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Teach Outdoors

Lauren MacLean

73 episodes

4 days ago

In this episode, I chat with Court Rustemeyer, an Alberta teacher, outdoor educator, and National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow who was also recognized as EECOM’s Outdoor Educator of the Year. Court’s passion for connecting students to nature runs deep. We talk about the inspiration behind his new book, Mentorship in the Wild, and what mentorship really looks like in outdoor learning — from building trust and resilience to finding balance between safety and risk. Court shares stories fr...

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Education for Kids,

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In this episode, I chat with Court Rustemeyer, an Alberta teacher, outdoor educator, and National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow who was also recognized as EECOM’s Outdoor Educator of the Year. Court’s passion for connecting students to nature runs deep. We talk about the inspiration behind his new book, Mentorship in the Wild, and what mentorship really looks like in outdoor learning — from building trust and resilience to finding balance between safety and risk. Court shares stories fr...

Show more...

Education for Kids,

Episodes (20/73)

Teach Outdoors

Mentorship in the Wild: Building Resilience and Connection with Court Rustemeyer

In this episode, I chat with Court Rustemeyer, an Alberta teacher, outdoor educator, and National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow who was also recognized as EECOM’s Outdoor Educator of the Year. Court’s passion for connecting students to nature runs deep. We talk about the inspiration behind his new book, Mentorship in the Wild, and what mentorship really looks like in outdoor learning — from building trust and resilience to finding balance between safety and risk. Court shares stories fr...

3 days ago

43 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Nature as Therapy: Supporting Kids Through Play and Movement with Devon Karchut

Welcome back to The Teach Outdoors Podcast! In this inspiring episode, host Lauren MacLean sits down with Devon Karchut, a pediatric physiotherapist and founder of Nature Play, an outdoor play and therapy program in Calgary. Devon has spent 15 years helping children move, grow, and thrive — and she’s a fierce advocate for the power of outdoor play in supporting healthy development, regulation, and learning. Together, they unpack how outdoor play supports physical and emotional wellness, how s...

3 weeks ago

45 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Learning Happens Everywhere: With Hailey Furster, The Early Years Inquirer

In this episode of Teach Outdoors, Lauren sits down with Ontario educator Hailey Furster, the inspiring face behind The Early Years Inquirer on Instagram and Teachers Pay Teachers. With a passion for Kindergarten and early literacy, Hailey brings her belief that “Learning Happens Everywhere” to life through inquiry-based, community-connected, and outdoor learning experiences. Together, we explore what it means to brave taking learning outside — even when it’s new or outside your comfort zone....

1 month ago

55 minutes

Teach Outdoors

From Play to Action: Growing a PreK–6 Nature Program with Kyra Stephenson

In this episode, I welcome back Kyra Stephenson, Nature-Based Learning Coach at Anna Murray-Douglass Academy in Rochester, New York. One year ago, we first talked about how she brought a nature-based learning (NBL) program into a public PreK–6 school. Now, entering Year 4 of the program, Kyra shares how it has continued to grow, adapt, and root itself deeply in her school community. Kyra gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her teaching rhythm: working in three-week rotations where she spends...

1 month ago

55 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Starting Strong: September Routines for Connection, Community, and Calm

September is a month of beginnings—new classrooms, new routines, and new opportunities to build relationships. In this episode, I sit down with Elsa Medina and Alisa Paul to talk about slowing down at the start of the school year and putting community first. Together, they share practical routines and activities—like creating names with loose natural materials, morning greetings, and reflection circles—that help students feel safe, calm, and connected. The conversation explores: Why social-em...

2 months ago

1 hour 5 minutes

Teach Outdoors

One Step at a Time: Stamina, Struggle, and Strength Outside

In this heartfelt and reflective episode, we dive deep into what it really means to nurture resilience, perseverance, and empathy in outdoor learning spaces. We explore how small steps – like starting with just 30 seconds at a sit spot – build stamina and belief in our ability to do hard things. Using learning continuums from Natural Curiosity (2nd Edition), we look at what growth looks like when learning is messy, nonlinear, and rooted in the land. Success doesn’t always look like neat check...

4 months ago

1 hour 7 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Co-Regulation in an Outdoor Classroom with Alisa Paul and Elsa Medina

What does it mean to regulate with our students instead of for them? In this episode, I sit down with educators Alisa Paul and Elsa Medina to explore co-regulation through a social-emotional learning lens—grounded in nature. We share real stories about feeling dysregulated as teachers, what it means to model honesty with students, and how the land itself can become a co-regulator. Together, we reflect on: 🌿 Why naming our own nervous system state matters 🌿 How outdoor routines can build...

4 months ago

1 hour 4 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Mystery in the Garden: What Are We Even Growing?

When a generous donation of mystery plants arrived at our school — unlabeled and unidentifiable — our outdoor classroom turned into a full-blown botanical detective case. In this episode of the Teach Outdoors Podcast, I share the hilarious, humbling, and deeply rewarding journey our students and I took to figure out: What exactly is growing in our garden? From digging into field guides and sketching garden maps, to daily replantings thanks to curious crows (yes, really), and eventually callin...

5 months ago

13 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Wild About Sit Spots: Nature Connection with Thimbleberry Learning

Welcome back to another inspiring episode of Teach Outdoors! Today, we’re joined by Stephanie Aleksiuk, founder of Thimbleberry Learning, environmental educator, and certified mindfulness instructor based in Calgary. I had the pleasure of meeting Stephanie recently at the National Outdoor Learning Conference in Banff, and the moment we started talking, I knew she needed to be on the show. In this episode, we dive deep into the power of sit spots, mindfulness, and place-based learning—not just...

