Environmental Education Professional Development
About this Event
From magnifying fuzzy organisms through a hand lens to relating your observations to memories and personal experiences, this workshop invites you to slow down, ask questions, and notice the interconnections that shape the living world around you. Through outdoor activities and sensory exploration, you’ll experience approachable ways to help others build that same sense of wonder, awareness, and belonging in nature.
Whether you’re a classroom teacher, parent, aspiring environmental educator, or simply someone hoping to feel more connected to the outdoors, come practice tools that nurture sustainable stewardship for yourself, your community, and future generations.
YOU'LL EXPERIENCE:
- Guided Observation: Learn simple investigation techniques like “I notice, I wonder, it reminds me of” to encourage curiosity, reflection, and sensory engagement outdoors.
- Place-Based Learning: Explore how local landscapes, seasonal changes, and everyday outdoor spaces can become meaningful environments for teaching and connecting.
- Teaching Tools: Try hands-on activities that support learner-centered outdoor experiences for children, families, and community groups.
- Environmental Literacy: Reflect on how environmental education practices can strengthen ecological understanding, informed decision-making, and reciprocal relationships with the natural world.
ABOUT YOUR FACILITATOR
MK Kirkpatrick-Waite (she/her) has worked at Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center for the last three years. She received a BS in Environmental Management and Protection, with a focus on Environmental Education at Cal Poly Humboldt in 2016, and has been working in the environmental education field since. During her time at Oxbow, she completed her Masters of Arts in Education through Prescott College (NAAEE accredited), and moved from the role of Education Program Assistant Manager, to Education Program Manager. During her career, MK worked for multiple overnight environmental education programs in California and Washington. She moved to the Pacific Northwest in the fall of 2020 and worked in the field throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. MK has trained several educators in environmental education practices, and focuses trainings on deep observation skills, slowing down, and connecting to place. Each time the MK writes curriculum for Oxbow programming, she focuses on aligning curriculum to Next Generation Science Standards, while making sure each activity connects the students back to the farm.
GRANT-SUPPORTED PRICING
We’re excited to offer this workshop at just $5, thanks to generous funding from 4Culture’s Doors Open grant! This experience is valued at $50, but the grant helps us make it accessible to more of our community.
We’re deeply grateful for this support, which allows us to connect more people with outdoor learning experiences.
All participants must register in advance—spaces are limited!
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 6.15
