Forest Fridays: How Nature Can Boost Empathy, Imagination, And Well-Being

By Natalie Crowley (First Grade Teacher) I spent the first four years of my teaching career in urban public schools with rigorous academic schedules, high stakes testing, and extremely limited outdoor time. I loved my job and my students, but I grew frustrated by my first and second graders’ struggles to sit still, use their […]

Learning In Depth Meets Imaginative Ecological Education

I recently* published an article in the Canadian Journal of Environmental Education that provides a rationale for in-depth and imaginative study as part of an ecological approach to teaching. In other words, Learning in Depth meets Imaginative Ecological Education!  (I say “recently” because the journal came out in 2017 but it is a 2015 volume!) […]

Adventure In Our Own Backyard: Fostering Sense of Place in Early Years Education

By Jolene McFadyen-Nein (Kindergarten Teacher) Working in a school that is nestled in the heart of our community has sparked my interest in Place-Based learning. Many of my students live close by, but have very little understanding of the place in which they live. I have pushed to ensure that my students have emotional ties […]