Forest School Teacher Institute

Rhythms and routines begin day one. Here is how a teacher does it inside. Let’s take it outside. What are some of the first day rhythms in your neck of the woods?

https://montessoritraining.blogspot.com/2010/09/montessori-insights-and-reflections-of_02.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawEq66xleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZmOJnlT900L0lRKZXDqqq1fwAn8lw_3wOoiZLPn7eET0dg7dI_wGXo2aQ_aem_DMVBqmU0zU21p09SNh72cg&m=1

Montessori Circle Time Routines for the First Day: Welcome Songs The first say, I try to make Montessori circle time routines as predictable as possible. I share an outline as well as some great songs for your classroom.

We are going to check this out. If anyone wants to join in with us and have some post Zooms to process, just let us know. A little collaboration goes a long way!

Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty & Stress Offered by Yale University. Developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty & Stress will ... Enroll for free.

Children of the forest know they need not wait until June to mess in the mud. Every day is a holiday when you dig in the mud.

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“May you find the people who will sustain you and remind you that this work matters. May you delight in your students—their brilliance and their quirks. May you find the good in your day, tuck it into your heart, and work to replicate it. May you always know: You are enough.” —Rebeka Peterson, teacher. https://www.edutopia.org/article/advice-new-teachers-teacher-year?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=BTS+24&utm_id=BTS24&utm_term=new+teachers&utm_content=practitioner&fbclid=IwY2xjawElpN5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHRl5mXJ2Y1bSIDSBIiIN6GU8p7_45uP2C2G-M5mwHdEhCLilYzVLQS6CPQ_aem_ntUCHjSdLomNhOn0EIvkAw

Advice for New Teachers From a Teacher of the Year Try implementing four simple ways of thinking to help guide you through your evolution as an educator.

Excited to be sharing and learning at such an inspiring school!

Not a bad tradition to start in your neck of the woods . . . could even turn into an annual fundraiser toward scholarship dollars. If the notion of a phrenology journal is new to you, here is a great calendar model from Wisconsin. Such an impactful way to spark interest and heighten awareness of things bigger than ourselves.

2025 Phenology Calendar | The Aldo Leopold Foundation Store Embark on a year of discovery with the 2025 Phenology Calendar: Staying in a Thermal Niche as your guide. Complete with eloquent Leopold quotes, stunning photographs, and eye-opening phenological sidebars curated by Senior Fellow Dr. Stan Temple, this year's calendar will take you on an observationa...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/08/04/outdoor-nature-children-cognition-stress/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzIzMDAzMjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzI0Mzg1NTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3MjMwMDMyMDAsImp0aSI6IjMzMjFiN2RiLTUzNjctNGYyZC1iYmJmLWI5MWNhZjMyNTdjZiIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS93ZWxsbmVzcy8yMDI0LzA4LzA0L291dGRvb3ItbmF0dXJlLWNoaWxkcmVuLWNvZ25pdGlvbi1zdHJlc3MvIn0.DsZVlMBJqHnHtggUAt-ZNwRyF0vrH0iBgPCyrhPLkfY

How time in nature builds happier, healthier and more social children You don’t need to visit a national park — a simple walk around the neighborhood will do.

"Summertime is always the best of what might be." --Charles Bowden

What if, "what might be," is Forest School?

www.forestteacher.org

Just imagine. Just imagine if every community had such a place as this. Let us not delay; the children can't wait.

Fauna Forest Farm brings nature-based education, therapy to region For those who know about it, Fauna Forest Farm is a “hidden oasis.”

Enrollment is now open for Forest School Teacher's Institute's Fall Forest School Teacher Training.

Join us for 3 days of sweet communion amidst stunning fall scenery, with a cadre of like-minded folk from around the US. Dr. Jean Lomino, Founder and President of Forest School Teacher Institute, and Bonnie Cretton, Founder and Director of Woodsong Forest School will co-facilitate FS Teacher Certificate Training at Johnston Woods Retreat Center home of Woodsong Forest School, set amidst 400 acres of forest, meadows, creeks and lakes.

