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Summer Institute For Early Childhood Educators

Teaching with Nature

August 5th -8th, 2020  Alna, ME

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Juniper Hill School for Place-Based Education in Alna, Maine, is offering a 4-day summer workshop called Teaching with Nature. The course is taught primarily by the school’s founder and director, Anne Stires; local naturalists and additional teachers are highlighted for key activities and concepts. The workshop will provide participants with a strong baseline from which to delve deeper into outdoor- and community-based schooling for prekindergarten- and kindergarten-aged children. Teaching with Nature is designed as a pre-cursor to Antioch University’s Nature-Based Early Childhood Certificate program.

Educators will be introduced to:

  • the core routines and daily/weekly rhythms which provide the structure for nature-based programming;

  • the best practices for risk management and the research that exemplifies the benefits of risk for overall health and development;

  • the how and why of integrated, emergent curriculum that is the backbone of children’s experience, including discussion of flow learning and the importance of observation;

  • enriching, creative ways to transition, move from place to place, gather, and introduce concepts with the four ancient routines integral to human happiness--story, laughter, song, and dance!

 

Participants will leave the course with:

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  • the skills to implement a risk-based activity and the confidence to do so, as well as a healthy caution and desire to learn more about effective ways to do that;

  • the ability to incorporate integration, interdisciplinary practices, and cross-curricular studies into their teaching;

  • a collection of transition games, stories, songs, and movements, completed projects connected to their own programs, and many documents for reference;

  • a restored sense of their own commitment to nature-based teaching and cultivating a climate of deep awareness, happiness, and meaningful learning;

  • a multitude of ways to continue their own learning through Antioch University’s programs and their own consistent practice.

 

 

Program Logistics

The workshop begins at 9:00 on Wednesday, August 5th and concludes on Saturday, August 8th at 3:00pm.

Workshop will be held daily at Juniper Hill School located at 180 Golden Ridge Road Alna, ME 04535.

Participants are responsible for their own lodging, transportation, breakfast & dinner (lunch provided). Please click here to view local lodging suggestions.,

Please bring the follow items daily to the workshop:

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  • water bottle

  • travel mug

  • weather appropriate comfortable clothing and footwear

  • sun protection (hat, sunscreen, spf rated clothing)

  • sitting support if needed (camp chair, cushion, etc.)

 

Tuition: $1200

(additional $350 if receiving CEU credit at Antioch University)

Please contact info@juniperhillschool.org with questions

 

Registration

Please complete all fields below.

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After submitting your registration, please download and complete the Health & Consent Form and mail payment to:

Juniper Hill School
180 Golden Ridge Road
Alna, ME 04535