Oakland Goes Outdoors的动态

Remember those days spent playing outdoors and camping with your family? Those moments weren’t just fun – they were filled with valuable lessons and unforgettable memories that connected us deeply with the environment. ? But here’s the thing: not every child gets to experience those same adventures. Many kids around the world miss out on the simple joys of being outside. Some have never even seen the beach, despite living just minutes away. Can you believe it? ? Naturalists share heartbreaking stories of children who’ve never witnessed fruit growing on trees, or high schoolers who can’t tell a cow from a horse. It’s a reality check that reminds us of the urgent need to reconnect kids with nature. ? That’s where we come in at the Blue Swallow Farm Foundation. We’re on a mission to change that narrative by bringing enriching outdoor experiences in the heart of the school day. From building outdoor classrooms to crafting engaging curriculum resources, we’re all about giving kids the chance to learn, explore, and connect with nature. ? And here’s where you come in: by joining our annual auction, you’re not just bidding on items – you’re investing in the well-being of children worldwide. With your support, we can continue working with educators across the country and beyond, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive in the great outdoors. So, let’s make a difference together. Let’s create lasting memories, inspire a love for nature, and empower the next generation of environmental stewards. Thank you for being part of our mission! ? Follow the link to learn to our online auction: https://lnkd.in/evfwdiWg ? #OutdoorLearning #EducationResearch #CurriculumDesign #TeacherResources #ResearchCenter #NatureEducation #ExperientialLearning #OutdoorClassroom #STEMeducation #HandsOnLearning #OutdoorEducation #LearningOutdoors #NatureBasedLearning #EducationalResources ?

Remember those days spent playing outdoors and camping with your family? Those moments weren’t just fun – they were filled with valuable lessons and unforgettable memories that connected us deeply with the environment. ? But here’s the thing: not every child gets to experience those same adventures. Many kids around the world miss out on the simple joys of being outside. Some have never even seen the beach, despite living just minutes away. Can you believe it? ? Naturalists share heartbreaking stories of children who’ve never witnessed fruit growing on trees, or high schoolers who can’t tell a cow from a horse. It’s a reality check that reminds us of the urgent need to reconnect kids with nature. ? That’s where we come in at the Blue Swallow Farm Foundation. We’re on a mission to change that narrative by bringing enriching outdoor experiences in the heart of the school day. From building outdoor classrooms to crafting engaging curriculum resources, we’re all about giving kids the chance to learn, explore, and connect with nature. ? And here’s where you come in: by joining our annual auction, you’re not just bidding on items – you’re investing in the well-being of children worldwide. With your support, we can continue working with educators across the country and beyond, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive in the great outdoors. So, let’s make a difference together. Let’s create lasting memories, inspire a love for nature, and empower the next generation of environmental stewards. Thank you for being part of our mission! ? Follow the link to learn to our online auction: https://lnkd.in/eMPwfV3D ? #OutdoorLearning #EducationResearch #CurriculumDesign #TeacherResources #ResearchCenter #NatureEducation #ExperientialLearning #OutdoorClassroom #STEMeducation #HandsOnLearning #OutdoorEducation #LearningOutdoors #NatureBasedLearning #EducationalResources ?

Hey Camp Directors, your camp is really good! So what? As camp professionals, we spend a good deal of time thinking about how we can move from Good to Great. That’s a noble gesture and a good use of time. The problem with thinking about the movement of good to great is that we start to ignore the elephant in the room, which is, what’s wrong? Spending all of our time thinking about the good aspects of our camp and improving on them keeps us from thinking about the things that are wrong with our camp. Rather than spending all of our focus on the unique aspects of our camp and how we camp improve upon them. We should spend some time thinking about why parents don’t register their child for our camp. We can all come up with 50 reasons why parents choose us. Can you come up with ten reasons why parents do not choose your camp? A dozen great things about camp will be ignored as soon as Mom finds something she doesn’t like. You have a lot of competition. You have to start looking for holes in your program, your staff, your marketing, your facilities, your leadership and start working on repairing those problems. As camp draws closer and we are scrambling to understand why we haven’t hit our enrollment goals we have to start asking ourselves hard questions. If we do not start to understand our weaknesses now, we will have the same issues next year. Fix camp this summer, so your retention reflects it next summer. Just for a moment stop focusing on great and just think about getting things right. Stop ignoring the obvious, fix it now. Telling yourself you’ll address it in the fall is what you did last year. It didn’t work. If you can’t find those ten things that are wrong, start calling Mothers of kids who didn’t come back. They’ll be happy to tell you a few of them. Fixmycamp.com

This is a terrific opportunity for young Mainers: a fully-funded two-week adventure exploring Maine's woods and waters! "Thanks to generous funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, the Maine Department of Education, and the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, we are able to provide these amazing two-week summer programs at?no cost to participating families."* -Direct from the program webpage As these are grant-based and true wilderness expeditions, the organizers can only go so far in offering accommodations for disabilities. That said, if you can meet the physical and personal demands outlined in the eligibility criteria, you should consider this opportunity, especially if you bring/represent a little difference. These organizations are all doing the work to make other outdoor learning programs more accessible and inclusive. *There is a little fine print to navigate around eligibility (household income, student age and ability, etc.) but the program is people-driven, so just drop them an email if you have questions. You will be able to talk to a human. Teens to Trails Chewonki Foundation Maine Outdoor Brands Maine Inside Out Maine Environmental Education Association Maine Academy of Natural Sciences Live and Work in Maine The Outdoor Education Group (OEG) The Association for Experiential Education WinterKids Maine Department of Education #LifeHappensOutside https://lnkd.in/deT5dCgF

