Join this panel of incredible educators, researchers, authors and practitioners in talking all things Outdoor Learning in the Early Years!
This free virtual workshop will be packed full of useful tools, resources, and ideas for building your outdoor learning practice tailored specifically for the early years.

REGISTER HERE

Presenters:

• Anne Stires, M.Ed. is committed to educational systemic change through community, school, and early childhood initiatives. Founder of Juniper Hill School for Place-Based Education in Alna, Maine, she is now an independent educational consultant. Anne wrote the first chapter for David Sobel’s book, Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens: The Handbook for Outdoor Learning (2015) and co-authored the NAEEE/Natural Start Alliance’s Nature-Based Preschool Professional Practices Guidebook (2019). She teaches graduate-level courses for Antioch University (in the Nature-based Early Childhood master’s degree and certificate program) as affiliate faculty and serves as an advisor to Inside-Outside: Nature-based Educators’ Network.
• Dr. Gillian Judson is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University (SFU). She teaches in Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction programs. Dr. Judson’s scholarship examines imagination’s role in leadership, learning (PreK—post-secondary), and imaginative and ecological teaching practices (PreK through post-secondary). Her latest book is entitled A Walking Curriculum for the Early Years (McKay, Redford & Judson, 2023).
• Dr. Michelle McKay is a teacher/Early Years educator and co-author of  A Walking Curriculum for the Early Years. Michelle teaches in a large urban centre in Ontario. She completed her Ph.D. at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of Toronto) in Curriculum and Pedagogy. Michelle’s research is situated around engaging Kindergarten students in teaching and learning about truth and reconciliation. Her passions include early learning, equity- based work, and inclusive instructional strategies. She provides professional development for educators from across the province on a range of topics related to early learning and play and enjoys working with Early Years professionals.
• Klara Redford is a teacher (OCT) in a large urban school board in Ontario and third co-author of  A Walking Curriculum for the Early Years. She has spent the majority of her career learning alongside students in the Early Years. Klara’s passion lies in amplifying student identity and lived experiences as we #getoutside to extend the learning, learn with and from the land, and develop a deeper sense of Place. Klara’s love of picture books (and her ever-growing collection) provides endless opportunities for students to see themselves represented, make connections, and be curious about the world around them. Klara continues to work to amplify the voices of Early Years educators and students and to build community through opportunities for Early Years educators to learn from each other and together.
• Jacob Rodenburg is a nature sommelier, award-winning educator, curriculum designer, and executive director of Camp Kawartha, a summer camp and outdoor education centre, and instructor in environmental education at Trent University. He has taught more than 100,000 students and is co-author of The Big Book of Nature Activities and The Book of Nature Connection.
• Lisa Lalonde is a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) and has a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management from Royal Roads University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Applied Psychology & Human Development, Early Learning through OISE, University of Toronto. Lisa has over 15 years of experience working with children, families, and the broader early learning community. She participated in the College of Early Childhood Educators Leadership Project, and is engaged in building professional capacity within the early childhood sector, both locally, in Ottawa, and provincially. Her areas of interest are examining the professional identity of ECEs and the use of technology in early childhood settings. She will be sharing about the work of Outdoor Play Canada and their new Outdoor ECE Framework.

Early years resources featured in this virtual workshop: 

• Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens: The Handbook for Outdoor Learning
• A Walking Curriculum for the Early Years: Developing a Sense of Place by Sparking Curiosity and Wonder
• The Big Book of Nature Activities: A Year-Round Guide to Outdoor Learning
• The Book of Nature Connection: 70 Sensory Activities for All Ages