/ˈfɒrɪst skuːld/
1. educated or trained in the forest school ethos
2. taught a lesson related to forest school (the hard way)
3. challenged, educated, and humbled by the
features and forces of the natural world
I'm a Forest School Leader who started this blog while studying for my Level 3 qualification in the UK. At the time I was also working with children from a Primary Pupil Referral Unit. Now I work in a variety of settings utilising Forest School principles to help children develop confidence, self-esteem, empathy, and life skills. But whilst we're busy 'teaching' them, they are just as busy teaching me. This blog is all about the lessons I'm learning in the process and how, in essence, I'm getting 'Forest Schooled'.
Note: All names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals mentioned in these stories.
Forest Schooled News:
Now Available: Forest Schooled, The book!
Okay, you know that feeling when you have an idea and then someday that idea becomes a reality? It's an amazing feeling and one I am so happy to share with you now! After years of writing Forest Schooled, my stories are now nestled within the pages of a brand new book alongside high quality full colour photographs I've lovingly taken over the years while out delivering programmes and exploring woodlands. I have rejoiced, cried, and stressed out while making this project come to life. It was a journey in and of itself to create a book about "my forest school journey." But hey, it wouldn't be Forest School if it didn't challenge, stretch, and transform us, right? After all that's the point of getting Forest Schooled... So I hope others will truly enjoy having these stories in print, to read, reflect, and continue to inspire each other to do this work. THANK YOU to all of you for your support in getting here. The book is now available for purchase through AMAZON.
Blog posts: Search by category or just browse the latest by scrolling down!
Within these categories you'll also find blog posts written by some special guests.
Want to find them straight away? Head to Guest Blogs
November 3, 2019
Well, I’m dusting off the ol' Forest Schooled keyboard. It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog here. Life moves and sways, shifting where energy was once placed into other facets and callings. But I’ve missed it, missed writing, sharing, and connecting with all of...
September 1, 2019
Okay, you know that feeling when you have an idea and then someday that idea becomes a reality? It's an amazing feeling and one I am so happy to share with you now!
Three and a half years ago I started writing Forest Schooled. It was purely a space for me to share stor...
June 30, 2019
There was a nest. It was high up in one of the pine trees. We thought it was just the remnants left over from the previous year until a raven swooped by and landed in it just as we were walking by with our group of kindergarteners during our “Forest Morning.”
...
June 21, 2019
I've been branching out on blog writing and am sharing my stories on other pages in addition to Forest Schooled. Follow the link to the blog for the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada!
June 7, 2019
I've been branching out on blog writing and am sharing my stories on other pages in addition to Forest Schooled. Follow the link to the blog for the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada!
May 16, 2019
I've been branching out on blog writing and am sharing my stories on other pages in addition to Forest Schooled. Follow the link to the blog for the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada!
May 9, 2019
I've been branching out on blog writing and am sharing my stories on other pages in addition to Forest Schooled. Follow the link to find out if the forest is really magic on the blog for the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada!
May 1, 2019
Growing up in the United States, and more specifically Hawaii, it always felt like there was an elephant in the room that noone wanted to talk about. Or perhaps knew how to. The elephant was the impact of colonization on the place and the people who live here. Since mo...
April 27, 2019
After starting a handful of programs from scratch, there are so many things I’ve learned from the process. (See Starting a Forest School Program from Scratch and Integrating Forest School into a Public School Day for some background about my experiences). Sometimes I w...
April 12, 2019
I've been branching out on blog writing and am sharing my stories on other pages in addition to Forest Schooled. Follow the link to find out how I answered the question "So, what do you do about puddles?!" on the blog for the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada!