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

Some of my favorite ages to work with are middle schoolers, anywhere from 10-14 years old. Some may say those ages are some of the most challenging, but I really like that age group for so many reasons. I love to help them find their passion and excitement, and to watch them build an inner foundation for themselves and a personal belief that they know who they are, and begin to believe that they c...

In the field of Forest Education, I'd say that we are fairly well stocked with dedicated people on the front lines, working directly with children, youth and adults on a daily basis. We also have a wonderful group of passionate directors and program leaders, who do a lot of the unseen work (some might say the 'dirty work') of daily administrative duties that have to be done to keep the doors open....

The first rule about 'bonding' is like Fight Club: "Never talk about Bonding." At least to your students. (Because it's awkward and weird.) But honestly, so many of the benefits of nature-based education present in the same exact way - basically invisible to most people who aren't paying close attention. This episode explores ideas around mentoring, teaching, bonding, relationships, and even some...

My guest today is Sally Wren Stevens, founder and director of SOL Forest School. She is sharing her story and what soulful, whole-child nature-based education means to her. With a wide variety of training from programs and mentors around the world, Sally brings unique and meaningful insights to the current and future state of curriculum, environment, and cultural reparation in youth programming. C...

The 'Business' side of nature education used to really stress me out. I really wished I could just do all of this good work, and provide for the family and have it not be 'weird' or awkward. I didn't like the idea of 'selling' my programs back then either, and it always felt very personal and vulnerable sharing my mission and hoping it would be accepted and valued and just 'work out'. Over the yea...

In today's episode, my guest Angela Hanscom and I discuss all kinds of things related to developing skills through outdoor play, including: The impact on childhood development when kids do not get enough outdoor play How Angela built her nature-based occupational therapy business Prioritizing play in kindergarten and early childhood Play-based learning methods Integrating nature-based learning int...

Dealing with the logistics of a day or several days of steady rain can be challenging for Forest Educators, with keeping everyone warm, dry, happy and engaged.  In this episode, we go deeper, to the 'human development' side of Forest Ed, where we model ways of experiencing the natural world that go against the norm of our cultural messaging.   Viewed and experienced through these lenses, rainy wea...

I'm thrilled to introduce you to today's guest, Nate Summers. Nate brings unique blend of primal adventure, deep nature connection, survival skills, and natural healing and medicine to his trainings, consultation, and writing. In this episode, we talk about wilderness survival skills and personal growth, the importance of connecting with nature and traditional skills, Nate's books and writing expe...

It seems like everyone is talking about nature connection these days, (especially if you work in outdoor education), but what exactly do we mean by this expression?  More importantly, how can we understand the idea and the practice from an intellectual and 'sensory' perspective?    In this episode, I dive into the deep end to try to unravel the nuances of some different kinds of awareness and conn...

My guest today is Sam Gravestock of The Forest Path. Sam leads men's retreats and guided therapeutic wilderness programs. He prioritizes accessibility and support when it comes to learning disabilities, behavioral mentoring, youth programs, individual validation and wellness, and reflecting and exploring masculinity. Connect with Sam: https://www.theforestpath.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/man_...

This Forest Educator spotlight is an introduction to entrepreneurship for the Forest Educator. If you are planning on generating revenue by providing programs or resources related to Forest Education, then you are considering entrepreneurship. Being great at Forest Education and being great at Entrepreneurship are not synonymous. In this episode, I'm sharing some of the lessons I've learned from 3...

Today's guest is Dan Gardoqui, a nature consultant, trainer, and guide. Dan's work, Lead with Nature, is rooted in the patterns and processes of nature. He's also a certified wildlife tracker and a bird language expert. In addition to talking about tracking and bird language, in this interview, we talked about the diversity of approaches, inspiring young people, the importance of listening, integr...

On this week's Forest Educator Spotlight, we're talking about wilderness survival skills, and why they're important, and why they're an incredible resource for forest educators. 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/wolv...

Sandy has created K-12 science curricula and international programs for schools including STEM Expeditions, credit-bearing field study courses that included taking students on trips throughout the US and internationally to South Africa, Iceland, and Belize. She is a Level 3 International Wildlife Tracker, in both the US and South Africa, certified through Cybertracker in track ID and Trailing. San...

Today's Forest Educator Spotlight is all about the best-kept secret for Forest Educators: the Natural Advantage. When we implement this three-part framework in our programs, we can have the biggest impact. 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: ht...

My guest today, Jessica Carew Kraft, left a high-powered career in technology, determined to find a better way to a thriving life in nature with her family. In pursuit of learning about "rewilding," she connected with an entire community of others who approach 21st-century problems with ancient human answers. Her new book, Why We Need to be Wild, is available now. Connect with Jessica: https://www...

This week's Forest Educator Spotlight is all about campfires and the magic they hold for all of us. The campfire brings a sense of comfort, connection, and calm, and this tradition has been around for thousands of years across all cultures around the world. Fire making is also a great way to introduce the concept of 'mastery' to our students, with tremendous benefits in leadership, problem-solving...

In this interview, I'm joined by Wendolyn Bird to talk about Early Childhood nature education and outreach. Wendolyn is a coach for parents and teachers. She draws from mindfulness practices, developmental and child psychology, Earth-based Wisdoms, and spirituality in order to help parents and teachers build more fulfilling connections to themselves, their children, and their students for lasting...

As forest educators, there are several barriers we come up against with regard to nature education. In this week's forest educator spotlight episode, I'm talking about some of these obstacles, including the classic education and academic structure and curriculum, lack of parent and teacher experience with nature education, economic and time factors, and so much more. I'm also sharing some tips for...

My guest today is Peter Kindfield of Hilltop Education and Deep Adaptation Forum. We are talking about the ways public education is broken, and why forest education is an incredible - and critical - answer for kids and our future. Connect with Peter: https://peterkindfieldphd.substack.com https://hilltopeducation.com/ https://www.deepadaptation.info/ Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducato...

In this Forest Educator Spotlight, I'm talking about the art of tracking, why it's important, and how to introduce tracking skills and activities to your programs for kids. 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/wolverine...

Today's guest, Kyt Lyn Walken, is an international mantracking expert and instructor. In this episode, she shares some stories and background about her career as an instructor, as well as some tips and stories about the importance of tracking skills. Connect with Kyt: https://www.instagram.com/kytlynwalken/?hl=en https://thewayoftracking.com/ Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ h...

This week's Forest Educator Spotlight is about two important mindsets and perspectives when it comes to Forest Education. In any group program, the ego is going to show up, and potentially get in the way. In this episode, I'm explaining the Maverick and the Collaborator Mindsets and why it's so important to be collaborative. Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.thefore...

Today I'm joined by the author of The Open Air Life and There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather, Linda McGurk, whose writing focuses on raising children in the Nordic style of living more in tune with nature. Connect with Linda: https://lindamcgurk.com/ https://rainorshinemamma.com/ https://www.instagram.com/rainorshinemamma/ Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforest...

This Forest Educator Spotlight is all about that tricky subject of navigating boundaries when it comes to managing behavior and discipline. These are serious issues when working with students. 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.ins...