Episodes

  • Episode 117 - Forest Educator Spotlight: The Value of Goals, Metrics and Evaluating Your Outcomes

    Episode 117 - Forest Educator Spotlight: The Value of Goals, Metrics and Evaluating Your Outcomes
    Jul 18 2024
    In the olden days, before the internet, when you ran a workshop or a skills class or wild foods program, you could usually skip the student evaluation forms and questionnaires. Participants just 'got the experience' and that was the deal. There wasn't any trolling, or review bombing, because there were no online reviews. You might get a letter, if people felt a certain way about your offering, but often times it was something positive rather than negative. In 2024, however, outcomes and evaluations matter. We have a lot more opportunities to connect with our students, and understand the class from their perspective, and it's a whole new world. Quite frankly, it's a much better world. The simple truth is this: The more we ask, the more we know, and the faster we can get better at what we do. This episode is a quick dive into understanding the importance of understanding our metrics, gathering data, self evaluations vs outside assessment, setting our own goals and best of all, how they can help make us better educators. Forest Educator Bonus Content Page: http://foresteducator.com/bonuscontent 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
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    42 mins
  • Episode 116 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Navigating the Inner Barriers of Visionary Work

    Episode 116 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Navigating the Inner Barriers of Visionary Work
    Jul 15 2024
    It's one thing to have a 'vision' or idea that is inspiring and exciting and full of hope and promise. It's also a WHOLE other thing to actually bring it into the real world, grounded and fully expressed and achieving outcomes. When we take that leap into the unknown, it's scary, risky, stressful and even wonderful; a lot of intense emotions all rolled into a kaleidoscope blender that most of the time, we are not fully prepared to handle. Sometimes, we even have unexpected 'inner barriers' that show up, with hesitation, procrastination, tangible fear in sharing something from the heart, rejection sensitivity and anxiety. These inner challenges are no joke, and they can stop our visionary work in its tracks if we don't figure out how to navigate and work around them. In this episode, we explore these issues and more, with an emphasis on solutions and strategies that can help us keep going. Forest Educator Bonus Content Page: http://foresteducator.com/bonuscontent 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
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    54 mins
  • Episode 115 - The Visionary Work of with Monica Eastway, Eco-Geriontologist

    Episode 115 - The Visionary Work of with Monica Eastway, Eco-Geriontologist
    Jul 11 2024
    There are literally piles of research about the benefits of contact with nature for human beings, and most of the time, we think of 'forest experiences' primarily for children. Monica Eastway shares her work with people who are in their 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's, and why nature is vital for this segment of our community. She shares stories of how nature experiences improve the quality of life for those in managed or skilled care facilities, and her quest to facilitate change as a true paradigm shift for ALL of us. We discuss some of the work that's being done in the Netherlands, Finland and Esalen, CA, and the impact that nature can have for families and people of all ages. Her vision includes helping our American fear of 'growing old' and seeing the aging process with grace, self acceptance and even joy. Monica's website: https://www.monicaeastway.com/ Monica's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-eastway/ 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
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Episode 114 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Harnessing the Nature of Time

    Episode 114 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Harnessing the Nature of Time
    Jul 8 2024
    Ever since I was a kid I was always fascinated by the concept of 'time'. I know I am not alone, because it's a pretty popular theme over the last four decades or so. Madeline L'Engle's Wrinkle In Time was one of my first steps into a different world. The time differences in the world of Narnia was pretty interesting! Then came the wildly unexpected Time Bandits and the fun of Back to the Future. The Time Lords and Dr. Who. The resetting of time in Edge of Tomorrow high stakes battle for Earth. Hot Tub Time Machine. The compression of time in Interstellar and Inception. HG Wells' The Time Machine. Groundhog Day. The Time Heists of Avengers: Endgame and the TVA of Marvel's Loki were some of the more recent forays, but there are literally tons of shows like Quantum Leap, or Travellers, or The Umbrella Academy and yes, Outlander.... I'd like to believe that time travel is possible but it's probably not, at least, not in the way that these shows seem to depict it. However, there are some situations and experiences that I have had in my forays into nature and leading groups that have broadened my understanding of time and its paradoxes and oddities and gifts, so, I figured we better talk about it! No hot tubs required! 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
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    51 mins
  • Episode 113 - Change, Adaptation and Evolution- How Alderleaf Wilderness College is Responding to the Pandemic and Cultural Shifts with Jason Knight

