Author:
Gloria Corradini
Short summary:
Interested in bringing a positive contribution to our planet by becoming a Nature Guide, but don’t know how? Read the following article and join our 4 weeks online Nature Guide Training Level 1!
There are many studies that proof the importance to include programs of regular nature-based activities in the education of the youth, especially during early childhood. Those benefits are not only visible during the outdoor sessions, but they also create positive lasting changes in the behavior of the child with their family and at school.
For this reason, Green Steps has designed a Nature Guide Training Level 1(NGT 1) open to all the people that are currently volunteering for Green Steps or would like to do so, plus to all parents and adults involved with childcare, that are interested in understanding and experimenting the benefits of nature education for personal or family purposes.
And after the success of the NGT 1 that we ran in June, we have decided to offer this training again starting on the 1st of October.
This training is defined as a hybrid course with online and offline assignments that can be done from any part of the world! For this reason, people can apply from any country, and we already have participants from Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, China, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
It takes about 30 hours and participants gain the foundations to support children on their journey of personal development. They will acquire a holistic perspective of education and find inspiration and resources to teach children in nature. The course also contributes to restoring our own relationship with nature, creating a grounding awareness of our position in the ecosystem and its role to support life, heal and teach.
As a hybrid training, only about a third of it takes place behind a screen, while most of the practical assignments require to spend fun time in nature participating in outdoor activities and observing both, experienced facilitators, and participants.
Other outdoor tasks involve collecting natural elements that can be found locally, starting a Nature Journal and getting to know the variety of trees and animals that surround you. In other words, the participants develop their Bioregional Identity! During the training, it is advised to participate once a week to an online group discussion with the mentors and the other participants to ask questions and share personal learning progresses.
After completing the NGT 1, participants will be able to:
• Understand what Nature Education is and its benefits.
• Build up your confidence to deliver Nature Education experiences.
• Acquire basic knowledge related to educational principles and methods used by outdoor educators.
• Equip yourself with required resources to practice Nature Education.
The previous training was rated 4.6/5 from our 8 participants!
To the question “Did we meet your expectation for this training? How? Why?”
A young mother wrote: “yes, the training is perfectly designed for beginners who are interested in nature education. We can learn step by step with our own pace and the online exchanges
were really interesting, useful and motivating” (Ying Sauzet, Hong Kong)
while a university student answered:” Yes, the training met my expectations by providing practical, hands-on techniques that I can directly apply in real-world situations. It not only met but exceeded my expectations. For example, the Three Period Lesson approach was clearly explained and offered a structured yet simple method for teaching kids. This approach standardized the process while making it easy for anyone to adopt, enhancing both my confidence and effectiveness in teaching” (Teresa Wan, Taiwan)
The NGT1 is just the first step to onboard people on a journey to become a professional Nature Guide. For educators interested in developing their skills range, and accessing resources to implement the Green Steps method, and curriculum at their workplace, there is the possibility to register at the online Nature Guide Training Level 2. The adults interested in place-based education as a career and want to join an international network of like-minded professionals and learning communities can then continue their path by completing the online Nature Guide Training Level 3. Further development is possible for those who want to become Nature Guide Trainers (Level 4) and Regional Mentors (Level 5).
If you are interested in starting a journey as Nature Guide, do not hesitate to contact us at info@greensteps.me or book a last-minute ticket for the upcoming training.
Further reading:
https://www.greensteps.me/library/nature-guide-training---october-2019.php
https://www.greensteps.me/library/green-steps-nature-guide-training.php
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