Creating Your Forest or Nature School
If you are starting a new forest or nature-based program (including outdoor preschool, childcare and homeschool classes), this intensive 12-clock hour course can help you get started!
We address a range of topics including:
- honing your vision, mission, and educational philosophy
- establishing program basics like daily rhythm, class sizes, schedules
- business planning/determining a business structure
- locations and partners
- licensing considerations
- how to set tuition, compensate staff, and create a program budget
- policies and practices for your parent handbook
- creating greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in your program
- safety and risk management, including liability insurance needs
- finding and hiring great staff
- marketing your program
- evaluation
The format of this interactive course is a combination of facilitated discussion, small group work among participants, and asynchronous independent learning experiences. We provide many templates and resources to help you develop an authentic, placed-base approach to your program. As you might imagine, this is an intense course because we cover so much ground in a short span of time! Be sure to plan time between our sessions to reflect on what we discuss. Please note this is not a prerecorded, on-demand course. It is interactive so we can learn together!
Upon registration, we will provide you with a complete list of materials needed for the course. Are you ready to take the leap?
SCHEDULE
Online meeting includes facilitated discussion and topics during four consecutive Thursdays from 7:00 PM–9:00 PM (EST), followed by self-directed reading/planning for at least one (1) hour between class meetings. This means you will engage in 12 clock hours of training during the course. A professional development certificate is included following successful course completion.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
This course is ideal for anyone establishing a nature-based program, which could be in the form of outdoor preschool, forest school, child care, home school, or afterschool model. Whether your program is in a rural or urban setting, we offer essential information so you can get right to it!