Episode 135 - Forest Educator Spotlight: The Invitation to Dream Bigger
Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra | A Podcast for Revolutionary Conversations about Nature-Based EducationShow Notes
There are a lot of 'ingredients' in most forest educator programs that make up the bulk of the experiences. Crafts. Skills. Games. Challenges. Free Play. Exploration. (and more).
Viewed as a recipe, they would be the big items in whatever dish you're making. They'd take up a lot of space in the pot or pan, and they would get the most attention.
But there are also the smaller ingredients in the mix, that are often completely overlooked and seldom thought about, that are critical to making the dish come together, and work, like salt, or seasonings, or baking powder. When these are missing, it is a big deal.
When it comes to crafting and inviting students to have an 'Experience' in our programs, the little things matter in the same way. Our stories are important, and how we frame the lessons, or time spent together, and our intent, as well.
This episode explores some of these small but mighty 'secret ingredients' that pack a lot of power and energy, especially around the ideas of inspiration, mastery, pushing beyond our perceived limits and the value of focus and attention to detail. These have the capacity to provide some incredibly long lasting impact for students and educators alike.
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More from Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra | A Podcast for Revolutionary Conversations about Nature-Based Education
Today's Forest Educator Spotlight is all about the best-kept secret for Forest Educators: the Natural Advantage. When we implement this three-part framework in our programs, we can have the biggest impact.
Some of my favorite ages to work with are middle schoolers, anywhere from 10-14 years old. Some may say those ages are some of the most challenging, but I really like that age group for so many reasons. I love to help them find their passion and excitement, and to watch them build an inner foundation for themselves and a personal belief that they know who they are, and begin to believe that they can do hard things. In this episode, I'm exploring the different developmental ages and stages during this period of kids' lives and some of my best tips and strategies for working with them effectively. From emotional development, friendship, trust, and self-reflection to skill-building, I hope this episode will help you feel excited about working with this age group, too.
The first rule about 'bonding' is like Fight Club:
The paths we take in our journey as educators are incredibly diverse and unique to each of us. We all have different origins, with mentors, teachers, opportunities and our communities all influencing how we do what we do.
An aspect of nature education that I believe is greatly overlooked is the ability and benefit it gives young people to 'Do Hard Things'. This happens when we learn to climb a steep hill, climb a tree, master carving knife safety or learn to think of others in our groups! It happens when we learn to be safe and respectful about campfires. It happens when we begin our studies in wild foods, birds, animal tracks, trees or bushcraft skills. (This list could be very, very substantial!)