Elizabeth Beaven, Ed.D.
Alliance for Public Waldorf Education
Expert
Equity
IL Practice
Place-Based
Public Policy
- Status
- Ongoing
- Makeup
- Field-building Collaborative
- Organization
- Natural Start Alliance | National Wildlife Federation
Today, many of us are disconnected from our natural world, a disconnection often tied to historical and present inequities. The cost of this disconnect is high, especially for children.
In partnership with the Natural Start Alliance and ECHO, Trust for Learning has invested in programs and initiatives to improve children’s ideal learning experience in the natural world. Below are some of the materials and resources from that work.
1: Nurturing All Children in Nature: Ideal Learning in the Natural World
Nurturing All Children in Nature: Ideal Learning in the Natural World provides tools and strategies for policymakers and educators to expand nature-based learning in publicly-funded early childhood settings. This report outlines the short- and long-term benefits of connecting children to nature and demonstrates the possibility of change through small and large modifications in any setting. It includes research-based best practices, practical examples, and highlights systemic issues that need to be addressed through policy.
2: Webinar & Report Release Event
Promoting Nature-Based Learning in the Early Years is a webinar co-hosted by Trust for Learning and the Hunt Institute. The discussion explored nature-based learning approaches and the short—and long-term benefits of outdoor learning opportunities on children’s growth and development.
3. A Practitioners Guide
Nurturing All Children in Nature: A Practitioners Guide to Ideal Learning and Nature-Based Learning is a resource aimed at helping educators foster children’s positive connections to the natural world, promoting equity, exploration, and environmental stewardship. This guide outlines the significance of connecting young children with nature for their health, development, and well-being.
4. A Case Study
The Little Village: Culturally Sustaining Practice in Nature-Based Learning is a case study of a Learning Center in Aurora, Colorado, dedicated to providing culturally sustaining practices within a nature-based learning environment. The brief offers an actionable model of supporting children’s development in and ideal learning that promotes their sense of belonging and inclusion.
