Shows
Earthy Chats PodcastOutdoor learning for assessment and social-emotional learningPrepositions matter in this episode, specifically that three-letter word ‘for.’ What is outdoor learning ‘for’ assessment? How can we facilitate outdoor learning ‘for’ social-emotional learning (SEL)? Teacher, writer, podcaster, and regular sit-spot practitioner Lauren MacLean of Teach Outdoors joined us to talk assessment and SEL in the context of learning outdoors. We also got into the weeds regarding British Columbia’s competency-based assessment framework as well as documenting learners’ progress on a continuum.
Guest: Lauren MacLean
From the Teach Outdoors website
“I was born and raised in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada by my two amazing parents...
2025-11-2157 minEarthy Chats PodcastIndigenous wellness and language learningThere has been a sharp increase over the past decade in educational resources from Indigenous perspectives. What can we look for when selecting such resources? Which gaps remain, and how do we address them? Launa Payne and Sherrelle Anderson of Rise Up Indigenous Wellness joined us to discuss these questions and offer their insights about learning Indigenous languages, paths to reconciliation, and the power of shared laughter.
Guests:
From the Rise Up Indigenous Wellness website
Launa Payne is a member of Xa'xtsa First Nation. She is an Indigenous Educator with a focus on...
2025-07-2446 minEarthy Chats PodcastNature and heritage interpretation: yesterday, today, and tomorrowWith Parker McMullen Bushman of the National Association of Interpretation and Ecoinclusive
How has the field of interpretation changed in recent decades? What opportunities do digital tools open up for interpreters? Where can we look for guidance in telling uncomfortable stories and reconciling with difficult truths? NAI Board President Parker McMullen Bushman covers all of these questions and reminds us why nature and heritage interpreters can have such a major influence on individuals and the public at large.
Guest:
Parker McMullen Bushman is the Chief Operating Officer of Inclusive Guide and founder of E...
2025-04-1129 minEarthy Chats PodcastFireside Chat: Truth and Reconciliation — where to start?In our first fireside-chat episode, we hear from multiple voices to unpack different aspects of Truth and Reconciliation. The idea here is to invite curiosity, reflection, and discussion. We’ve heard from many folks over the years that they’d like to learn more but aren’t quite sure where to start. We hope that this episode serves as an invitation to get started, no matter what your starting point is.
Resources for Indigenous Learning:
4 Seasons of Indigenous Learning (virtual course)
Indigenous Language Learning (virtual courses)
Braiding Sweetgrass
Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults
Natural Curiosity, 2nd ed.
Unr...
2025-02-1135 minEarthy Chats PodcastLearning through a watershed lensIan and Jade are back for this two-part episode!
In Part 1, the co-hosts begin to unpack the use of watersheds as an integrating context for learning (AKA, watershed education).
In Part 2 starting at the 12:45 mark, we return to an episode of the Talking with Green Teachers podcast from the spring of 2022 wherein Ian and guest David Ramsay discussed these questions:
What is watershed education? Why is it a critical component of place-based learning? How can we engage students of all ages in learning through a watershed lens?
Water is a remarkable st...
2024-12-1338 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 20: Learning in, about, from, and for natureWhat are some common barriers to learning in nature? How can we shift the paradigm whereby learning about nature is prioritized? What are some key lessons we can learn from nature? How does learning for nature also benefit learners? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
the purpose of environmental education and education as a whole
transitioning from “sage on the stage” to “guide on the side”
escaping the cycle of mediocrity
getting beyond the “I-don’t-know-enough-about-nature-to-teach-it” mindset
how we can learn from nature more effectively
antidotes to perpetual student boredom
lessons from Anne of Green Gables
e...
2024-02-1654 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 19: Giving outdoor learners the “experiential edge”How does outdoor education differ from outdoor learning? What is the “experiential edge” for both young people and adults? Why does outdoor learning often diminish or stop with older learners? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*embedding outdoor learning into the everyday structures of schools
*the distinction between outdoor learning and Land-based learning
*unpacking New Brunswick’s six global competencies and how outdoor learning helps students achieve them
*supporting students with learning differences through outdoor learning
*overcoming barriers to outdoor learning, especially for new educators
...
2023-12-2254 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 18: From eco-anxiety to eco-actionHow can we support educator manage their own eco-anxiety and that of their students? What is the process of moving from eco-anxiety to eco-action? Why is it so important to acknowledge, name, and sit with the complex emotions associated with environmental concerns? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*the need to focus on solutions and not just stop at problems
*age-appropriateness of climate change ed.
*Earth Rangers’ Eco-Anxiety Index
*children’s influence on parents regarding eco-anxiety
*Earth Rangers’ From Eco-Anxiety to Eco-Action course
*equipp...
