Episode 78 - Forest Educator Spotlight - The Beneficial Partnership of Nature and Language Arts with Jonny Walker

Episode 78 - Forest Educator Spotlight - The Beneficial Partnership of Nature and Language Arts with Jonny Walker

Author: Ricardo Sierra March 4, 2024 Duration: 1:06:04
This episode is a conversation with Jonny Walker, a poetry, creative writing and language arts educator from London/Uk.  We explore how 'traditional' or classical education benefits when we incorporate nature based approaches that deliver powerful outcomes for students and schools.  He shares about the need for direct experience and full contact with nature for awakening and expanding the outer and inner world of his students, which leads to inspiration, depth and courage, which are all essential for the creative arts. We discuss how Language Arts educators can become 'Forest Educators' when they take that first step in planning retreats and 'field trips' that can change the course of the lives of their students.  We also discuss an upcoming Educator Retreat in April that dives into Poetry, Writing, Expression, Mythology and Nature, where he will share his approach and methods.  Jonny shares how important it is for educators to rediscover and ignite our own passion for writing, and how he likes to give educators lots of first-hand experiences so that they understand them from a student's perspective. Educator Retreat Link:    foresteducator.com/mythology-poetry-nature-retreat Youth Retreat Link:   foresteducator.com/bards-and-demigods-youth-retreat  Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

Ricardo Sierra has spent over three decades working in wilderness education, and that depth of experience shapes every conversation in Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra. This isn't a lecture series; it's a collection of genuine dialogues with educators and practitioners around the world who are actively reimagining how we learn in and with the natural world. You'll hear from people integrating nature into schoolyards, running innovative forest camps, and applying outdoor principles in surprising business and leadership contexts. The discussions are grounded in the practical realities of the field-think less about abstract theory and more about tangible tools, adaptable strategies, and the honest challenges these pioneers face. Released twice weekly, each episode feels like pulling up a stump in the woods to listen in on a candid exchange between colleagues. Whether you're directly involved in outdoor programming, curious about the intersection of wilderness and professional development, or simply believe in the transformative power of a hands-on education, this podcast offers a steady source of inspiration and actionable insight drawn directly from the front lines of nature-based learning.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra | A Podcast for Revolutionary Conversations about Nature-Based Education
Podcast Episodes
Episode 122 - Forest Educator Spotlight: When Things Go Sideways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:46
If you haven't been in a situation where something happens that is unexpected, then congratulations! You probably have an amazing overworked program director who is really NAILING IT as far as logistics, details, staff t…
Episode 121 - Adventures in Ethnobotany with Zak Baker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:56
To many (most?) people in our current culture, nature is a literal 'wall of green' that contains plants, trees, vines, bushes and shrubs, all interwoven in a way that is virtually indistinguishable from each other. It ca…
Episode 120 - Forest Educator Spotlight:   The Power of Slowing Down [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:21
I'm pretty sure we could all benefit from reducing the frenetic pace that seems to go hand in hand with our modern culture. It's a great topic, but it's not what I'm describing in this episode! Instead, I've spent most o…
Episode 118 - Forest Educator Spotlight:   Survival Trek, 1986 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:10
It was early August, in Harlemville New York. It was a six week immersion into the natural world, in one of my first 'wilderness skills learning intensives', with just a few tools, a blanket and a desire to see the world…