Episode 46 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Big Questions Facing Forest Education

The future of nature based learning looks bright, due to a growing awareness of the benefits of time spent outside.   

It's an exciting time to be an educator right now, and there is a lot of reason to have a very real sense of hope that has been a long time in coming.

There are tens of thousands of nature educators who have been working for decades to help make this happen, and that generally has happened with low pay, long hours and self-created curriculum and activities.  It's truly a grassroots process that deserves it's 'moment' in the greater field of education, both private and public.

However, there is a big jump from grassroots to legitimate public education partner, and that jump is not without risk and challenges.

In this episode, I share some of the biggest questions I have had running through my head as I contemplate this process, and how it might succeed (or fail) in the coming years.  Right now, there are more questions than answers, but asking the right things can help us find options and solutions so we don't have to reinvent the wheel or 'wing it' when the stakes are high.

I'm hoping this audio can help stimulate YOUR big questions, and maybe generate some ideas and solutions along the way.  After all, it's going to take ALL of us sharing our thoughts and opinions to find some different, unique models for urban schools, or older grades, or staff and teacher training.  Part of the vision of this podcast is to bring us together and hear lots of different and unique voices and perspectives, and celebrate them all.

Connect with Ricardo:

https://www.foresteducator.com/

https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/

https://www.hawkcircle.com/

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/

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