COEO NEWS

COEO Annual Fall Conference 2024

REGISTRATION TODAY!

The Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario (COEO) is excited to invite you to attend our Annual Fall Conference to be held at RKY Camp, from September 20 – 22, 2024.

The 2024 COEO conference organizing committee has been hard at work and plans are well underway for this year’s annual fall conference. This year’s conference theme, “Speak Out: The Power of Words in Outdoor Education/Exprimez-Vous: Le Pouvoir des Mots dans L’Education en Plein Air”, is a means by which to organize our learning around the interactions between language and outdoor education. We hope to provide opportunities to share current best practices in outdoor learning and expand our dialogue to accommodate for bilingual (English/French) options as well as recognize the huge importance of the resurgence of indigenous languages and the role we can play. Our host site will be RKY Camp, located in the eastern part of Ontario, and as such we hope to welcome many of our fellow outdoor educators from Quebec to join us.

*Click on the CONFERENCE drop-down menu above to learn more about this upcoming COEO event!

Future of COEO Survey

We want to make sure that COEO grows and changes with the needs of the outdoor education community. Please share this anonymous survey with anyone you know who works in outdoor education. We want to hear from both COEO members and folks who aren’t members so that our growth and change can better support people in outdoor education. Folks who complete the survey before 9 am on September 22, 2024 will be entered to win a full ticket to a 2025 conference and an annual membership. Additionally, if you refer someone to take the survey, you both could win an annual membership. Thank you for supporting COEO to grow and evolve.

Link to the survey: https://forms.gle/rrEuXhQPPjrKzcgs5

OTHER OEE & RELATED NEWS

NEW BOOK: OUTDOOR MAGIC: The Power of Nature Connection

Longtime COEO member Grant Linney has just published a new book reflecting on his own experiences, both as a nature enthusiast and as a career outdoor educator.

Available for sale ($20.00) at COEO Annual Conference.

Can also be ordered online: www.loveyourmother.ca … click on book tab.

More information and endorsements are also found here.

“Most children today grow up in an urban setting increasingly caught up in an electronic virtual world. Grant Linney’s life journey and essays are powerful reminders that nature is our home, the real world that provides all of our biological and spiritual needs and confers the sheer joy of our existence.”

David Suzuki, Grandfather

Transforming Post-Secondary Early Childhood Education in Canada with Outdoor and Land-based Teaching and Learning

Toronto, June 17, 2024 – A new report from the Lawson Foundation “More Than a New Course: A Framework for Embedding Outdoor and Land-based Pedagogies in Post-Secondary ECE Programs,” provides guidelines to help integrate Outdoor and Land-based teaching and learning in post-secondary early childhood education (ECE) programs across Canada, aiming to get faculty, students, and ultimately children outdoors and connected to nature and the Land.

The purpose of this framework is to transform post-secondary education in Canada, equipping Early Childhood Educators to implement Outdoor and Land-based approaches and guiding senior administrators and policymakers to support these practices through necessary policy and practice changes. This framework supports post-secondary institutions to achieve multiple strategic priorities for student success and teaching excellence, the important work of Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, and environmental sustainability.

“Drawing on the expertise of an Indigenous and non-Indigenous working group, this framework provides a vision for transformational change that supports cultivating a new generation of early childhood educators who value and promote Outdoor and Land-based approaches in their practice with young children,” says the Lawson Foundation President & CEO, Cathy Taylor. “This work is timely, as post-secondary institutions across Canada respond to the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) plan that emphasizes the demand for qualified early childhood educators.”

New OUTSIDEPLAY Tool for Elementary School Teachers!

OUTSIDEPLAY is excited to announce the launch of a new free educational tool made by teachers for teachers who want to take their classrooms outdoors! Find it at: https://teacher.outsideplay.org

This tool is the newest addition to our OUTSIDEPLAY.org suite, joining existing parent and early childhood educator tools. It is the result of years of practical hands-on experience and the PhD thesis work of Megan Zeni, a teacher who teaches exclusively outdoors. She worked with teachers across BC and Canada to develop the material. The development of the Teacher.OutsidePlay.org tool was funded by the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The 16 modules cover topics that teachers most want to know about, ranging from the basics of outdoor play and learning in schools to practical tips on getting started. We’ll continue to build out the tool with additional resources. We’re planning a speaker weries to dive deeper into the concepts introduced in each module.

