COEO NEWS
COEO Response to Recent Events
As we are confronted with the tragedy, horror and discomfort of recent events, we are simultaneously called once again to raise our collective awareness and recognize the injustices that continue to be faced each day by folks in Indigenous, Muslim, Black, Asian, and all marginalized communities. It is especially important to recognize how these blatant acts of racism and hatred create barriers to these communities in their ability to access and recreate in the outdoors safely.
Our thoughts are with those impacted by the discovery of the 215 children who were buried on-site at a former residential school near Kamloops, BC. Closer to home, we are also saddened by the senseless act of violence against a Muslim family in London, Ontario. While this may be a time to mourn, let this also be a call to action to denounce racism and hate in our everyday lives. This is not a “dark chapter” in Canada’s history – this is our reality, and there is much work to be done by all of us. Starting with educating ourselves. Then, taking action. Each of us.
Can we do something positive within our own families and communities? Can we use the awareness that has surfaced from these tragic events to create the much-needed time and space to empathetically listen to others’ stories? Can we use our privileged voices to call people in, call people out, and speak up in support of those who have too often been silenced and not heard?
Yes, we can. We can do something on our own, but we can also make a larger impact together. We can continue to do what we do well as outdoor educators. We can model what it looks like to show respect for oneself, others, and the environment around us. We can cultivate a connection with the land, water, and sky. We can build bridges between individuals and communities, and do our part to create spaces where all people can feel safe.
Let us make sure that the awareness created by these recent events is channeled into action. If we each take one action today and another action tomorrow, slowly but surely we will move towards true inclusion, diversity, and equity in the outdoors.
COEO Community Webinar Series
Stay connected with the COEO community this season by participating in live monthly webinars. Each webinar will take place on a Thursday evening from 7:00 to 8:30pm EST. The first hour will be a live presentation, followed by a 30 minute question and answer period.
Thanks so much to Liz, Barbara and Danielle for leading our awesome May webinar on Virtual Camp Programs, including a live virtual scavenger hunt! It was great to find out about so many different ideas for engagement.
THIS MONTH:
June 17th at 7:00pm – A Journey into Forest & Nature School – Matt and Kim Simpson (Free Spirit Forest and Nature School)
Join along with Matt and Kim Simpson from Free Spirit Forest and Nature School, as they share some of their process about starting and expanding Free Spirit Forest and Nature School in Southern Georgian Bay.
Matt and Kim Simpson are co-founders, teachers and directors at Free Spirit Forest and Nature School, a series of not-for-profit Forest and Nature Schools in Southern Georgian Bay. With locations in Wasaga Beach, Collingwood, Duntroon and Meaford, FSFNS has grown steadily since its inception in 2016 with 7 students, and currently serves over 200 local students and families! They are a husband and wife team and a big part of what makes FSFNS do what it does best – connecting folks to Nature! When not at the school, you can find them sauntering in the forest with their two young girls, tinkering on projects in their backyards, and paddling local rivers. They’re excited and honoured to share about their FNS Journey thus far and all of the lessons and learnings they’ve uncovered along the way!
REGISTRATION DETAILS:
Click HERE if you are currently a COEO member. Webinar registration is FREE for current members.
Click HERE if you are NOT currently a COEO member and would like to register for the webinars or become a member. Webinar registration is by donation ($5 or $20) for current non-members.
CLICK HERE to connect to COEO’s YouTube channel and view a recording of our FREE webinars – Engaging Students in Nature-Based Programming Online (recorded December 2020) and Taking Your Kindergarten Students Outside (recorded July 2020).
A note on membership: Being a COEO member means that you are part of a strong and active community dedicated to promoting and celebrating the value of outdoor and experiential education. As a member of COEO, you add your much-needed support and voice to the work being done by the organization, including webinars and other resources developed specifically for outdoor educators like the quarterly Pathways journal, Outdoor Learning Tips, this monthly e-newsletter and more!