2023-09-0645 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 17: Soil study and inquiryWhat’s the value of learning about soil? How can educators engage their students in soil studies if they lack expertise? Why do so many people feel happier when they get their hands dirty? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*the differences between soil and dirt
*using storytelling as a tool to spark curiosity
*the remarkable world of microbes in soil
*Megan’s recent research into barriers to outdoor learning
*the necessity of giving learning experiences time to breathe
*enhancing social and emotional skil...
2022-12-0552 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 16: Community collaboration in built environmentsWhat’s the most impactful length for educational programming? How does community collaboration help us manage challenges? Why is intergenerational learning so effective? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*the opportunities brought about by virtual learning
*getting back to hands-on, experiential learning with SaskOutdoors
*the benefits of active transportation like the Punch Buggy Express
*indirectly educating others through public programming
*outdoor learning in built environments
*how community collaboration in inherent to outdoor and environmental learning
*outdoor educational experiences at night (in th...
2022-08-2955 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 15: Forging nature-based connectionsWhat is a ‘nature sommelier’? How are seeing and noticing different? Why is storytelling such a powerful outdoor learning tool? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*formative moments in Jacob’s childhood as a “wild child” nature explorer
*children’s right to interact with Vitamin N
*the importance of regeneration in addition to sustainability
*the development of The Big Book of Nature Activities
*the magic of “I wonder…” and “it reminds me of…” inquiries
*learning outdoors using all senses
*fostering stewardship and kinship
*the i...
2022-07-2745 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 14: Awakening to the lessons of the landHow do outdoor learning and various Indigenous teachings overlap? What are some existing inequities in teaching and how can we address them? Why is the land such an effective teacher? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*exploring (and sometimes talking to) plants
*how Jenna's teaching experience has informed her admin. work
*working with students with diverse abilities
*the wonder of soil and the "wood-wide web"
*inside the Every Child Matters Year-long Learning Challenge
*becoming an ally to Indigenous voices as part of Truth an...
2022-06-2557 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 13: Talking astronomy with ”Astro” StephensonWhy teach astronomy? How important is each and every one of us in the universe? Where in popular culture do we see references to space and astronomy? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*Tim's childhood visit to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida
*the (many) differences between astronomy and astrology
*the magic of seeing Saturn's rings for the first time
*whether or not to fund space exploration
*the value of knowing more about space
*why everyone should just look up and ponder our pl...
2022-05-3157 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 12: Natural curiosity through an Indigenous lensIn what ways are the land and water shaped by children's questions? How can educators light a fire of inspiration in their learners? Why do many Indigenous teachings lend themselves so well to inquiry-based learning? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*adopting a framework that challenges people to think without being prescriptive
*the flow of knowledge in Anishinaabe learning
*Natural Curiosity's four-branch framework and the accompanying Indigenous lens
*how children can ask questions that adults won't ask
*the importance of storytelling for educators and learners...
2022-04-271h 05Earthy Chats PodcastEpisode 11: Teaching about climate changeWhat does effective climate change education (CCed) look like? What role does outdoor learning play in it? How has the field changed over the past thirty years? What is the "new kid on the block" in CCed? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*the shift in environmental education from teaching issues to teaching core concepts
*how the collective understanding of climate change has evolved since the early 1990s
*developmentally appropriate education
*teaching about the economic opportunities of the transition to a green economy
*climate justice ed...
2022-04-1750 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 10: Take Me OutsideWhat is it like running across Canada in nine months? How can outdoor learning become an inherent part of K–12 education? What roles does digital technology play in outdoor learning? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*insights from Colin's 7600-km run across Canada to promote outdoor learning
*how Take Me Outside came to be
*when digital technology enhances and hinders learning
*developing resiliency from time spent outside
*looking at use of tech in school with a critical lens
*what we can learn from Indi...
2022-03-2855 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 09: Messy maths and dirty teachingWhy do we have to jump through hoops just to take classes outside? What are the systemic barriers to outdoor learning? How can an outdoor "classroom" function as a leveler? These are three of the core questions we discussed with Juliet Robertson of Creative STAR Learning. Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*Juliet's unlikely path to outdoor learning
*the sagas behind her two books, Messy Maths and Dirty Teaching
*supply teaching adventures (and misadventures)
*cross-curricular learning outdoors
*using inquiry-based learning
*practical advice for ed...