For any questions or more information, reach out to our team at outsideplay@bcchr.ca. Also, please follow us on Instagram @playoutsideubc for regular updates and give our posts a thumbs up!

Sustainability and Education Policy Network, Update on Flagship project

Saskatoon, June 11, 2024 – SEPN is thrilled to be sharing the final reports for the Sustainability and Education Policy Network’s flagship project, SEPN-Canada. They hope they will be used by schools, universities, students, educators, and policymakers to help advance transformative approaches to sustainability in formal education in Canada and globally.

Over eight years, SEPN explored the uptake of sustainability in education policy and practice across primary, secondary, and higher education in Canada. This ambitious project led to the creation of a robust international network that continues to make an impact on sustainability and climate change education policy and practice through large-scale comparative education research, including the MECCE Project.

These final reports synthesize SEPN-Canada’s findings from a series of policy analyses, surveys, and site visit case studies on formal education across Canada. Companion reports summarizing policy and practice examples collected through the research are also available on SEPN-Canada’s webpage.

OEE P.D. OPPORTUNITIES

Four Seasons of Indigenous Learning 2024-25 Course, The Outdoor Learning School and Store

Beginning in the Fall, offered in partnership with over 50 non-profit organizations, this course serves to support participants in deepening their understanding of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives while strengthening connections with the local Land and supporting more respectful, reciprocal relationships.

Registration includes:

Self-paced Learning Modules (30 mins/month)
Monthly Virtual Gatherings with Indigenous Presenters (60 mins/month)
Access to the Recordings (if you can’t make the live presentations)
$25 towards excellent Indigenous Learning Resources
A Certificate of Completion

This year of learning features 12 incredible Indigenous Presenters from across Turtle Island (North America):

Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer (Anishinaabe – Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
Richard Van Camp (Dogrib (Tłı̨chǫ) Nation)
Jo Chrona (Kitsumkalum First Nation)
Dr. Gregory Cajete (Tewa)
Christi Belcourt (Métis)
Shelly Boyd (Sn̓ʕay̓ckstx/Sinixt)
LaRae Wiley (Sn̓ʕay̓ckstx/Sinixt)
Sasha Eugene (Kinbasket, Secwépemc)
Launa Payne (Douglas First Nation)
Sherrelle Anderson (Saddle Lake First Nation)
Renée Chacon (Diné, Xicana)
Micaela Iron Shell-Dominguez (Sicangu Lakota, Apache, Xicana)

We invite you to watch the 2 minute welcome videos offered by our Director of Indigenous Learning, Jenna Jasek (Secwépemc, Ktunaxa) and Indigenous Learning Facilitator, Alyson McMullen (Swampy Cree).

Learn more and register

Certified Outdoor Educator Course, Take Me Outside

Over the past year, Take Me Outside and The Outdoor Learning Store have been developing a comprehensive 30 hour online course that will certify K-12 educators in integrating outdoor learning into their teaching practice. This certification program will provide the foundations of outdoor, environmental and place-based pedagogies with practical and tangible resources at the ready. An overview of the course can be found here: www.takemeoutside.ca/certification

To register:

Other Learning Opportunities, The Outdoor Learning School and Store

Free Fall Outdoor Learning Virtual Workshops – starts Sept 17 with 2 incredible Indigenous educators & authors, Richard Van Camp & Monique Gray Smith 🧡
Engaging Children of All Abilities Outdoors Fall Course – early bird open until September 30
Take Me Outside Day – sign-up open for Oct 23

Educational Activities/Resources, Ontario Hunting and Fishing Heritage Centre

Thanks to funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and Ontario Wildlife Foundation, we’ve assembled a variety of crates filled with conservation-focused resources and lesson plans – to send the Heritage Centre experience to YOU.