fantastic opportunities

Happy Wednesday, everyone! ?? Rising and shining this morning wasn’t easy, but here we are—proof that the early birds really do get the best worms! ?? Today, I’m diving into something that fills me with pride and passion: working with a school district to get their system fully operational. As a former educator, raising, protecting, and empowering the youth of America is something I’m deeply passionate about. Unfortunately, as you have heard from me before, I often hear the same story: "We invested thousands, but our system doesn't work as promised, or it doesn't do what we asked for it to be able to do." Even worse, the company they worked with seems to have no sense of urgency or care to fix the issue. It’s a frustrating reality—and sadly, a common theme in many of my success stories. But today, it’s all about solutions: keeping my head down, grinding it out, providing support, offering a listening ear, and delivering a calculated solution to get things back on track. ?? Cheers to making it halfway through the week! Let’s keep the momentum going. ?? #LetsGetThisBread #WorkHard #SolutionDriven #GrindMode #MidweekHustle #SchoolSolutions #SalesManager #Oregon #Washington #Idaho #CommunicationsNorthwest #MissionDrivenCommunications

The Camp Research Revolution: Transforming Youth Development ????? Ever wonder why "camp magic" is so hard to explain???? Traditional approaches to understanding camp's impact often relied on anecdotes and vague notions of "magic." This left us struggling to articulate camp's true value to skeptics and decision-makers. (*If you have ever seen me present or you are a long-time CampHacker listener, you know how much I _dislike_ the term Camp Magic.??) Our "aha" moment:?Camp researchers realized years ago that we needed concrete evidence to support our claims and guide our program improvements. Here's how innovative camp research is changing the game: - Action Research:?Involving camp staff and participants in the research process - Longitudinal Studies:?Tracking camper outcomes over multiple years - Creative Methods:?Using art and mapping to capture campers' perspectives - Ecosystem Approach:?Examining camp's role within a broader developmental context Results: - Increased legitimacy for the camp industry - Evidence-based program improvements - Better articulation of camp's value to parents scared of the "risk" of sending their kids to summer camp Potential applications: 1?? Informing youth development policies (at camp and in the larger world) 2?? Enhancing school-camp partnerships (we have the research to show your Superintendant hesitant to give permission to bring your class) 3?? Improving staff training and retention strategies ?? Reflection:?Creative problem-solving in camp research has validated our work and opened new avenues for growth and innovation in our very important youth development work. https://lnkd.in/gPamsQ8s Thank you to my The Pudding Podcast partner Mandi Baker,?Laurie Browne ,?Jacob Sorenson,?and?Victoria Povilaitis, PhD, for talking to us about the state of camp research. We're so excited to start to release our Season 2 episodes soon! Cheers to the American Camp Association, Illinois and Camptivities for continuing to make this show possible! #CampResearch #YouthDevelopment #InnovativeApproaches #BecauseofCamp #ThanksToCamp #CampPros

For #WaterfordTestimonialTuesday, we celebrate transformation and triumph in learning. Today, a parent shares their child's success with Waterford's adaptive reading program: "I highly suggest this program. It teaches reading in steps that make sense to children. I could never have got him reading so well without it!" —Happy Parent Has Waterford impacted your journey at home or at school? Tell us your story and join the wave of success! ??#TransformingEducation #SuccessStories

Guildford Nursery School and Family Centre have partnered up with Zero Carbon Guildford and Surrey County Council.They have transformed an unused roof into a green space, helping pupils connect with nature. This living green roof not only enhances the school's environmental footprint but also serves as a learning hub for pupils. Find out more about this project here: https://buff.ly/3BUxlbw

?? Happy Forest School Day 2024! ?? I’m so grateful to celebrate Forest School Day with this wonderful community! Being part of Forest School, both as a practitioner and as someone who trains others to deliver Level 3 Forest School, is such a joy. It’s incredible to see how this approach inspires more and more people to get children outside—whether within mainstream schools or through alternative learning. Forest School is about so much more than just outdoor learning. It’s about fostering ??mental health, ??self-esteem, and empowering young people with a sense of agency and autonomy. These skills are essential, especially in today’s world, where we need to be part of a community that says "yes" to protecting our planet and "no" to its harm. ?? While issues like climate change can feel overwhelming, kids are clear—they don’t agree with the destructive systems in place. Forest School helps them connect deeply with the natural world, reminding them (and us!) that we are not separate from the land. It shows them how humans can be a positive force within natural systems. Through regular visits to outdoor environments, children experience risky play and learn how to handle the uncertainties of the world—a crucial skill in a time of increasing challenges. I’m so proud to be part of a movement that equips children with the tools to navigate their emotions, the changing climate, and the world around them. Forest School creates space for kids to thrive, explore, and understand their relationship with nature on a deeper level. So today, let’s celebrate the opportunity to bring children outside, help them build long-term connections with the environment, and prepare them for the future. Happy Forest School Day! CIRCLE OF LIFE REDISCOVERY CIC@ #ForestSchoolDay #OutdoorLearning #ForestSchool #ClimateAction #YouthEmpowerment #RiskyPlay #MentalHealth #NatureConnection #Sustainability #EnvironmentalStewardship