5 months ago

32 minutes

Teach Outdoors

National Outdoor Learning Conference: Stories and Lessons from Banff

In this reflective episode, Lauren shares her experience at the 2025 National Outdoor Learning Conference in Banff — a gathering filled with powerful stories, emotional connections, and inspiring practices in outdoor education. From sitting in circle with Elders to trying blind contour drawings and engaging in climate action conversations, Lauren takes us inside the sessions that moved her — and the unexpected feedback that left her feeling deeply humbled. She unpacks her own workshop on Sit ...

5 months ago

16 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Teaching for All: Making Outdoor Learning Accessible and Inclusive

In this episode of the Teach Outdoors podcast, we explore how outdoor education can foster Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) with two incredible guests. Camille Simone Edwards, a DEI practitioner with over 14 years of experience, and Dan Kriesberg, a veteran environmental educator and co-creator of Diversity Education in Nature, join us to discuss how nature can be a powerful space for building community and inclusivity. Together, we dive into why DEIN is essential in educati...

7 months ago

55 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Run Wild With Me: A Creative New Journey

In this episode, I’m sharing some BIG news—I’ve joined the Run Wild My Child Creative Team! I’ve followed them for years, drawn so much inspiration from their work, and now I get to be part of this incredible global community helping families get outside with ease. I’ll tell you all about my journey to becoming a team member, what this means for my writing, and why I’m so excited to contribute. I’m also launching a 4-Part Virtual Course with The Outdoor Learning Store called Teaching in the ...

8 months ago

12 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Seasonal Read-Alouds & Outdoor Explorations

In this episode, we’re diving into one of my favourite ways to connect literacy and outdoor learning—using great books as a springboard for exploration and play. I’ll be sharing some of my go-to seasonal read-alouds along with simple, engaging activities to bring them to life outside. From making Leaf Man-inspired creatures in the fall to tracking animal footprints in the snow, planting seeds in spring, and searching for nature’s spirals in summer, these activities invite students to experien...

8 months ago

19 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Empowering Teachers With Thrive Outside and Author Visits

In this episode of the Teach Outdoors podcast, I’m diving into two exciting topics: the Thrive Outside program and author visits. Whether it’s helping teachers bring outdoor learning into their classrooms or connecting with students through storytelling, these experiences are at the heart of what I do. First, I’m sharing all about Thrive Outside: Grow Your Teaching Space, a 5-week pilot course designed to help you build confidence and creativity in outdoor learning. I’ll walk you through...

9 months ago

14 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Bringing Nature Back to Learning with Monica Wiedel-Lubinski

In this episode, I sit down with Monica Wiedel-Lubinski, a passionate leader in nature-based education. As the founding director of the Association for Nature-Based Education (ANBE) and cofounder of three forest and nature preschools in Maryland, Monica has spent over two decades helping educators bring learning outdoors. She’s also the coauthor of the award-winning book Nature Play Workshop for Families and is currently writing a new book on nature-based early childhood education. Together, ...

9 months ago

48 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Snow Much Fun: The Magic of Winter Learning with April Zajko

Welcome to the Teach Outdoors Podcast! I’m your host, Lauren MacLean, and today we’re diving into the magic of winter with special guest April Zajko. Despite it being the end of January and winter feeling a bit delayed in my corner of the world, we’re getting ready to embrace all that the season has to offer for outdoor learning.April Zajko, M.Ed., is an early childhood educator with nearly 25 years of experience, a keynote presenter, college instructor, and the founder of the vibrant Nature ...

9 months ago

54 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Go Bags, Big Ideas, and Outdoor Adventures in Elementary Education

In this episode, we’re joined by Maxine Panchuk and Brianna Aubin, two inspiring nature-based elementary school teachers from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Maxine, a kindergarten teacher with a passion for gardening, land-based teachings, and experiential learning, shares how she infuses these elements into her place-based pedagogy. Brianna, a Grade 1 teacher with an inquiry-driven approach, highlights how she incorporates outdoor adventures and place-based learning into her literacy-focused class...

9 months ago

47 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Building Resilience: SEL Strategies in our Outdoor Classroom

In this episode of the Teach Outdoors podcast, we dive into the powerful connection between nature and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). SEL is about nurturing essential skills like self-awareness, managing emotions, building relationships, and making responsible decisions—and there’s no better place to support these skills than in the great outdoors. Join Lauren as she shares practical, nature-based activities to help foster resilience, mindfulness, and empathy in your students. From sensory ...

11 months ago

19 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Growing Green Spaces: School Gardens with Ease featuring Leila Mireskandari

Welcome back to Teach Outdoors, the podcast that inspires educators to take learning outside! In this episode, we chat with Leila Mireskandari, a Gardening Coach for teachers, founder of Kids Growing City, and host of the School Gardens with Ease podcast. Leila shares her journey from software developer to school garden expert, driven by her passion for growing food and teaching children crucial life skills. We dive into her Oasis programs, designed to help teachers create thriving school gar...

11 months ago

55 minutes

Teach Outdoors

Outdoor Literacy: Bringing Reading and Writing to Life in Nature

Welcome back to the Teach Outdoors podcast! I’m Lauren, and today we’re diving into Outdoor Literacy—exploring ways to take reading and writing outside to deepen students' connection with nature while enhancing their literacy skills. I’ll share my favourite mentor texts, engaging outdoor literacy activities, and effective routines that support reading and writing in nature. From using Sit Spots and nature journals to storytelling with stones, this episode is packed with ideas to help you make...

12 months ago

21 minutes