Crates are FREE to borrow for two weeks at a time, and you just cover the shipping costs!

For more information visit https://hfhc.ca/conservation-crates/

Upcoming Training Workshops, Challenges Unlimited

Challenges Unlimited (CUI) has released their 2024 Open Enrollment Workshop Schedule! CUI is a Preferred Vendor Member of the Association of Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and is a full-service challenge course provider who has served clients in Canada for 35 years.

To register, please click here. For questions, please email Miles Villneff, Manager of Training Services at miles@challengesunlimited.com

Get Kids Paddling – New Webinar

Watch past recordings of Get Kids Paddling webinars here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ljieEaveomEdKJ7S3jiTJL0YzFKrRdeG/vie w

Outdoor Learning Webinars, hosted by LSF

Some of the newest webinar offerings include:

A series of webinars designed specifically for and by secondary teachers
Tips for getting outside even in cold winter months!
Connecting primary and middle school math curriculum to the outdoors

For an up to date list of upcoming webinars, continue to check LSF’s R4R outdoor learning page
Check out the recorded webinar sessions for each grade group:

Kindergarten/Early Years: Webinar recording | Webinar slides
Grades K-6: Webinar recording | Webinar slides
Grades 4-10: Webinar recording | Webinar slides

UPCOMING CONFERENCES

JOB POSTINGS

Outdoor Education Intern, Camp Kawartha

Are you passionate about outdoor education and environmental stewardship? Are you interested in building your teaching skills in nature and outdoor education? Would you like to work for an award winning outdoor and environment centre? Are you available to work from early September until December 2024 with the possibility of extending the contract? With over 60 curriculum linked programs on offer and plans to become a nationally recognized environmental leadership centre, Camp Kawartha is seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic educator to join our talented team. We need educators who are creative, dedicated and are keen to learn. This is a great first step towards becoming a professional outdoor educator.

If you answered yes… then this could be just what you are looking for!

To view the full posting and to apply Click Here

Forest School Educators, Out to Play

Fall Instructor, ALIVE Outdoors

ALIVE Outdoors is hiring for Fall 2024. Varying lengths of contracts are available from 1 to 6 weeks in length. For full job description or to apply online, please visit https://www.aliveoutdoors.com/work-with-alive/

Program Instructor, Canada Lands

Job Description

Instruct curriculum-based education programs for elementary, middle, and secondary students with an environmental focus.
Lead community groups through outdoor education activities.
Ensure that programs are delivered smoothly by helping to prepare all required supplies and resources and maintaining clean and well-organized programming spaces.
Assist the Education Manager with the following tasks: developing programs and teaching tools, creating, and maintaining educational displays and learning centers.
Keep the Education Manager informed of all aspects of programs and feedback.
Support the Education manager in building and maintaining partnerships with the park community, teachers, educational institutions, governmental agencies, and community groups.
Take direction from and provide advice to the Education manager, as it relates to the efficient implementation of the programs.
Assist the Education Manager with the planning, development, and facilitation of programming for the community.

To view the full posting and to apply visit: https://jobs.clc.ca/CLC/job/Toronto-Program-Instructor%2C-Education-ON-M3K-2C5/728482547/

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Twitter https://twitter.com/COEOoutdoors @COEOoutdoors

ABOUT THIS ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

For consistency, the COEO electronic newsletter is now published on the first of each month. Anyone having an item of interest to outdoor & experiential educators and desiring publication in this newsletter needs to submit it to newsletter@coeo.org at least two days before the publication date.

The newsletter is generally organized according to the following headings: COEO News, Other OEE & Related News, P.D. Opportunities, Opportunities for Students, Resources, Job Postings. If your organization wishes to post information (e.g., notice of upcoming events, etc), it needs to be an organizational member of COEO.

If you would like to be removed from COEO’s eNewsletter mailing list, please send an email to newsletter@coeo.org and ask to be unsubscribed.