21. Child-Led Teaching with Rhonda Pollock at the Pollywogs Nature Playschool

This entire month we talking about Teaching and Learning Outdoors. In this episode, we are talking with Rhonda Pollock from the Pollywogs Nature Playschool

HERE'S WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS EPISODE:

• What is nature-based programming?
• What is the forest school model?
• How did you establish an all-weather immersion program?
• What is child-led flow learning?
• What is inquiry-based learning?
• What is child-inspired, child-directed documentation?
• What is place-based education?

MEET RHONDA:

Rhonda Pollock is an Early Childhood Educator, Consultant, Presenter, and Mentor and is the founder and lead educator of Pollywogs Nature Playschool(PNP). PNP is the first Massachusetts state-licensed Cedarsong Accredited Forest Kindergarten. Rhonda has built several home-based educational programs with over 20+ years of experience, including founding, designing, and implementing the entire PNP program from the ground up. 

Rhonda has been nurturing and connecting children to nature since 1998. She has extensive experience in Early Childhood Education and Child Social Services. In addition, Rhonda holds a Bachelor of Social Work Degree, B.S.W. from Rhode Island College. Once Rhonda decided to operate her home-based program as a preschool, she obtained Director level qualifications in Early Childhood Education and has completed hundreds of hours in professional development with various certifications. In 2003, when Rhonda read Above All Be Kind by Zoe Weil, she decided to make nature the focus and curriculum of her preschool program before hearing the term ‘nature preschools.’ 

Rhonda is also a certified Cedarsong Way Forest Kindergarten Teacher, having trained with the esteemed Erin Kenny on Vashon Island, WA.

In addition, she is a Mentor for The Cedarsong Way Teacher Certification program and was a collaborator in creating The Cedarsong Way Online Teacher Training Course. Rhonda has been a presenter for the Natural Start Alliance Conference, ERAFANS, and has led weekly live online Cedarsong Conversations.

She previously served on the Board of Directors for the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools. 

CONNECT WITH RHONDA:

• Website: https://www.pollywogsnatureplayschool.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pollywogsnatureplayschool
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pollywogs_nature_playschool
• Email: [email protected]

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OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RESOURCES:

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