This training intensive will feature observations of children at Woodsong, preschool through elementary. Participants will gain FS skills, knowledge, and inspiration including: Observation and Assessment Strategies, Child-directed Emergent Curriculum in nature-based programs, Cultural Themes in Forest School, Practicing Mindfulness and Nature Journaling, among other offerings.

Experienced naturalists will also be on hand to lead participants into a deeper understanding of general ecology, developing observation skills, and learning field identification of local flora and fauna. Lead naturalist is Dr. Carl Swafford, Professor Emeritus at Southern Adventist University, and founder of the MSED in Outdoor Education Program.

Sign-up today: https://www.forestteacher.org/press

Due diligence. When thunder roars, go indoors. https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-safety?fbclid=IwY2xjawETJpBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHV_CXFLHOWyddLMFx76Ng5haS2jqZtaCXSAhpM2jUlO3dY1phtIqLz1m_A_aem_qjYw0ORm7YZCReMFwhiJww

Lightning Safety There is no safe place outside when thunderstorms are in the area. If you hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance of the storm. Just remember, When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors. Too many people wait far too long to get to a safe place when thunderstorms approach. Unfortunately, these de...

It was a beautiful day to kick off our first-ever In-person Forest School Director Training!

Did you know that we offer in-person and online training for people interested in learning more about Forest School? Our 3-day in-person Forest School Teacher training is coming up on August 6-8th. Anybody looking to learn about Forest School can complete the training including teachers, administrators, parents, naturalists, anybody! Our training in collaboration with the Forest School Teacher Institute will teach you the principles of Forest School education and equip you to apply them anywhere. Learn more at www.freehavenfs.com/training

https://www.dannyenglish.co.uk/post/fostering-connections-through-the-forest-school-principles?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2BpuRRPfbfxnpCtsppvlcwj0Rg-j-SjBI4JTUJD4mZUtpTqrLN_7pZ_Cg_aem_RpNc1SD5rHKE9RAUZbY93Q

Fostering Connections Through The Forest School Principles In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, the need for genuine connection—both with ourselves and the natural world—has never been greater. Forest School, a holistic approach to education that integrates learning with nature, offers a powerful means of fostering such connections. Forest Sc...

So true!! ❤️

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Hi friends!

My name is Mirandi (Miss Randa to the littles), and I am the Owner & Director of Acorn & Oak Forest School.

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University, and a Master of Education in Adult Education from Auburn University.

I have 15 years of professional experience in the following areas of education: Environmental Education, Outdoors Recreation, Science, Literature, Public Speaking, Animal Science, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. Not to mention my formal education in teaching all of the other subjects for both youth and adults.

I have completed both my Forest School Educator & Forest School Director Training through the Forest School Teacher Institute with the amazing Dr. Jean Lomino and her inspiring instructors.

I am excited to offer a variety of Forest School programs close to my hometown of Sand Rock, Alabama.

My forest school is located about 12 miles from Sand Rock and 13 miles from Noccalula Falls, just off Tabor Road in the Black Creek Community.

Our campus is on top of Lookout Mtn and encompasses 25 acres of family-owned forests, fields, vineyards, and even a couple of ponds.

I feel that learning about the world and all that it holds is super important, but I truly believe that it needs to start in our own backyard.

I hope to instill a love for the plants and animals that our little area of the world holds and spark an interest for many more learning opportunities from there.

Northeast Alabama is one of the most ecologically diverse locations in the nation. I did not know that until I was an adult and I've lived here most all of my life. I want to change that for our future generations.

My vision for Acorn & Oak Forest School is for it to be a supplementary offering to our entire area. I am developing programs for Fall of 2024 that will serve public, private, and home school students.

Our programs will be outside, in all weather, and will offer an immersive, hands-on, experiential learning environment where the student is the leader, and the teacher serves as only the facilitator.

If this sounds crazy to you (it did to me too), just give us a try and watch your child flourish! Children are naturally curious, and science shows they take charge of their own learning at the right time and given the right environment.

Acorn & Oak Forest School is a small business, so we do charge a non-refundable enrollment fee and tuition.

I currently have enrollment open from now until July 16th for my Tues/Thurs - 10am-2pm Drop Off Program, which has a traditional Forest School structure for ages 2-14.