2022-02-1856 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 08: Water insights from the headwaters to the open oceanWhat would water tell us if it could talk? How can each of us strengthen our relationship with the waterways and water bodies near our homes? Our special guests from Ocean Wise and Water Rangers joined us to discuss these questions and more, as we covered as much territory as Canada has coastline (well, maybe not that much...). Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*need-to-know facts about salt water and freshwater
*the disconnection many people have with water and how this can be addressed
*the impacts of climate change on...
2022-01-1051 min
IVF Failed You - The "So Now What?" PodcastWhat are you Waiting For?What are you waiting for? just got back from Mexico - my first trip from Cov id. I was anxious about travel and risks associated with it. But, it was a milestone .. birthday for any very only sister and sibling. It was fantastic. Not only did this celebration involve my sister, it also included friends that have cbeen part of her life oven the last decade on so, but many have been part of our lives since my day one. Bonds that formed through our moms who went to high school together. Some • • • mom an...
2021-12-0808 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 07: Playing in the muck, art activities, and the walking curriculumFriend of the show Gillian Judson was joined by artist Adelle Caunce for this lively discussion. Adelle's newest creation, the book Playing in the Muck and Other Art Activities, was designed to accompany Gillian's book, A Walking Curriculum. Here's a taste of what we covered in this Earthy Chat:
*appreciating the underappreciated creatures (of the muck, soil, and ocean depths)
*experiencing nature through an artist's eyes
*re-assessing what we mean by "value"
*using imaginative and ecological pedagogies in multiple areas of education
*how we might consider curriculum and “curriculum-ing” as en...
2021-11-2944 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 06: Reconnecting with the land through a child‘s eyesThe new children's book Sila and the Land was co-authoured by Ariana Roundpoint, Shelby Angalik, and Lindsay Dupré — each from a different Indigenous community. Ariana joined Ian and Jade for this Earthy Chat. Here's a preview of what they discussed:
*finding common ground among Indigenous Nations
*moving away from a "take-everything" mindset
*reconnecting with the land and water
*re-learning how to listen to the land and water in a noisy world that's always "on"
*distilling big ideas into a coherent narrative
*giving character to other-than-human beings and inani...
2021-11-1648 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 05: Returning to the heart of a riverThe Heart of a River is back in print, and author Eileen Delehanty Pearkes joined Ian and Jade to mark the occasion. Here's a sampling of what they discussed:
*being "tapped" to write The Heart of a River and letting the river speak
*the complexity of reconciling with a colonial past
*finding truth in the land (and water)
*encouraging developments for the Columbia River and rivers elsewhere
*Eileen's many relationships with members of the Sinixt community
*finding common ground between two seemingly different spiritualities
Guest: (a...
2021-09-2656 minEarthy Chats PodcastFables from the Field 2021: Field notebooks, sketching, and the art of record-keepingDo you have to be an artist to make field sketches? Do you have to be a poet to make field notes? How is record-keeping like poetry? In what way does it engage us in creative problem-solving? Ian and Jade discuss these questions, while sharing stories of their own outdoor note-taking experiences, as well as those of their students. Jade also talks about the time David Attenborough was in the next room during a field trip... seriously.
2021-09-0725 minEarthy Chats PodcastFables from the Field 2021: Dip nets, fish massages, and rockpooling (in tidal pools)Grab a dip net and go! You might soon find yourself inadvertently getting a fish massage. Maybe you'll give rockpooling a go. If you're not sure what rockpooling is, you'll find out after hearing a story of crustacean drama in a shrinking tidal pool on Vancouver Island. Ian and Jade also share their tips for expanding your pond/stream study toolkit, using dichotomous keys to identify macroinvertebrates, and appreciating the beauty of swimming leeches.
2021-09-0127 minEarthy Chats PodcastFables from the Field 2021: Magnifiers, minerals, and charismatic microfaunaHow can something as simple and inexpensive as a magnifying glass be such a powerful outdoor learning tool? In what ways can we use magnifiers to engage some students with diverse learning needs? Is getting an up-close-and-personal look at "bugs" a means of helping students overcome their fear of "creepy crawlies"? Ian and Jade covered all of this, while also recounting a story of getting maybe a little too up close and personal with an insect after a rainforest adventure abroad.
2021-08-2532 minEarthy Chats PodcastFables from the Field 2021: Rain, rain jackets, and watershedsWhat's "bad weather"? For that matter, what's "good weather"? What learning opportunities open up when the clouds burst? How can we optimize watershed-based education? Jade and Ian unpacked these questions, while sharing stories of flooded jungles (on two different continents) and capping off rainy field work with a visit to a cozy Scottish pub. They also touched on "Beaver Fever," Giant Squid, monsoons, mammal tracking, and "indoor rain."