Outdoor Learning Tips Document – Now available in French!
CLICK HERE to check out the French translation of our popular Outdoor Learning Tips document – Conseils pour faciliter l’apprentissage en plein air. Many thanks to Jennifer Bernier from Ecole La Fontaine, in Kleinburg, ON, for translating the English version and to Danielle Barrett (current COEO Board member) for editing. Feel free to download and share this version of the document with any French speaking colleagues!
Diversity & Allyship in Outdoor Education
Wondering how to support diversity in the outdoors and be a better ally to BIPOC folx within our industry? Here are some great resources to get you started and some incredible organizations already doing the work to increase diversity in outdoor activities.
Watch this video Black & Safe in Outdoor Spaces, a conversation between Demiesha Dennis and Jacqueline Scott. They discuss what it means to be Black outdoors, both within the city and out on Canada’s trails, how safety considerations impact the way Black communities navigate these spaces, and the historic roots of these issues.
Support Demiesha Dennis, founder of Brown Girl Outdoor World, in her efforts to create a Gear and Equipment Library (based in Toronto), either through a monetary donation or equipment donation. Check out her Instagram and read more about her work on her website.
Read about the movement Bird Names for Birds and sign the petition.
Read The Melanin Base Camp Guide to Outdoor Allyship.
Check out this great webinar Black Outdoors: The Connections Between Race and Outdoor Space put on by the Toronto Public Library, featuring Jacqueline L. Scott in conversation with Demiesha Dennis.
Support the work of Colour the Trails by becoming a member. Find out more about the organization and their work advocating for inclusive representation in outdoor spaces on their website, colourthetrails.com
Support Project Love Run, which is all about women’s mental health, community and running. Find out more about them here.
COEO Awards – Ongoing Call for Nominations
COEO Awards provide an important opportunity to recognize individual and group efforts, as well as to celebrate the varied expression of outdoor education within our organization and throughout the province of Ontario. Click HERE for more information about the 5 separate categories of COEO Awards and consider nominating a deserving colleague or organization. Award nomination forms will be received on an ongoing basis. Simply fill out a COEO Awards Nomination Form, then email the completed form to: owls@coeo.org (Liz Kirk, COEO Past President). Thank you for your nomination of an outstanding outdoor educator or organization in Ontario!
OTHER OEE & RELATED NEWS
Book of the Month
Physical and Health Education in Canada: Integrated Approaches for Elementary Teachers is a comprehensive text for Canadian teacher candidates preparing for responsibilities associated with physical and health education teaching in the elementary grades (K through 8). The book also serves as a practical reference for in-service elementary teachers responsible for physical and health education.
Editors Joe Barrett and Carol Scaini called upon a distinguished group of physical and health education teacher educators, researchers, and field leaders from across Canada’s provinces and territories to provide expertise for this book. These contributors have synthesized the relevant research on physical and health education teaching, as well as strategies rooted in decades of practical experience, to provide valuable insights from a variety of perspectives. For more details click here
Use code B504 to receive 40% off regular price! Offer expires 6/30/2021
Survey Request for Outdoor Activity Leaders
Bringing a group outside is a beautiful role filled with important responsibilities. Properly preparing group leaders requires good and accessible training options. To do this, a working group preparing for the Canadian Outdoor Summit in 2022 is developing a proposal for a framework on competencies and training for Led Outdoor Activities. To create something that will work for the sector and honor the quality training already in existence, they have prepared a survey to better understand the scope and distribution of training providers in Canada.
If you have worked and/or volunteered for an organization bringing people outside, your participation in this survey is important and meaningful.
CLICK HERE to complete the survey!
Are you an Ontario teacher? Get ready to celebrate with OTF!
Plan to join Steve Patterson (host of The Debaters) and Elvira Kurt and Charlie Demers for a special FREE Live Stream event organized by OTF, JUST for teachers like you (and your families)…in fact it’s for all members… teachers in Ontario’s publicly funded system. The resolution? Well, “BIRT, that everything I needed to learn, I learned in Kindergarten.” It’s happening in just TWO weeks – 7:00 PM on Thursday, June 24, 2021.
