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PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Are you curious about Outdoor Education and the philosophy and practice of forest school? Join forest school educators from around Metro Vancouver and beyond for a professional development session.
Photo credit: Child & Nature Alliance of Canada
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Forest and Nature School Practitioners Course
Forest School Canada aims to support high-quality Forest/Nature School practice and programming in Canada through evidence-based, practical, and inspiring professional learning opportunities, community building, and advocacy.
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Our goal is for all children in Canada to have the opportunity to lead their play and learning on the Land as an integral part of their education and healthy development.
Host: Fresh Air Learning
Dates: April 23-25, 2023
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For more information about the course visit Child and Nature Alliance of Canada.
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CUSTOM WORKSHOPS
Looking to provide a workshop for you team of educators? Professional development can take place in the forests where we work, at your school, or online. Our workshops can include:
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An exploration of forest school philosophy
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Risk assessment, impact assessment, and site selection
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Sharing stories and storytelling techniques
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Sensory activities to help you bridge between structured and play-based learning
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Hands-on skills such as ropes, tarps, knife work, weaving, and making cordage
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Plant identification
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Animal tracking
ONLINE WORKSHOPS
These 1.5 hour workshops are available to childcare centers, ECEs, teachers, and parents. Contact us to book a date. We are happy to work with groups around the world on the Zoom platform.​ Cost: $150-$225 *Sliding scale​.
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Learning with Loose Parts
Cones, clay, leaves: there is so much to play with right outside your door. Discover the delight of playing and learning from loose parts play in nature! Engage with a variety of loose parts in this hands-on workshop and reflect on your play experiences. We’ll also share examples of loose parts creations to inspire your practice.​​​
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Loving the Outdoors Through Literature
Consider the role of storytelling in connecting children to themselves, each other, and the land. Learn child-centred storytelling techniques that will help you bring your personal stories and stories from books into the outdoors, and get introduced to a variety of beautiful and funny stories to bring into your outdoor classroom.
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Learning in the Forest
What is forest school, and how does it work? In this workshop, you'll learn about the forest school philosophy and the roles of children and adults at forest school. We will also discuss some of the fundamentals of forest school, such as site selection and assessment, impact assessment, risky play, and what to wear.
IN-SCHOOL MENTORSHIP
Our school programs work to make outdoor learning simple for you as a teacher.
We work with you to help determine where you can go. We help you assess the risks and the learning and stewardship possibilities in these spaces. We help you make the connections between curriculum and what your students experience outdoors. We co-teach with you to model outdoor teaching techniques as you develop your own outdoor education skills.
We offer:
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On site professional development, including a site walk and assessment
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Consultation with your school's teaching team to discuss your curriculum needs
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Help communicating with children, staff, and parents
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Eight two-hour sessions with your group during a school term.
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Location: Vancouver, North Shore, Burnaby,
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Cost: $0-$1500
Thanks to our funders, we can offer limited sliding scale pricing for this program, including very low cost options for inner city schools. Please inquire about sliding scale options.​
