Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra | A Podcast for Revolutionary Conversations about Nature-Based Education

Sometimes, nature education can be 'up close and personal', like a walk in the woods, or picking raspberries.  Sometimes, it's more about paradigm shifts, technology strategies and learning to avoid being manipulated by intellectually dishonest players in our current systems.    In this conversation with author and educator Jeff Share, we talk about some of the fundamental problems around climate change and effective messaging, shifting narratives, and educational leadership that begins in middle and high school with positive success.   Jeff's research and practice focuses on transformative education, preparing K-12 educators to teach critical media literacy for social and environmental justice. The second edition of his book, "Media Literacy is Elementary: Teaching Youth to Critically Read and Create Media" was published in 2015.  Two years later, he co-authored with Richard Beach and Allen Webb, "Teaching Climate Change to Adolescents: Reading, Writing, and Making a Difference." Collaborating with Douglas Kellner (2019) they published, "The Critical Media Literacy Guide: Engaging Media and Transforming Education."  Jeff is a Fulbright Specialist and English Language Specialist for the US State Department who has taught critical media literacy and Environmental Justice in India, Argentina, Mexico, China, and Germany. As the climate crisis continues to unfold in various ways around our world, it is apparent that our children will need MANY skills and tools to assist them in their solutions and work, and I believe there is a tremendous value for all nature educators to network with professionals like Jeff, so we can broaden our scope and be inclusive to the wealth of knowledge that is available. Connect with Jeff: Website:     https://jshare.wixsite.com/jeffshare Twitter/X:   https://twitter.com/critml?lang=en LinkedIn:    https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-share-71155a9/ Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/people/Jeff-Share/2541535/?paipv=0&eav=AfZblN6YfbbzSwUMoaI2l1fTUKwwcb74tBvvvDTh0nRdFfjsadkgaO_7tRXyFSU_dY4&_rdr Book:  For the Love of Nature:  Eco-writing the world     https://www.amazon.com/Love-Nature-Ecowriting-World-Counterpoints/dp/1433199793/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DL7O623UE7RZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fj0BC9NSY2zQkkvaGMWineGENPai9iHpclw5WnxJM1zjkcS-oTCW2Cp4CB8zot3iAeG2zB6Na3XlNwlkMafOoNJ1jh5zMCAsce47nA6im2-Pq_scKBSkVuM7UF8oWRCqq_IoQjBloMlZvJycs2AYalJJfLftAmkr7sPeJRGaGIBV8cEmJ1NbR6uKQIUQqDXNcrP_KVQh5PLksEOMf2E290H5DvpM9drZYdmlwYxaK9M.MM7jiBvXQTY2n12hsBGzuIwZXFzEy75OkDsnd3Yk9Lo&dib_tag=se&keywords=Jeff+Share&qid=1715233235&sprefix=jeff+share%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-1 Book:  The Critical Media Literacy Guide     https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Literacy-Guides-Scholarship-Education/dp/900440452X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=DL7O623UE7RZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fj0BC9NSY2zQkkvaGMWineGENPai9iHpclw5WnxJM1zjkcS-oTCW2Cp4CB8zot3iAeG2zB6Na3XlNwlkMafOoNJ1jh5zMCAsce47nA6im2-Pq_scKBSkVuM7UF8oWRCqq_IoQjBloMlZvJycs2AYalJJfLftAmkr7sPeJRGaGIBV8cEmJ1NbR6uKQIUQqDXNcrP_KVQh5PLksEOMf2E290H5DvpM9drZYdmlwYxaK9M.MM7jiBvXQTY2n12hsBGzuIwZXFzEy75OkDsnd3Yk9Lo&dib_tag=se&keywords=Jeff+Share&qid=1715233318&sprefix=jeff+share%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-2 Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 1 out of 5 U.S. children ages 3-17 has a mental, emotional, behavioral or developmental disorder. Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents, affecting nearly 1 in 12 children and 1 in 4 adolescents. This means that it's almost a certainty that if you are working with children, teens or adults, you're getting a fair number of children or teens in your programs who are struggling with a myriad of issues.   I know that this isn't exactly groundbreaking news, especially if you've been in the trenches in the past few years. This episode dives into the different ways that working with special needs children can affect us as nature educators, in both positive and negative ways.  We get into different ways to help screen for behavior or sensory issues in ways that will help us get the right kind of students who are appropriate for our work,  Understanding special needs students, their parents and their impact on our work is critical to our long-term success.   Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

