Jane Weir 10/20/24 Jane Weir 10/20/24

Growing Together: Connecting with Families in Nature-based Programs

In this episode of the Mindful Turtle podcast, Dr. Rachel A. Larimore discusses the importance of nurturing connections with families in early childhood nature-based education, which ultimately reinforces the partnership between teachers and families.

Jane Weir 10/16/24 Jane Weir 10/16/24

Fostering Curiosity, Confidence & Care: The Role of Adults in Nature-Based Pedagogy

Jane Weir 10/13/24 Jane Weir 10/13/24

Nurturing Relationships: Connecting with New Team Members in Outdoor Settings

In this episode of the Mindful Turtle podcast, Dr. Rachel A. Larimore emphasizes the importance of supporting new team members in nature-based early childhood education settings.

Jane Weir 9/29/24 Jane Weir 9/29/24

High Five Time: Noticing the Successes

In this episode of the Mindful Turtle podcast, Dr. Rachel A. Larimore introduces a Mindful Turtle tradition designed to shift focus from the overwhelming to-do list to celebrations of what has gone well.

Rachel Larimore 9/13/24 Rachel Larimore 9/13/24

Naturally Teaching Elementary Science podcast: Interview with Dr. Rachel Larimore

In this podcast, the host of Naturally Teaching Elementary Science hosts Dr. Rachel A. Larimore to discuss the NAture-Based Education Rating Scales (NABERS), and the important and varied roles teachers play in implementing and maintaining quality programs.

Jane Weir 8/27/24 Jane Weir 8/27/24

We’re in it together—Team teaching in early childhood

Every single adult in any classroom matters. They impact the children, the other adults, and interactions with families. Everyone matters.

Jane Weir 3/5/24 Jane Weir 3/5/24

Trail Map for Leading Change

Leading change in nature-based early childhood education cs difficult. And slow. This means that whether you’re an administrative leader or a classroom leader, it can be a daunting, frustrating task to inspire others toward the nature-based approach.

Jane Weir 2/27/24 Jane Weir 2/27/24

Inspiring Change Toward Nature-based Teaching

If we want others to move toward nature-based early chitdhood teaching our only effective option is to inspire.

Jane Weir 2/13/24 Jane Weir 2/13/24

Evaluating Natureness: Community & family engagement

Family engagement and community partnerships are areas of nature-based education that sometimes get overlooked, but are important components for a thriving program. Let’s look at each…

Jane Weir 2/6/24 Jane Weir 2/6/24

Evaluating Natureness: Quality comes from the people

Remember, nature-based pedagogy is a collection of practices. All of these practices are ultimately influenced or implemented by administrators and teachers.

Jane Weir 1/30/24 Jane Weir 1/30/24

Evaluating Natureness: Collection of practices

Can we call ourselves nature-based?

I often hear this from early childhood educators. My response? Nature-based education is a collection of practices that prioritize children’s experiences learning with nature.

Jane Weir 11/10/23 Jane Weir 11/10/23

Don’t let regulations spook you

Whether you’re contemplating starting a school or you have a school and are considering integrating more nature-based approaches, at some point you’ve probably had thoughts about regulations.

Jane Weir 6/27/23 Jane Weir 6/27/23

Clear hiring is kind

“Clear is kind.” It’s a phrase Brené Brown uses often and it’s one of my favorites–particularly when it comes to hiring staff. And for many in the northern hemisphere, right now is the height of hiring between the end and beginning of the school years.

Jane Weir 6/25/23 Jane Weir 6/25/23

Not fun, necessary

Policies and procedures. Probably not your favorite topic, eh? It’s not my favorite either.

Jane Weir 6/13/23 Jane Weir 6/13/23

Belonging through onboarding

The onboarding process should create a sense of belonging. New staff should feel they belong and are part of the team while also feeling they can be their authentic selves as a member of the team.

Jane Weir 5/20/23 Jane Weir 5/20/23

Explicit expectations

If expectations don’t match reality we can experience resentment, frustration, and a myriad of other emotions. It’s for this reason it’s important to be clear about our expectations–to ourselves and to others involved.

Jane Weir 3/29/23 Jane Weir 3/29/23

How nature-y is it?

The number of nature-based programs is continuing to increase throughout the world. This is great news! And yet...not all of these programs are really “nature-based.” Some programs go outside every day and call that enough.

Rachel Larimore 3/7/23 Rachel Larimore 3/7/23

Managing the Shift to a Nature-Based Approach in Your Program

In this webinar Dr. Rachel Larimore addressed the foundational administrative and pedagogical practices to successfully shift your team to a nature-based approach. Most importantly, she addressed the human element, including how to best support staff and families in your evolving infusion of nature.