustaining Ourselves, Sustaining Our Work, Sustaining Our World. Enjoy a great mix of hands-on sessions, discussion groups, nature-based experiences and inspiring social times. Discover new ways to keep your work fresh and growing such as innovative uses of loose parts (and you’ll get to create with them yourselves) and out-of-the-box thinking on appropriate ways to use technology in nature (yes, it really can be done). Gain engaging new ideas for renewing yourself in mind, body and spirit through nature connections. Learn inspiring, yet practical ideas for sustaining our world through practices such as permaculture. Join with our growing network and treat yourself to a time of rest, reflection and rejuvenation that will reinvigorate you for your professional journey. A Sense of Wonder: Nature Education in Early Childhood (Graduate Course)
Hamline University
St Paul, MN
Graduate Continuing Studies Online course--Instructor: Sheila Williams Ridge.
Introducing children to nature at a young age is one of the best ways to foster a sense of wonder and stewardship for the natural world. It has also been shown to boost learning and reduce behavior issues in the classroom. Review different ways to integrate nature and the outdoors into the classroom. Evaluate readings, discuss current research, make observations and develop programs or tools of your own. Target audience: non-formal and formal educators K-6. Online login and course information at www.hamline.edu/education/online ECO Institute: Levels 1 & 2
North Branch Nature Center
Montpelier, VT
The ECO Institute has been facilitating outdoor professional development courses for teachers and educators since the summer of 2013. We have trained and worked alongside over 100 teachers who strongly believe that nature has a place in the heart of education. Our work is inspired by the nature kindergartens found in Scandinavia, Forest Schools in the UK, the nature-based mentoring movement, and the teachers and children we work with.
Level 1 (July 15-19): Core Routines for Creating Outdoor Classrooms for Early Childhood Educators introduces participants to the core routines that structure a successful outdoor learning and play experience. Level 2 (July 29-Aug 2): Natural History Fundamentals for Educators is designed for educators who have an established routine of learning and exploring outdoors, and who are seeking a deeper understanding of their natural landscape. Forest School Skills Intensive
North Park Village
Chicago, IL
The Forest Playschool is offering educators of all stripes a 20-hour course in Forest School Skills, including supporting unstructured play in a woodland, working with a mixed-age group, facilitating work projects and tool use with kids, and incorporating literacy and numeracy. Click through for complete information and to register! Intermediate Nature-Based Teacher Certification by ERAFANS
Waldorf School of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
We are thrilled to offer a five-day Nature-based Teacher Certification! This 36-hour course provides in-depth study of best practices in nature-based early childhood education to prepare you for meaningful outdoor learning experiences. Whether you are in a formal school or childcare setting or working in a nature or forest preschool, this course is designed to meet the needs of early childhood educators working in any setting. The intermediate course is intended for participants who have already completed the intro credential. During the registration process, you have the opportunity to include special topics for deeper study.
Eco Institute
North Branch Nature Center
Montpelier, VT
The ECO Institute provides week-long, nature immersion courses for teachers, assistants, and administrators. The Institute is inquiry-based, outdoor learning through intensive experiential lessons, activities, and discussions. Led by NBNC staff and veteran public-school teachers, participants will move beyond the classroom and engage with nature as a learning partner. Participants will develop a nature pedagogy and learn to incorporate VELS, NGSS, and Common Core into their design of nature immersion curricula. You can choose from three weeks: July 8-12; July 15-19; July 29-Aug 2 Intro Nature-Based Teacher Certification by ERAFANS
Waldorf School of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
We are thrilled to offer a five-day Nature-based Teacher Certification! This 36-hour course provides in-depth study of best practices in nature-based early childhood education to prepare you for meaningful outdoor learning experiences. Whether you are in a formal school or childcare setting or working in a nature or forest preschool, this course is designed to meet the needs of early childhood educators working in any setting. The introductory certification course covers a range of skills and approaches crucial to implementing nature-based early childhood pedagogy. International Mud Day
MUD DAY started as an international exchange of ideas, clothing and friendship back in 2010 and carries on today in early childhood programs across the world? It’s a time to celebrate our connection to the earth and each other. Let’s make an even bigger splash this year. Invite your friends to join in.2019 Forest Kindergarten Teacher Training
CA
The Academy of Forest Kindergarten Teachers offers high quality, experiential, in-depth training and certification for current and up and coming early childhood educators dedicated to connecting children with Nature. In order to build a strong foundation in developmentally appropriate practices, deep nature connection and naturalist skills, we provide an active, engaging, and transformational curriculum. The Academy's comprehensive teacher training program provides our students with the theoretical, practical skills, knowledge, and magic to become exceptional educators and mentors in the field.
--The Foundation Course ~ Level 1 (open to beginners as well as seasoned teachers/naturalists)
June 24 - July 5, 2019 / Bishop, CA OR July 15 - 26, 2019 / Santa Barbara, CA
--The Metamorphic Course ~ Level 2 (open to graduates of Level 1)
July 29 - August 9, 2019 / Santa Barbara, CA New Bee Gathering by ERAFANS
Carrie Murray Nature Center
Baltimore, MD
This day-long event is a great primer to help you start your nature-based preschool, childcare, or home-school program. We will discuss a range of topics including business structures, staffing/hiring, curriculum development, insurance, enrollment procedures, partnering with other organizations, and more. We will invite you to submit three questions during registration so we can tailor our presenters specifically to your needs. Breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack will be provided. Most of the session will take place outdoors, so please dress for the weather and bring a canteen. - ‹ previous
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