In this episode of the Teach Outdoors Podcast, Lauren MacLean is joined by educator, writer, and author Carolyn Roberts, whose work centers on re-storying education through story, land-based learning, and relational ways of knowing. Carolyn invites us to slow down and reconsider the stories that shape our classrooms, our relationships, and our responsibilities to land and community. Together, Lauren and Carolyn explore how story is not just something we teach, but something we live — and how ...
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In this episode of the Teach Outdoors Podcast, Lauren MacLean is joined by educator, writer, and author Carolyn Roberts, whose work centers on re-storying education through story, land-based learning, and relational ways of knowing. Carolyn invites us to slow down and reconsider the stories that shape our classrooms, our relationships, and our responsibilities to land and community. Together, Lauren and Carolyn explore how story is not just something we teach, but something we live — and how ...
In this episode of the Teach Outdoors Podcast, Lauren MacLean is joined by educator, writer, and author Carolyn Roberts, whose work centers on re-storying education through story, land-based learning, and relational ways of knowing. Carolyn invites us to slow down and reconsider the stories that shape our classrooms, our relationships, and our responsibilities to land and community. Together, Lauren and Carolyn explore how story is not just something we teach, but something we live — and how ...
Thrive Outside is back this January for its second year! This 5-week online group coaching program helps teachers build confidence and clarity in outdoor learning—through routines, curriculum connections, planning support, and weekly collaborative sessions. Early bird pricing is open now at $127 until December 19, 2025, before increasing to $177. You can absolutely use Pro-D or PAC funds, and I’d love to have you join our 2026 cohort. Click HERE to join! Now onto today’s episode—one tha...
Today I’m chatting with Dr. Louise de Lannoy from Outdoor Play Canada—someone I’ve admired for years. I first heard Louise speak at Take Me Outside in Banff and later at the Breath of Fresh Air Summit, and every single time I hear her talk, I leave feeling both grounded and fired up. Outdoor Play Canada has been leading the research, advocacy, and national conversation around kids’ right to real, active, messy, risky play—the kind of play children desperately need but are getting less and les...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
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, ...
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 ...
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...
In this episode of the Teach Outdoors Podcast, Lauren MacLean is joined by educator, writer, and author Carolyn Roberts, whose work centers on re-storying education through story, land-based learning, and relational ways of knowing. Carolyn invites us to slow down and reconsider the stories that shape our classrooms, our relationships, and our responsibilities to land and community. Together, Lauren and Carolyn explore how story is not just something we teach, but something we live — and how ...
