Outdoor Classrooms Podcast Victoria Hackett, M.Ed: Learning Gardens and Nature Based Curriculum

The mission of The Garden School is to pass on
the essential skills of life to the next generation,
starting with horticulture.
Much of the experience of young people today is an abstraction—viewed through a screen. The Garden School seeks to remedy this by actual experience in the dirt. To plant a seed and watch it grow is an experience you will never forget. Working the land cultivates virtue in the individual: patience, focus, hard work, follow-through, and cooperation. These virtues are foundational for personal growth.
MEET JONATHON:
The Garden School is directed by Jon Zoba and a board of directors.
Jon graduated from Gordon College in 2006 with a major in fine art. From working on the Grounds Department at Gordon he developed a love for the land and has been landscaping and farming ever since. He helped his brother Ben establish The Garden School in 2016, serving as the property and facilities manager. Jon assumed leadership
of the School in 2023 when Ben moved to upstate New York.
He lives on the campus with his wife, Shirin, his son, Carl, and two cats.
Website

In this mini-episode, we asking some really important questions about getting outdoor classrooms into our public schools.
Why do educators opt out of teaching outdoors?What are the barriers to teaching outdoors?How can we support our public school teachers?
In this episode, we are also talking about general words of advice and additional tips for taking action.
CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:
FREE Seedling Newsletter WEBSITE: www.outdoor-classrooms.comEMAIL: Victoria@outdoor-classrooms.comInstagram: instagram.com/outdoor_classrooms/Facebook: Facebook.com/OutdoorClassrooms1
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RESOURCES:
The Outdoor Classrooms CIRCLE MembershipThe Outdoor Teaching Bootcamp Seeds of Inspiration for Outdoor Learning Card Deck

We are visiting Kind Roots Early Learning and Care with an Outdoor Classroom Tour and Talk with Annie Berres. Please note members can view the visual tour in our membership dashboard. Not a member? Join today.
This episode is a conversation that includes:
A peek into Annie's journey in transforming her backyard outdoor space into a nature-based preschool. How teaching outdoors has changed your teaching practice.An overview description of Annie's Backyard Outdoor Classroom's learning spaces.Tips and Tricks to staying outside all day. Where Annie finds inspiration.
MEET ANNIE:
Annie comes into nature-based child care through both passion and professional training. A Stillwater native, she earned a BS in Early Childhood Education & Child Services from Montana State University in Bozeman. It was there that she also developed her love for nature-based learning. During her undergrad years and beyond, Annie has gained valuable experience and knowledge in a variety of early childhood programs such as Dodge Nature Preschool, camps, and nanny settings. Recently she received her Nature-based Teacher Certification from the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools.  Annie will also bring another passion and love to the school, her two-year-old son, Beau.
CONTACT ANNIE:
Kind Roots Early Learning and Care
CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:
FREE Seedling Newsletter WEBSITE: www.outdoor-classrooms.comEMAIL: Victoria@outdoor-classrooms.comInstagram: instagram.com/outdoor_classrooms/Facebook: Facebook.com/OutdoorClassrooms1
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RESOURCES:
The Outdoor Classrooms CIRCLE MembershipThe Outdoor Teaching Bootcamp Seeds of Inspiration for Outdoor Learning Card Deck

When I was asked, "Who is hosting a Lantern Walk this year?" One of our members asked, “What is a Lantern Walk?”
In this mini-episode, we are taking a look at:
How the seasons change and losing daylight in Winter can lead us into hibernation not celebration. How meeting darkness with lightness is happening around the world.Tips for tapping into power, hope, and community with a Lantern Walk. How to make homemade lanterns for your own Lantern Walk. A description of our very simple Secret Gardens Lantern Walk.
CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:
FREE Seedling Newsletter WEBSITE: www.outdoor-classrooms.comEMAIL: Victoria@outdoor-classrooms.comInstagram: instagram.com/outdoor_classrooms/Facebook: Facebook.com/OutdoorClassrooms1
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RESOURCES:
The Outdoor Classrooms CIRCLE MembershipThe Outdoor Teaching Bootcamp Seeds of Inspiration for Outdoor Learning Card Deck

We are visiting Wild Earth Wonder with an Outdoor classroom tour and talk with CIRCLE Member, Bridger Hahn. Please note members can view the visual tour in our membership dashboard. Not a member? Join today.
This episode is a conversation that includes:
A peek into Bridger's journey BEFORE becoming a Nature-Based Educator. How teaching outdoors has changed her teaching practice.An overview description of Bridger's Backyard Outdoor Classroom's learning spaces.Challenges and examples of how to pivot.Where Bridger finds inspiration.
MEET BRIDGER:
Bridger Hahn, an educator and lifelong gardener. She delights in building healthy ecosystems (hello happy frogs and lizards) and community-focused, growth mindset-centered classrooms (hello accountable, kind, and empathetic humans)! Following her heart, she is merging these two passions by providing discovery and learning opportunities in her outdoor classroom. 
Working in collaboration with the physical world as a learning tool and teacher, she aims to build connections and relationships with nature and among children. 
 A native North Carolinian, she studied Non-Profit Management at the College of Charleston before receiving a Master of Arts in Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She has been a classroom teacher for the last decade and enjoys putting her love for nurturing young minds into practice.
 She feels most at home immersed in nature. Being that WE ARE NATURE, she finds it to be our best teacher. She recently created an outdoor classroom environment in her home garden to share with children and families. She is so excited to transition from teaching indoors to outdoors, where children can get their hands dirty, make noise, and grow through experiential learning. 
 Briger Hahn's mission is to empower young minds while building connections and environmental awareness. The benefits of outdoor learning for children are numerous and well-documented. When we have a relationship with nature, we are more inclined to advocate for and protect it.
CONTACT BRIDGER:
Wild Earth Wonder
CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:
FREE Seedling Newsletter WEBSITE: www.outdoor-classrooms.comEMAIL: Victoria@outdoor-classrooms.comInstagram: instagram.com/outdoor_classrooms/Facebook: Facebook.com/OutdoorClassrooms1
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RESOURCES:
The Outdoor Classrooms CIRCLE MembershipThe Outdoor Teaching Bootcamp a href="https://www.outdoor-classrooms.com/product/seeds-of-inspiration-outdoor-learning-card-deck/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

“Never doubt that a thoughtful, committed group of citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
~ Margaret Mead
In this episode, we are asking the following questions:
What does it mean to become an advocate for nature-based education?What is the purpose of nature advocacy?What is an example of environmental advocacy?How to get involved with environmental advocacy? How are you becoming an advocate of nature-based education for children?
CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:
FREE Seedling Newsletter WEBSITE: www.outdoor-classrooms.comEMAIL: Victoria@outdoor-classrooms.comInstagram: instagram.com/outdoor_classrooms/Facebook: Facebook.com/OutdoorClassrooms1
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RESOURCES:
The Outdoor Classrooms CIRCLE MembershipThe Outdoor Teaching Bootcamp Seeds of Inspiration for Outdoor Learning Card Deck