Once that closes, I will open up enrollment for our Family Forest School (ages 3-8) & Lookout Mtn Explorer (ages 9-15) programs.

So, stay tuned for more information or reach out to get on my email list & be the first to know: [email protected]

I hope you all are as excited as I am about this! Let's show our kids our amazing natural world and spark a love for learning at the same time!

Message or email me with questions, at any time!

Hope to see you all soon,
Mirandi

PS: I also offer Forest School for Grownups, in partnership with Girls Who Hike Alabama & Women’s Nature Therapy Collective. And coming soon, we will offer A&O Forest School in a Box for our long-distance friends.

Photo Credit: Rachel Pearson Photography
Location: "The Hundred Acorn Wood" on the campus of Acorn & Oak Forest School

ENROLLMENT EVENT & MORE INFORMATION:

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A waxing gibbous tonight and by Sunday, a full moon. The awe and wonder of celestial bodies are a part of nature that the whole world shares each night. Let's look to sky and feel the communion.

Moon Phases Demonstration Emily Morgan, author of Next Time You See the Moon, takes you through the phases of the Moon in a demonstration that will be easy to replicate in your own cl...

70 days from seed to bloom . . . consider planting sunflowers with children in August. Little House on the Green Childcare has been kind enough to give us all the reasons why! We all can use more awe and wonder right about now.

Join us in Chattanooga Tennessee for the first-ever, In-Person Director Certificate Training! Our journey will begin at Lookout Lake Farm, the birthplace of Wauhatchie Forest School. Each day we will explore forest schools in the region that were inspired by this small beginning. Training will provide firsthand knowledge and skills to help you plan, develop and manage programs, as we meet with Forest School founders, directors, and teachers as well as community leaders who currently partner with Forest Schools. And perhaps the greatest benefit will be sweet communion with a cohort of like-minded people from around the country.

ENROLLMENT DEADLINE: MONDAY JULY 15

Sign Up Here: https://www.forestteacher.org/press

Find some good ideas and words here to share with parents and your community! Thank you Creative Nature Academy for your insights.

Top 10 Benefits of Forest Schools: Enhance Emotional, Academic, and Physical Development — Your Site Title Discover the top 10 benefits of Forest Schools, including improved emotional regulation, academic achievement, physical health, and more. Learn how this nature-based education fosters creativity, resilience, and environmental awareness in children

Forest School Teacher Institute's FIRST EVER In-Person Director training is just around the corner! Join us in Chattanooga, TN July 24-26.

Dr. Jean Lomino will be guiding your learning experience in different forest school settings; including a full day visit with Bonnie Cretton at Woodsong Forest School.

The enrollment deadline is Monday, July 15.

Get to know Jean and Bonnie better here: https://www.forestteacher.org/site/about

Nature-based learning is an International movement. Great ideas in this article about the School in the Park in Cuneo, Italy. There is much for which to be hopeful.

Outdoor education e cura delle relazioni: a Chiusa Pesio si va a Scuola nel Parco | Piemonte che cambia In un’area protetta delle Alpi Marittime c’è una Scuola nel Parco dove i bambini crescono (e imparano) sperimentando.

The words we use matter. What we do matters.

A webinar and discussion titled "Culture and Ritual in Outdoor Education with Bonnie Cretton" will happen TODAY, Monday, July 8, at 4:00 p.m. ET
LINK:
https://goshen-edu.zoom.us/j/91824473854?pwd=Tk9qU0phWTVFNGZCM0ZZZEd1QmJBQT09
Password: ECHO2024

No fee charged for this event, and the session will be recorded.

Join Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College for a conversation with Bonnie Cretton about the importance of building rituals into education. Ritual practices help ease transitions, impart information, and create belonging with students and families that extend beyond the classroom boundaries and after graduation.

Bonnie founded Woodsong Forest School in 2018. Today Woodsong has over 150 students and 25 staff. She is also an instructor for the Forest School Teacher Institute and has supported hundreds of educators as they have received training in nature-based education.

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

Forest School Teacher Institute is reintroducing itself. We exist to help you connect the children in your life with the awe and wonder of the natural world. We have an abundance of offerings to help illuminate your path on this journey.

Learn more on our website: www.forestteacher.org