Virginia Outdoor Teacher Retreat
Spring is in the air and we can't wait to celebrate with you! This special day of training brings together experts in the field of nature-based early learning to share ideas and practices with a variety of hands-on sessions to choose from.
ANBE will provide a professional development certificate at the conclusion of the event. Please dress for the weather, as most of this training takes place outdoors, rain or shine. Coffee/tea with lite breakfast and lunch is included, but remember your canteen for drinks throughout the day.
A professional development certificate will be issued following the conclusion of the event which can be submitted for VA Sate Continuing Ed Hours. Confirm eligibility through your VA DOE licensing representative and reach out to programs@anbe.org with any questions!
Note: We strive for zero waste during our events; please bring your canteen for drinks.
Who Should Attend?
This training is ideal for educators, caregivers, and others working with young children ages 2–8. Our participants work in all kinds of settings, from nature-based schools and forest kindergartens to public schools, traditional preschools, HeadStart programs, child care settings, and more.
Workshop Descriptions:
Spring Plant Walk with Bodhi Vasilopoulos
Nature is abundant with food, medicine, and more, yet we have forgotten our ancient ways of working with the botanical and fungal relatives growing all around us. Learning about wild foods takes some time and focus but in the process we are rewarded with greater health, happiness, resilience, and connection to the natural world. In this walk we will cover topics such as:
- plant and mushroom identification
- how to harvest sustainably and prepare different wild edible foods throughout the seasons
- basics of botany, mycology, field herbalism and medicinal preparations
- planting and propagation techniques
- agroforestry principles and practices
- temperate ecology...and more!
Social Emotional Learning Through Nature with Jason Lee
Being in Nature is naturally calming to most people. As Nature Based Educators, especially for those working in Early Childhood, it is so important to help children practice social and emotional skills that will be necessary throughout life. If planted and nurtured correctly children will grow in important skills like problem solving, emotion identification, emotional regulation, empathy, and more. Come learn nature-based mindfulness and self-regulation techniques to help guide students through their ever growing emotional awareness!
Natural Assessment: Documenting Emergent Learning with Monica French
Meaningful documentation in emergent learning settings makes the purpose of an event, experience, or development visible. In this course, educators will learn how to naturally build an assessment portfolio for children that demonstrates student learning through evidence such as photographs, artwork, observational drawings, records of conversations, and anecdotal notes. Learn to transform these artifacts to tell a story that takes your audience deeper into children's wonderings, observations, and learning.
Firemaking with Bill Kaczor and Eden Cornelius
Get ready for an outdoor adventure as we dive into the age-old art of generating fire through friction in our interactive workshop! Experience the captivating skill of using a bow drill for fire creation, an essential survival technique that also sparks an exciting journey of discovery. This isn't just about learning a useful skill—it's about sparking a sense of wonder and admiration for our ancestors who relied on this incredible method for survival and advancement! This is your chance to tap into the wisdom of the past, so don't miss out!