2021-08-2033 minEarthy Chats PodcastFables from the Field 2021: Binoculars and bird (mis)adventuresOur Fables from the Field summer sub-series continues with Ian and Jade discussing times when binoculars factored prominently in outdoor experiences, from observing a perched Bald Eagle with 12 remarkably patient children to receiving the stink eye from a group of birders (or is it "birdwatchers"?). They also dig into the differences between "twitchers" (AKA "listers") and people who simply enjoy birds.
2021-07-3021 minEarthy Chats PodcastFables from the Field 2021: Sit pads and sit spotsIn this first episode of our Fables from the Field summer sub-series, Ian and Jade discuss the value of sit spots, slowing down while out in nature, and the usefulness of sit pads. They also share stories from past adventures in Iceland (when a sit pad would have come in quite handy). Also, do you remember how to pronounce the name of the volcano that erupted in southern Iceland in 2010? Jade does. Ian — not so much...
2021-07-2724 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 04: Gardening as an entry point to thinking bigFt. outdoor and garden educator Kaci Rae Christopher
In the fourth episode of Earthy Chats, co-hosts Jade Harvey-Berrill and Ian Shanahan chatted with outdoor and garden educator Kaci Rae Christopher, author of The School Garden Curriculum! Here's a sneak-peek at what was discussed:
*growing a science mindset through gardening
*finding connections to systems thinking
*how storytelling fits into "garden culture"
*stories of student growth
*dreaming big and starting small (with just a bucket of soil)
*cross-curricular connections
*empowering students by learning local
2021-06-0849 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 03: Braiding Ktunaxa knowledge into learningFt. Aboriginal Education Coordinator Faye O'Neil
In the third episode of Earthy Chats, co-hosts Jade Harvey-Berrill and Ian Shanahan chatted with educator Faye O'Neil of the ?aqam Community in the Ktunaxa Nation! Here's a sneak-peek at what was discussed:
*a childhood in nature
*gaining knowledge from the land
*gaps in the education system and how to fill them
*making partnerships and maintaining open dialogue
*how animals and plants are described in the Ktunaxa language
*ways to achieve grounding in nature
Guest:
Fa...
2021-05-1056 min
Teach OutdoorsLearning With Purpose and Place with Alexa CharlesOur guest tonight is Alexa Charles who is a Mentoring Support Teacher for the Coquitlam district. She leads us through her journey of “Learning with Purpose and Place in SD43” and how she infuses an ethnography lens with her documentation. Alexa Charles Information:She curates a blog entitled, “Learning with Purpose and Place in SD43.”Follow her on Twitter @MsCharlesSD43 Other Inspirational People We Chatted About:Megan Zeni @RoomtoplayDr. Gillian Judson (Walking Curriculum) @perfinker CBEEN (Columbia Basin Enviro...
2021-04-1928 minEarthy Chats PodcastEpisode 02: Meet the Envirosongsters!Ft. Envirosongsters Peter Lenton (aka Peter Puffin) and Remy Rodden
In the second episode of Earthy Chats, co-hosts Jade Harvey-Berrill and Ian Shanahan chatted with the Envirosongsters, Peter Lenton (aka Peter Puffin) and Remy Rodden! Here's a sneak-peek at what was discussed:
*the birth of the Envirosongsters collaboration
*Peter and Remy's process for creating EE songs for kids
*the role of storytelling in crafting a live concert
*the cross-curricular benefits of using song and theatre in education
*harnessing the inherent creativity of children
*the global S...
2021-02-241h 09Earthy Chats PodcastEpisode 01: Imaginative Ed. and a Walking CurriculumFt. Dr. Gillian Judson of imaginED and the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University
The premier episode of Earthy Chats has arrived! Co-hosts Jade Harvey-Berrill and Ian Shanahan chatted with Dr. Gillian Judson of imaginED and the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. Here's a sneak-peek at what we discussed:
*the role of imagination in meaningful learning for learners of all ages (adults, too!)
*how story form engages emotions and enhances memory consolidation
*Gillian's new book, A Walking Curriculum and how it can be used by parents and educators
2021-01-3159 minChildren's Bible SongsI’ve Been Redeemed[Close]GI’ve been redeemed [I’ve [Close]Cbeen re-[Close]Gdeemed] By the blood of the Lamb [by the [Close]Cblood of the [Close]GLamb] I’ve been re-[Close]Ddeemed[Close]D7 By the blood of the [Close]GLamb. I’ve been re-[Close]Cdeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Filled with the [Close]GHoly Spirit, I [Close]Emam: All my [Close]Csins are washed a-[Close]Dway, I’ve been [Close]Gredeemed. Oh I went […]The post I’ve Been Redeemed first appeared on Children's Bible Songs.
2011-09-2500 min