17. Rethinking Nature Pedagogy in Higher Education with April Zakjo

This entire month we talking about Teaching and Learning Outdoors.

HERE'S WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, we are talking with April Zakjo, founder of April's Teaching Tree and faculty member of Comunity College of Vermont. The focus of this important conversation centers around rethinking Nature Pedagogy in Higher Education.

• Why April shifted from beginning her career as a public school teacher using a traditional approach to teaching to learning outdoors.
• Why promoting an emergent & nature-based pedagogy after getting a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Virginia became a priority.
• How April supports educators who need to implement a “standards-based curriculum” AND outdoor learning.
• How April is helping many educators do both. 
• How Grab & Go curriculum materials can foster emergent learning in the outdoor classroom.
• April's work in higher education and how she is helping bring outdoor classroom knowledge to college courses.

MEET APRIL ZAKJO:

April Zajko, M.Ed. is an early childhood educator and a faculty member of the Community College of Vermont. April has worked in early childhood education (ECE) throughout her career in a variety of roles, including public school teacher, pre-kindergarten teacher, and founder and director of a nature-based preschool. April moderates the “Nature Inspired Teacher” Facebook group that has over 6,500 members from around the world! Over the last thirteen years, April has facilitated ECE professional development with hundreds of educators who want to bring nature into the heart of their curriculum. April serves as a 2023 Exchange Fellow for the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children where she is examining the intersection of the planet and young children by identifying ways to support educators in making more meaningful connections to nature as a way to create lifelong stewards. 

CONNECT WITH APRIL:

• April’s Teaching Tree - https://aprilsteachingtree.mykajabi.com/links
• FB Page: “April’s Teaching Tree”
• Instagram: @aprils_teaching_tree
• Email: [email protected] 

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:

• FREE Seedling Newsletter
• WEBSITE: www.outdoor-classrooms.com
• EMAIL: [email protected]
• Instagram: instagram.com/outdoor_classrooms/
• Facebook: Facebook.com/OutdoorClassrooms1

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RESOURCES:

• The Outdoor Classrooms CIRCLE Membership
• The Outdoor Teaching Bootcamp
• Seeds of Inspiration for Outdoor Learning Card Deck