PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Victoria Nature School Society offers cutting edge professional development opportunities for early childhood educators, primary teachers (K-6), and college and university students focused on outdoor learning and early childhood education. We offer 2-hour workshops, 1/2 day workshops as well as one or two-day workshops. Please contact us to book a workshop or guest speaker for your conference, staff professional development day, or to design a workshop specific to the needs of your learning community. We are based out of Victoria, BC but we are happy to travel or design something for your online learning needs. Currently, most of our training opportunities are being offered by VNS' founder, Bonnie Davison. Please email us for inquiries!
WORKSHOP OFFERINGS:
Nature School 101: Making it Happen!
At this workshop educators will learn:
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The 'must haves' when choosing an outdoor site.
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No walls? -How does that affect classroom management and safety?
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Risk Management -Being prepared for the unknown; writing a risk management plan
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What does the first day of a nature program really look like? What routine works best for your students?
Nature School 101 -Part 2
Designed for Preschool, K, Grade 1-3 Educators, & Parents
who have attended Nature School 101
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At this workshop educators will learn:
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How to connect outdoor activities to curriculum expectations.
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Games and activities that promote routine and outdoor learning.
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How to assess and document learning in an outdoor classroom.
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How to help students have ownership over behaviour when in an outdoor classroom.
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How outdoor classrooms can make a teacher's life easier!
Taking Literacy Outside -Yes You Can!
Designed for preschool, K, Grade 1-3 Educators & Parents
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At this workshop educators will learn:
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Developmentally appropriate activities such as Singing English song-games that create strong literacy foundations for reading and writing success.
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Classroom management tips for literacy activities in an outdoor classroom with no walls, chairs or tables.
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How to extend a child's interest into reading and writing fun!
Risky Play -Where to draw the line!
Designed for: Daycare, Preschool, K, & Grade 1-3 Educators, & Parents
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At this workshop, educators will learn will learn:
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the benefits of taking risks
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how to assess risk
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and how to chose the ideal nature environment for maximum benefits!
Level 1:
Song-Games for Reading & Writing Success!
Designed for Preschool, K, Grade 1 Educators, & Parents
Singing English is a research-based oral literacy program for children of all abilities ages 2-8. Singing English supports recent research emphasizing the importance of orality as a prerequisite to literacy success.
At this workshop educators will learn:
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Powerful tools, techniques and easy to implement lessons for using song-games to create a strong foundation for reading and writing success.
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How to use song-games to create an inclusive learning environment for children of all abilities.
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How to balance 'teaching' song-games in a child-directed program.
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No music experience necessary! Participants will never be asked to sing by themselves or be put on the spot!
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And yes, song-games can happen inside or out!
Level 2:
Sound to Symbol Methodology & Techniques
This training program is designed for participants who have completed Level 1 Training and allows participants to expand upon the song-games they have learned in Level 1 Training to explore how to apply Singing English techniques and the Sound to Symbol Methodology to their literacy and language lessons.
At this workshop educators will learn:
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A deeper understanding of the connection between song- games and development of literacy skills.
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Sound to Symbol techniques such as song-maps, tapping & song-dotting.
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Developmentally appropriate language and literacy activities that are easy to implement both indoors and outdoors.
RESOURCES:
The following is a list of local and not so local professional development opportunities for educators and outdoor enthusiasts interested in learning more about forest school programs, nature programs, outdoor education and outdoor learning.
Coyote Guide- Wilderness Awareness School
Based out of Washington State this school provides many varied wilderness programs. From 9 months long to weekend courses there are many options for adults interested in outdoor learning and education.
http://wildernessawareness.org/adult/
Child and Nature Alliance of Canada – Forest and Nature School Practitioner Course
“This course is an intensive, self-directed professional learning opportunity for educators and early childhood educators who want to start up their own Forest and Nature School programs in their places of work. The course takes most educators, 8-12 months to complete, and educators must commit to completing all course content in order to become a certified ‘Forest and Nature School Practitioner'. Please see their website for more details.”
https://childnature.ca/forest-school-canada/
Fresh Air Learning
North Vancouver Forest School Program offers many professional development opportunities. Please see their website for more information.