To find out more details about the event, CLICK HERE OTF Teacher Celebration Flyer
UNPACKING INTOLERANCE: EQUITY & DIVERSITY TRAINING FOR EDUCATORS
Unpacking Intolerance is a new FREE professional development program for teachers being piloted by Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) in July and August 2021. The goals and objectives of this program are to: 1. recognize antisemitism alongside other forms of hate and intolerance 2. support educators in linking the knowledge of historical and contemporary issues of antisemitism and hate to pedagogy 3. offer a framework for the practical application of these topics in a classroom setting 4. provide tangible tools to support teachers in their classrooms
Contact Friends of the Simon Weisenthal Center for Holocaust Studies to register for their 2-day training sessions. LEARN MORE HERE
TDSB Launches New Outdoor Learning Website
We are excited to launch a new outdoor learning website for staff and families in the TDSB. This portal brings together information, ideas and resources to help support and encourage learning in the outdoors. While many educators regularly integrated the outdoors into their daily learning, the pandemic has encouraged all staff to look beyond the walls of their classroom and find innovative and creative ways to learn outside.
This portal provides valuable and current information for educators, including research, resources and best practices, to help them get started or explore new ideas. Staff are also encouraged to share their outdoor learning in action with #TDSBoutdoors on social media to inspire other educators interested in trying new learning opportunities outside.
The Family Resources area of the site provides tips for preparing for the weather, resources for why and how to get started as well as a comprehensive list of activities for families to enjoy together in the city. The website will continue to be updated with new information and resources and will continue to serve as a hub of ideas and innovation that educators use not only in the coming months, but for years ahead. Check out the website HERE.
CANOPA – Canadian Outdoor Professionals Association
CANOPA is (Canadian Outdoor Professionals Association) a national nonprofit organization started in 2021. Stemming from the need for a unified voice for outdoor professionals, CANOPA’s main goals are to EDUCATE outdoor professionals on their rights and responsibilities, to AMPLIFY and include marginalized voices and reduce barriers for folks with diverse backgrounds, to ADVOCATE for a more sustainable industry, and to SUPPORT the community of outdoor professionals through events like OWLS and more! To get involved and stay informed about future opportunities with CANOPA, sign up for a membership and/or follow on Instagram (@canopa_org) or Facebook (@canopa.org). Contact us at canadian.outdoor.instructors@
Get Kids Paddling – Why Paddle? Visual
Together with Erica Bota from ThinkLink Graphics, Get Kids Paddling has produced a stunning visual to capture a 2 hour discussion where 7 people spoke openly about their paddling experiences, primarily on canoe trips. Opening the link will show you the illustration displaying how Erica captured the conversation. GKP-Why-Paddle-Visual.pdf
OEE P.D. OPPORTUNITIES
Adventureworks! Associates Inc.
Ropes Course Training and Certification Courses offered by Adventureworks Associates Inc.
Outdoor Experiential Education (OEE) Additional Qualification Course
Outdoor Learning Webinars, hosted by LSF:
- 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
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
Webinars from Natural Curiosity:
Recordings for all past Natural Curiosity webinars series are available through a “pay-what-you-can” model on the University of Toronto Press website! CLICK HERE to access these webinars.
NAAEE 2020 Annual Conference and Research Symposium – Inspiring Change
The focus of the 2020 NAAEE Conference and Research Symposium was positive change. Virtual workshops explored the ways in which environmental education informs and inspires, and how it builds human capacity, influences attitudes, and galvanizes actions to create healthier communities and a healthier environment for all.
Recordings of almost all sessions are available for on-demand viewing.
We don’t want cost to be a barrier, especially in these unprecedented times when many in our field have been hard hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. Access to recordings is available at reduced rates.