I am pretty sure I would have enjoyed my high school chemistry classes more if they had been taught by my guest Peter Kindfield, who shares his methodology and approach in outdoor learning.  His experiences demonstrate again how important our work is, for all of us in this field, and to discuss these topics, because I believe we are piloting the future models of early childhood, elementary and middle school education. It's a natural 'next step' to give ourselves opportunities to go deeper into our observations of nature and team building, communication and the scientific method. We are seeing mythology and creative writing/language arts being shared in ways that get substantial outcomes, and we know that the power of social and emotional learning can be greatly enhanced through a focus on learning outside.    In this episode, we cover a lot of ground that hasn't really been explored in most 'nature education' circles, and it's always fun to hear the thoughts of a person who continues to work on the front lines.    Connect with Peter: https://peterkindfieldphd.substack.com https://hilltopeducation.com/ https://www.deepadaptation.info/ Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

One of the very first challenges educators have today is finding a way to connect with students, and then inspiring them to engage with the activities and experiences offered because THEY want to, not because they HAVE to.   Without that key ingredient, we can't really go anywhere.  Full stop.   If you have experienced difficulty with this, you will know exactly what a problem it is, and how excruciating it is to be in it, for everyone involved.  Sometimes, we get lucky and don't have this kind of issue in our educational journey, with supportive, excited children and attractive games that get the job done.  It can be a big shock when we show up and it DOESN'T go as planned. With student anxiety, classroom disruption and class attention spans bordering on milliseconds, it's a given that we need a variety of approaches that can give us options when we start getting resistance or blank stares. In this episode, we take a comprehensive look at one of my favorite tools in this process, and discover some of the ways we can get better immediately, to the benefit of all. Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

Many Forest School Leaders begin their educational nature journey in the fields of Bushcraft, and ancestral skills.  Some come from a background in public education, while others get their start in Special Education.  Others still come from an occupational therapy or mental health background.  All seem to respond to the needs of children, and a desire to help them grow and thrive. Most of us don't really want to 'start a business' with all that it entails, but we usually don't have a choice.  Someone has to do it, and figure it out, and find ways to keep it going, and it's a task that's not unlike an 'act of power' to pull off consistently. My conversation with Asa Hardy-Brownlie explores his origins in Bushcrafting, as well as working with Special Education students and then finding the joys and challenges of Forest Schooling.  We dive into the importance of strong boundaries, continuing adaptation needs for Forest School Trainers and a host of other topics relevant to anyone who works with youth in nature.   Mental health, digital marketing, effective communication, dealing with negative feedback and ongoing assessment--- we cover a lot of ground!   Our discussion touches on a lot of important issues that nature educators deal with every day. Connect with Asa: https://www.forestschoolsupport.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/forestschoolas Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

In every program, just like in life, there are things that are clearly defined, established and understood, and then there are the 'grey areas'.  These are places where expectations can grow, issues can be unmet and problems can hang out, in the twilight gloom of our nature school or forest kindergarten. Left unchecked, these grey areas can create enough friction and frustration that it can sometimes tear apart our programs or our communities, and have tremendous negative impact for all involved.    Unwritten Contracts work in a similar fashion, usually created unconsciously by wonderful, well intentioned staff, students, parents or organization leaders, and can be upset when their internally made 'agreement' is unfulfilled by our program, workshop, retreat or camp.   In this episode, we will turn on our headlamps, get a few solar string lights and maybe a few construction work lights to help us see what might be going on, how we might unconsciously be contributing to the problems and figure out some ways to fix them! Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

