Forest School Teacher Institute Training, In Partnership with Red Bank Elementary School
May 28-30, 2025

Calling all public school teachers and principals, and everyone interested in Forest School!

Join us in Chattanooga, Tennessee to discover how outdoor/nature-based education (Forest School) helps all children become healthier, physically and emotionally, and helps them experience the joy of learning—a significant factor in personal and academic success.

Day One: We will explore Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center where Dr. Jean Lomino will lead a nature/history hike, with mindfulness activities and nature journaling. You will learn strategies and lessons for engaging children in nature at all grade levels. Jean was the Executive Director of Reflection Riding for nine years, and then in 2015 co-founded and directed Wauhatchie Forest School. She is the Founder and Director of Forest School Teacher Institute and has trained over 1000 teachers from around the world to provide nature-based education for children of all ages, in both private and public schools

Day Two: You will learn firsthand how to align outdoor/nature-based learning with learning standards and curriculum, as you visit Red Bank Elementary School and Lookout Valley Elementary School. These schools have established Forest Kindergarten, Forest First Grade and Forest Second Grade in their programs. Tours and instruction will be led by Kim Hakimian, Forest Program Coordinator and Kindergarten Forest Co-Teacher at RBE.

Day Three: You will engage in further training and practice by 1) learning observation and assessment strategies and then practicing these strategies while watching a group of children in a forest school setting, 2) engaging in a panel discussion with public school teachers and principals who have forest school programs, and 3) taking deeper dive into emergent learning, working in teams to develop seasonal learning frameworks.

Benefits:  Teachers will leave the training

• Inspired and encouraged to provide outdoor/nature-based learning for their students
• Empowered with knowledge and practical ideas and lessons to engage their students in outdoor/nature-based learning.
• Invigorated with a new joy in teaching!

Prerequisite:  Highly recommended--complete Introduction to Forest School Course of Study. Three 1.5-hour live Zoom sessions. Tuition $95. Next session: 4/21-23.

Tuition: 
Days 1-2 | $150 (w/o certificate of completion from FSTI)
Days 1-3 | $400 (with certificate of completion from FSTI)
Enrollment Deadline:  5/17 | Maximum Participants:  25