The Outdoor Learning School & Store is a charitable social enterprise offering excellent outdoor learning training, tools, resources & equipment with 100% of proceeds going back to supporting outdoor learning non-profit initiatives!
These 4 x 1 hour sessions will go deeper into the theoretical and practical dimensions of the outdoor and imagination-focused resource, A Walking Curriculum For The Early Years.
Authors of the resource will facilitate and support participants as they engage in outdoor learning, imaginative self-reflection, and discussion to support practical implementation with early years students.
Your course fee goes towards supporting our charity in covering the course costs, including ensuring that we compensate the course instructors adequately, and that we can continue to offer learning opportunities like these.
Session 1: Welcome To Walking 101: Welcome to walking as a curricular practice in the early years! This introductory session will map out the future sessions including discussing the why behind imaginative and Place-focused practices, the how for maximizing student learning, and the what next for educators interested in taking learning outside in meaningful and engaging ways.
Session 2: Your Experiences With Walking: This interactive webinar will focus on participants’ experiences walking and applying tools of imagination outside. Participants will be invited to share and reflect on their own learning, thoughts, wonderings and curiosities regarding outdoor learning with early years students. Potential challenges will be discussed collectively with practical solutions.
Session 3: Steps for Sustaining a Walking Practice in the Early Years: The third session will revisit key concepts related to walking, imagination and vital “cognitive tools” for student learning. It will also outline practices for documenting student learning and ways in which to weave outdoor imaginative learning into early years curricula throughout the year.
Session 4: Q&A and Discussion: The final session will be a chance to ask questions live to the course facilitators and dive deeper to connect with other course participants in breakout groups.
Dr. Gillian Judson is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University (SFU). She teaches in Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction programs. Dr. Judson’s scholarship examines imagination’s role in leadership, learning (PreK—post-secondary), and imaginative and ecological teaching practices (PreK through post-secondary). Her latest book is entitled A Walking Curriculum for the Early Years (McKay, Redford & Judson, 2023).
Dr. Michelle McKay is a teacher/Early Years educator and co-author of A Walking Curriculum for the Early Years. Michelle teaches in a large urban centre in Ontario. She completed her Ph.D. at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of Toronto) in Curriculum and Pedagogy. Michelle’s research is situated around engaging Kindergarten students in teaching and learning about truth and reconciliation. Her passions include early learning, equity- based work, and inclusive instructional strategies. She provides professional development for educators from across the province on a range of topics related to early learning and play and enjoys working with Early Years professionals.
Klara Redford is a teacher (OCT) in a large urban school board in Ontario and third co-author of A Walking Curriculum for the Early Years. She has spent the majority of her career learning alongside students in the Early Years. Klara’s passion lies in amplifying student identity and lived experiences as we #getoutside to extend the learning, learn with and from the land, and develop a deeper sense of Place. Klara’s love of picture books (and her ever-growing collection) provides endless opportunities for students to see themselves represented, make connections, and be curious about the world around them. Klara continues to work to amplify the voices of Early Years educators and students and to build community through opportunities for Early Years educators to learn from each other and together.