It's not uncommon at the end of a meaningful nature program to see one person who is still sitting at the campfire, reluctant to leave.  The impact to our participant's lives can be significant, and it's difficult for some to return to their everyday lives, which can be lonely or filled with unsatisfying relationships.    Nature work often intersects with community building, personal growth, health and even healing mental and emotional trauma, which, for Forest Educators, means we usually end up wearing many hats.  My conversation with today's guest, Sky Otter, dives into this important topic, and we discuss holding space, program boundaries, working with young or inexperienced staff, emotional first aid and more. Sky Otter formerly known as Bill Pfeiffer is the founder of Sacred Earth Network (SEN) which implemented leading edge visions for over 25 years. In that time, Sky made Russia a second home having traveled there 44 times assisting the environmental and indigenous movements through SEN. This has given him a rare cross-cultural perspective. He has also led hundreds of spiritual ecology workshops, including men’s and breath work. He has 25 years of experience in Re-evaluation Counseling and Vipassana meditation, and has undergone extensive training with Siberian shamans. Sky has partnered with and designed experiential workshops with Joanna Macy, John Perkins, Llyn Roberts, Cathy Pedevillano, and John Seed. He has also spent much time in the US Southwest learning about Native medicine ways and the crucial importance of the petroglyphs and pictographs. His book, Wild Earth, Wild Soul: A Manual for an Ecstatic Culture has been met with high acclaim. Connect with Sky Otter: https://billpfeiffer.org/ https://www.sacredearthnetwork.org/ Wild Earth, Wild Soul: A Manual for an Ecstatic Culture: https://amzn.to/4bhMj7R Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

The field of nature education is incredibly diverse, and this can make designing good staff training programs difficult, especially for new program directors or leaders. What are some of the problems that come up when we try to deliver and download a lot of information to people in a short period of time?  How do we emphasize important topics and make them 'sticky' so they will be clear if needed?   How do we evaluate our current staff training and know if they are working well, or could use improvement? This episode dives into the deep end with this subject, because consistency in our forest programs, no matter who we serve and in what setting, is one of the key elements of establishing our work in a professional manner.  It keeps us safe, our participants safe and helps us feel confident knowing that our staff can handle the daily issues that pop up on any given day out in the field. Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

One of the goals of this podcast is to shine some light on the accomplishments and hard work of amazing naturalists and educators like Amy Butler.  Her tireless work in the northern heart of Vermont has led to nature based programs for youth, wonderful staff training, public school partnerships and a thriving North Branch Nature Center. In our conversation, Amy shares details about her book 'Educating Children Outdoors', which is a guide for teachers and educators to achieve outstanding results for students of all ages.  She shares stories from her early adventures in earth skills, tracking and nature studies, and her work as a teacher in various roles and educational settings. We dive into a number of issues that seem to come up for all nature educators when they begin to partner with public schools, and Amy shares her successes from her extensive experience.  It is always inspiring and insightful to talk to someone who has been walking the talk for decades, and to hear about her new book. Amy's Book Educating Children Outdoors:   https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771903/educating-children-outdoors/#bookTabs=1 Website:   https://amybutlervermont.com/ Instagram:   @amycoyotevt               @topshackliftie X (twitter):   @amycoyote Affiliated Organization:  northbranchnaturecenter.org Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

In this episode I share how I began adding 'rites of passage' elements into my summer camps, class trips and skills programs & activities, with an emphasis on the practical nuts and bolts aspects to these topics.     I also share how I got started in leading 'Coming of Age' programs for boys entering young adulthood, and how it evolved to working with parents as well. There is a noticeable shift in my own students and staff that occurs when I hold a space for this kind of awareness, and I have used guided imagery, crafting a 'skills code' and other means to help build the inner foundations of these individuals.   It is a powerful understanding that changes lives in meaningful ways, and I'm excited to share these tools with everyone. Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra