Next dates to be announced. Contact us to find out more and let us know you’re interested.
Tuition: $360
Group Discount: Groups of 3 or more teachers from a school district each get 25% off tuition. Use code TEACHER25 at checkout.
Over 24 years of providing outdoor nature education, Flying Deer has mentored more than 9,000 children and adults and partnered with 15 public and private schools. Last summer, we launched our professional development program to help teachers reimagine what school could look like in the safer space of the outdoors, and trained more than 50 teachers in 10 school districts, both regional and around the country. Now we’re continuing to share our knowledge with teachers as they do the all-important work of keeping children engaged and learning this fall as they return to on-site classes, reconnect with other students, and navigate “re-entry anxiety.”
This training is for teachers of Grades K–6 who wish to gain comfort, understanding, and inspiration about teaching and learning in the out-of-doors—creating outdoor learning environments as well as integrating the gifts of nature education into all curriculum areas. The 15-module course opens the door to the wealth of discovery available right in your schoolyard—and the lessons can also be used to enrich students’ experience during remote learning, whether they have access to a lawn, a forest, a playground, or a window!
Looking for on-site training at your school? Learn more about our consultation and trainings tailored for specific environments, grade levels, or subject areas.
The course is based on the nature guide Put On Your Owl Eyes, by our Program Director Devin Franklin, and includes recorded video components, stories, activities, and workbook pages that can be used directly with students or adapted to provide learning units for a class. Teachers will experience first-hand the world of learning that’s available outside, immerse themselves in the inquiry-based method of education, and gain an understanding of how to integrate outdoor learning into their curricula and learning standards.
This course is not just for science teachers; it supports teachers of all backgrounds and can stimulate ideas for a variety of curriculums, including writing, art, science, math, and more. Devin has been teaching wilderness survival, tracking, and awareness skills for 26 years, and is an expert educator of children, adolescents, and adults.
Come learn new ways to inspire your students to expand their awareness and fine-tune their senses as they dive into the endless gifts that nature provides.
This course includes:
- A copy of Put On Your Owl Eyes for each enrolled participant
- 15 videos: Each 5- to 10-minute video presents a new Core Routine of Nature Connection—such as Owl Eyes, Fox Walk, and Listening for Bird Language—through Devin’s storytelling, demonstrations, and personal reflections
- 3 Zoom Sessions: Each weekly 90-minute online gathering brings participants together to inspire the arts of storytelling and questioning as participants share and answer questions about their own weekly backyard experiences, and learn tried-and-true Core Routines games, songs, stories, and other curriculum.
Educators can expect to spend approximately 3–4 hours per week on nature projects, homework, and reflections, in addition to Zoom calls.
Required materials: Each participant should obtain a copy of the National Audubon Society’s Field Guide to New England; email us if you need assistance in obtaining copies, or order via IndieBound or Amazon.