Save the Date!
Reaching Nature Connection
A Conference for Early Childhood Educators
August 18-19, 2012
Santa Barbara, CA
Fun and experiential, this workshop offers two days playing and learning in Nature's playground. Tools, songs, games, stories, and much more are presented to help bring adults and children alike into closer relationship with Nature and inspire love and stewardship of the natural world.
Early childhood educators, day-care and after-school providers, teachers, parents, youth leaders, mentors, naturalists, and anyone with young children in their lives, are invited to participate in this hands-on workshop focused experiencing Nature with children age 2 to 7.
Topics covered include:
· Outdoor safety
· Deepening Nature connection in your outdoor play space with little or no money
· Finding and using natural play spaces beyond the fence
· Meaningful and rich Nature based curriculum
· Singing, moving, and playing games toward Nature connection
· Storytelling for guidance, awareness, and learning
Day 1: Introduction/Theory
Day 2: Practical Application
Fee: $ 95.00 one day(Aug.18th only) or $175.00 for both days
*Catered lunches available
Workshop presenters are experienced and accomplished early childhood educators with a combined 60 years of experience educating and raising young children in relationship with Nature.
To Register, gain more information, or receive updates contact
Erin Boehme at erinwildroots@gmail.com
Meet the Presenters:
Erin Boehme grew up freely exploring the pastures, creeks and high deserts of the Eastern Sierras, this is where she truly learned about early childhood. Her passion to work with children and families in nature has led her on a journey into teaching. While studying early childhood education and child development, Erin worked as a Public Project Coordinator at Kidspace Museum in Pasadena. In 2000, Erin traveled to Italy to study in the Reggio Emilia Municipal Schools and returned to Santa Barbara to teach preschool and mentor student teachers at Santa Barbara City College Children's Center, volunteer for Wilderness Youth Project and assist a speech pathologist.
Erin has been living in Santa Barbara for 18 years and currently serves on the board for True Nature Society. She is currently the kindergarten teacher for Wild Roots Forest School, Santa Barbara's first forest kindergarten. She is an artist and designer that seeks to fuel the creative spirit in herself and others everyday. She is a naturalist mentored by her 2 children and still runs barefoot exploring in nature.
Lia Grippo has been an early childhood educator since 1989. In that time Lia has taught and directed in a variety of educational settings, using the arts of storytelling, poetry, movement, and play to help children and families deepen their relationship with all of life. She is also a parent educator, workshop presenter, founder and preschool teacher for Wild Roots Forest School, Santa Barbara's first forest kindergarten, and the founding director and teacher at Seedlings, a Waldorf-inspired mixed age kindergarten. Lia is a naturalist and the grateful mother of two tree climbing boys.
Kelly Villarruel grew up in Santa Barbara and has an intimate knowledge and love of the area. She holds a degree in Environmental Horticulture emphasizing restoration and regeneration. As a massage therapist and instructor in a local school of massage, Kelly focused on bringing awareness skills into daily life. As an early childhood educator since 1989, Kelly has been bringing together her combined passions for children, nature, and awareness skills. As senior staff at Wilderness Youth Project (WYP), Kelly is the program director and lead mentor for WYP's preschool program, Chickadees. Kelly is a naturalist and the mother of three beautiful and nature connected children.
