Episode 94 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Getting Our Students 'On the Bus' with Ricardo Sierra

Episode 94 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Getting Our Students 'On the Bus' with Ricardo Sierra

Author: Ricardo Sierra April 29, 2024 Duration: 49:49
One of the very first challenges educators have today is finding a way to connect with students, and then inspiring them to engage with the activities and experiences offered because THEY want to, not because they HAVE to.   Without that key ingredient, we can't really go anywhere.  Full stop.   If you have experienced difficulty with this, you will know exactly what a problem it is, and how excruciating it is to be in it, for everyone involved.  Sometimes, we get lucky and don't have this kind of issue in our educational journey, with supportive, excited children and attractive games that get the job done.  It can be a big shock when we show up and it DOESN'T go as planned. With student anxiety, classroom disruption and class attention spans bordering on milliseconds, it's a given that we need a variety of approaches that can give us options when we start getting resistance or blank stares. In this episode, we take a comprehensive look at one of my favorite tools in this process, and discover some of the ways we can get better immediately, to the benefit of all. 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 91 - The Last Person Around the Campfire - with Sky Otter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:28
It's not uncommon at the end of a meaningful nature program to see one person who is still sitting at the campfire, reluctant to leave. The impact to our participant's lives can be significant, and it's difficult for som…
Episode 86 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Rites of Passage Part Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:51
We're talking about The Hero's Journey this episode, and how it relates to the work we do as Forest Educators. The Monomyth has a multitude of stages that are easily recognizable when we know what to look for, whether we…