More information can be found on the event website: https://naaee.org/conference
UPCOMING CONFERENCES
Canadian Outdoor Summit
September 29 – October 2, 2021, Virtual events across Canada Our Plan for Fall 2021 – Canadian Outdoor Summit
This inaugural event is about bringing people together to celebrate contributions and tackle some key structural challenges affecting all outdoor programs from coast to coast to coast. This national gathering is aimed at celebrating our contribution to Canadian society and solving key challenges faced by outdoor programs. This project is a collective effort of the outdoor sector, therefore your perspective and contribution offers tremendous value. More information can be found on the event website: http://canadianoutdoorsummit.com/ and social media channels. Please follow and share: Instagram, Facebook, Canadian Outdoor Summit Promotional Video
Association for Experiential Education (AEE)
November 11 – 14th, 2021, Virtual
AEE’s 49th Annual International Conference will convene attendees to promote, definine, develop, and apply theories and practices of Experiential Education. Our Conference is intentionally designed to create a collaborative environment where you can grow your career, discover valuable new strategies to integrate into your work, and develop lasting personal and professional relationships.
Join hundreds of Experiential Educators from around the world for four days of engaging workshops, meaningful networking, and informative presentations…all from the safety and comfort of your own home!
Find out all the details and how to register HERE
JOB POSTINGS
Outdoor Education/Community Service Teacher, Muskoka Montessori School
The Muskoka Montessori School is currently seeking a part-time Outdoor Education and Community Service teacher to work with our Grades 7/8 students on Fridays. As a teacher at the Muskoka Montessori School, you will have the opportunity to work with a small class of students to connect classroom lessons with real world experience in the natural world.
We are looking for someone who has strong technical skills in areas such as canoeing, camping, orienteering, etc. and an ability to integrate life and earth science curricula into outdoor activities. The goal of the outdoor education program is to engage students in rich experience with nature so as to foster a love and respect for the natural world and to guide students toward stewardship of our world.
Candidates will also have the opportunity to engage the students in community service activities and projects. Some examples of past volunteer work has included trail clearing and maintenance, work at the Table Food Bank in Huntsville, planning and organizing donations and support for local wildlife and refuge centres, etc.
Interested candidates should possess solid experience working with children and teens, and preference will be given to those with a Bachelor of Education and teaching experience. Additional qualifications should include certification in first aid and CPR. Strong interpersonal and communication skills will also be an asset.
If this position interests you, please send your resume to the school co-principal, Jennifer Daynard (jennifer@muskokamontessori.ca).
Multiple Positions, Adventureworks! Associates, Inc.
Hiring now! Challenge Course Installers and Program Facilitators. To see complete job postings, CLICK HERE
Multiple Positions, Outward Bound Canada
OLE Instructor and OLE Support, Pine River Institute
Pine River Institute is an innovative co-ed residential treatment program for teens struggling with addictive behaviours. We are a family-centered program comprised of 4 phases: Wilderness (Outdoor Leadership Experience), Residential, Transition, and Aftercare. Every student, upon entering the program, spends 8 or more weeks in Huntsville before moving to the residence. Day-to-day activities in wilderness include canoeing, hiking, snowshoeing, group initiatives, group and individual therapy, and journaling. Youths live and work in nature in groups of up to eight, with three staff.
Our campus is situated on 200 acres of spectacular Niagara Escarpment land near Shelburne, Ontario. The program here includes outdoor education, individual, group, and family therapy, expressive arts, athletics, and life skills, as well as the more traditional academic offerings.
To view current postings, click HERE
ONTARIO CAMPS ASSOCIATION – JOB BOARD
The OCA Job Board is always an excellent place to find job postings in the field of outdoor education. Check out their website, as many full-time positions at outdoor centres and camps are now being advertised.
Find us, friend us, like us, tag us or follow us online:
Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/coeo.org
Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/coeo.org
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/COEOoutdoors
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.