    Episode 113 - Change, Adaptation and Evolution- How Alderleaf Wilderness College is Responding to the Pandemic and Cultural Shifts with Jason Knight
    Jul 4 2024
    If there is a defining moment for nature education in the past five years, it always seems to be found during the Covid Pandemic. It was in this time that we see major shifts in the way we work, teach, learn and grow, as it accentuated the many changes that children, youth, families and adults were already showing prior to the coronavirus, and virtually all nature programs felt the effects. In this episode, Jason Knight of Alderleaf shares how his organization responded to these forces, and how his program and community has pulled together to find ways to thrive in an ever-evolving world. He launched some online programs, and even wrote a great book called 'The Essential Skills of Wilderness Survival', while also running lots of local programs and raising a family. Sometimes, we are all forced to 'embrace' change, whether we like it or not, but Jason's gifts have allowed him to take it to the next level. It's a great conversation that can benefit anyone running nature programs, and gives us a little 'behind the scenes' feeling at times as we explore many relevant topics along the way. Website: WildernessCollege.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alderleafwildernesscollege Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alderleafwildernesscollege/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alderleaf-wilderness-college/ 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
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Episode 112 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Preparing our Children for Climate Change

    Episode 112 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Preparing our Children for Climate Change
    Jul 2 2024
    There is one thing that is certain in our world, whether or not we 'believe' in climate change, and that is that our lives and the lives of our young students, is going to change. A lot. Being adaptable, fluid, responsive and creative are key necessary ingredients to have if we want to be able to handle change in a positive way. Most people struggle with even minor changes in their lives, especially when we have no control over what is happening. It can be debilitating and anxiety producing and managing that kind of response is difficult for everyone. This is where nature education can be literally life saving for our students. By giving them skills that help them manage their mental and emotional health, we are giving them an advantage over those who struggle to 'hold it all together'. Giving them problem solving skills, communication skills, awareness and gratitude, we lay a foundation that they can build a life from, even in a world that our own grandparents might not recognize. The importance of nature educators in this context is vital to the long term survival of our species and I believe it will have a powerful impact for those students and parents who understand the stakes and are willing to invest in their child's welfare in both the short term and 'down the road' thinking. 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
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    54 mins
  • Episode 111 - The Origins of Nick Hulley, Social Forester

    Episode 111 - The Origins of Nick Hulley, Social Forester
    Jun 27 2024
    I've always been able to quickly tell the difference between someone with years of actual hands on experience in bushcraft, nature skills or crafts, from those with just a little. It's seen mostly in the way that skills are presented, or how the preparation is put in, or in the choice of words in a social media post or photo description. When four or five tiny things begin to add up, I start paying attention, and then it becomes obvious. When I first began seeing Nick Hulley's LinkedIn posts, I saw this phenomenon in spades. In this episode, Nick shares the width and breadth of a life lived hand in hand with nature, through teaching, living, practicing and working day in and day out. He's used natural elements in conservation and forestry, and considers himself a 'Social Forester', which is a term I had never heard before. He also shares a wealth of experience in witnessing the origins of the current Forest School model as it evolved and grew in the United Kingdom, and how the current iteration of today's thousands of educators and schools are making an impact, one child at a time. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-hulley-91854b1/ 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
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    57 mins
  • Episode 110 - Forest Education Spotlight: What's in a Name? The Challenge of Choosing Program Names

    Episode 110 - Forest Education Spotlight: What's in a Name? The Challenge of Choosing Program Names
    Jun 24 2024
    Some Forest Educators seem to create amazing program and organization names effortlessly, with titles that evoke strong feelings, qualities and almost magnetic pull that draws in people excited to participate. Some of us have to work REALLY HARD to get names that are 'fair' or serviceable, after a long process and hours of crystal ball gazing. The fact is, finding a great name is both an art AND hard work, and it's something that takes a bit of intuition, luck and even a group of friends working a process to make it a little easier. This episode dives into several factors that come into play as we explore organization or individual program names, and outlines a process I've used for years that helps make it a little easier for those of us who aren't marketing or communications professionals! 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
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    1 hr and 5 mins