The professional practices described in the Guidebook are intended to represent a broad consensus among nature-based early education professionals in the United States about what signifies high-quality practice in the field. A draft of the practices was developed by the writing team, whose collective experience in nature-based early education totals more than 200 years of practice; spans across the United States; includes perspectives from a variety of program types including nature preschools, forest schools, and public schools; and includes expertise in a variety of sectors of the field, including teaching, administration, teacher preparation, research, special education, and more. The initial draft was developed with input collected from nature-based educators and administrators at professional gatherings.
The draft practices were reviewed by a panel of expert reviewers, who expanded the expertise and perspectives used to develop the draft practices. And, finally, the practices were shared with education professionals in a variety of settings in order to collect additional feedback and perspectives from an even wider array of professionals in the field. The feedback provided from these reviews and discussions was used to refine the practices to reflect the widest possible consensus about the practices necessary to run a high-quality nature-based preschool program in the United States today. We know that these practices will evolve over time as they are reviewed and refined in practice, and as conditions change. This drive to continuously reflect on practices in order to improve outcomes for children, families, teachers, and staff is what will keep the nature-based preschool movement growing and thriving.
Writing Team
- Patti Bailie, University of Maine Farmington
- Amy Butler, North Branch Nature Center
- Deb Carter, Boise State University
- Peter Dargatz, Woodside Elementary School
- Kit Harrington, Fiddleheads Forest School
- Rachel Larimore, Michigan State University
- Marcie Oltman, Tamarack Nature Center
- Anne Stires, Juniper Hill School
- Monica Wiedel-Lubinski, Eastern Region Association of Forest & Nature Schools
- Sheila Williams Ridge, University of Minnesota
Executive Editor
Christy Merrick, North American Association for Environmental Education
Expert Reviewers
- Yashwant Bhagwanji, Florida Atlantic University
- Patty Born Selly, Hamline University
- Sylvia Collazo, Florida Atlantic University
- Nilda Cosco, North Carolina State University
- Anna Dutke, Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools
- Sarah Foglesong, The Center for Nature- and Place-based Early Childhood Education
- Megan Gessler, The Morton Arboretum
- Lia Grippo, Wild Roots Forest School, Academy of Forest Kindergarten Teachers
- Sarah Heller, Fiddleheads Forest School
- Erin Kenny, Cedarsong Nature School
- Catherine Koons Hubbard, Schlitz Audubon Nature Preschool
- Julie Powers, University of Hawaii Maui College
- Eileen Prendergast, Chicago Botanic Garden
- Adana Protonentis, Seattle Children’s PlayGarden
- David Sobel, Antioch University New England
- Bora Simmons, National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education
- Ruth Wilson, Children and Nature Network
- Aliza Yair, Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families
NAAEE Staff
- Judy Braus, Executive Director, NAAEE
- Christy Merrick, Director, Natural Start Alliance (NAAEE)
- Betty Olivolo, Assistant Director, Natural Start Alliance (NAAEE)
- Sydney Gary, Conference and Communications Coordinator, Natural Start Alliance (NAAEE)