Our provincial specialist association (PSA) is home to real teachers doing real work in real K-12 classrooms. This makes us uniquely qualified to support our colleagues with mentorship and professional learning across British Columbia. Organizations, conference organizers, professional development chairs, school and district administrators are all invited to reach out to us to discuss your learning goals.
How it works
- Review current offerings listed below and determine which topics and/ or speaker you would like to work with
- Contact us with your request
- We will connect you with the speaker to sort out the scope of work, availability for requested dates, and speaking fees
- Once everything is agreed on, your organization or district HR is invoiced by EEPSA. Payment includes teacher release time, travel costs, planning time, and an honorarium.
- You work directly with the speaker to arrange the details of your amazing day of professional learning!
Offerings
Nature Narratives: The Language Experience Approach Outdoors (Karen Andrews)
The outdoor environment can be a highly motivational place for students to develop language skills. Because students learn best through experiences that engage all of their senses, being outside is an ideal place to learn. Join this participatory workshop where participants will actively be lead through the Language Experience Approach (LEA), one that develops literacy skills of oral language, reading, and writing. Learn how to differentiate this technique for a class with learners at different literacy proficiency levels.
Getting Hiking: Inquiry through Badges (Karen Andrews)
An inquiry-based approach to learning in nature not only keeps students engaged, but also nurtures their sense of wonder, connection, and appreciation for the natural world. Lead your students through an inquiry project of creating badges, a reward for completion, that could be earned by completing certain tasks out on the trail. Questions to guide badge creation could include: What is the focus? What is the challenge? What age range is it for? and What should be learned while out in nature? Using badges as an incentive, others may also want to get out on the trail. As a teacher leading this inquiry, you don’t need to be an expert—just bring a genuine sense of curiosity.
Speaker bio: Karen Andrews has been teaching for over 25 years in the Coast Mountains School District where she loves to explore the mountains and ocean. Karen has a post-degree diploma in Adventure Education and is a certified Outdoor Council of Canada field leader in hiking. She’s passionate about teaching in the outdoors and supporting teacher mentorship and collaboration. Karen facilitates teacher workshops on a variety of topics and is a member of the EEPSA Executive.
Curriculum Linked Ideas to Get Outside Tomorrow (Laura Jackman)
Get ready for a fast paced workshop! Laura will provide you with outdoor curriculum linked ideas in every subject area and will explore differentiation across all grade levels. Participants will also learn about core routines to use with your learners outside and risk assessment. Join us for an outdoor session filled with activities that will help you get outside tomorrow. We will also share a large google doc filled with resources so you can revisit these activities and more. Sessions can be held indoors or outdoors. 2-3 hours recommended.
Challenging Social Constructs Through Outdoor Learning (Laura Jackman)
The goal is to provide teachers with a holistic framework to explore Outdoor Learning while challenging social constructs. Sometimes when we engage in learning outside, we approach it from a position of power and dominance. How can we de-centre ourselves and learn from and with the Land? What other dominant narratives can we explore? Sexuality and gender? Animism? This workshop will support teachers to build capacity and confidence to challenge these social constructs. This workshop is suitable for K-7 teachers and can be held indoors or outdoors. 1-2 hours recommended.
Speaker bio: Laura Jackman was born and raised in the Kootenays and currently lives in Rossland, BC on the unceded tmxʷúlaʔxʷ and traditional territories of the Sinixt peoples. Lands and Waters that were also cared for by the Syilx, Secwépemc and Ktunaxa Peoples. Laura is the Vice President of the Environmental Educators Provincial Specialist Association (EEPSA), the Network Manager for the Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network (CBEEN) and has instructed for both the West Kootenay Teacher Education Program and the Rural and Remote Education Program through UBC.
Storying the Land: Youth Films, Plant Kin, and Eco-Justice in Motion (VSB UNITE)
This highly interactive workshop invites participants into a dynamic, arts-based approach to land-based learning through youth filmmaking. Participants will create short “plant kin” films using simple materials and accessible technology (e.g., stop-motion apps, Capcut, iMovie). We will explore how storytelling, technology, and inquiry can deepen ecological understanding, center student voice, and foster meaningful relationships with the land. Emphasis will be placed on ethical engagement with Indigenous perspectives, collaboration, and creating opportunities for public sharing and celebration. Participants will leave with practical tools, inspiration, and adaptable frameworks to bring this engaging, community-connected learning experience into their own classrooms, schools, and regions.
Cara Lauden is a grade 5/6/7 teacher at Nightingale Elementary in the heart of Vancouver. She is the co-president of the Vancouver district chapter of EEPSA, called UNITE (Urban Nature Inclusive Teaching Environment). She sits as a member at large on the EEPSA Provincial Executive team. Cara facilitates land-based learning workshops for teachers regularly as a founder of UNITE and a member of the VSB Indigenous Allies and Leads Team. She is committed to supporting teachers with learning outside.
Riley Martens is a Grade 7 teacher with Vancouver School Board who is passionate about social-emotional learning, Indigenous ways of knowing and outdoor education. Riley is an active member of the Vancouver chapter of EEPSA and regular contributor and presenter with VSB Sustainability initiatives. He is a community coach, mentor, innovator, and birding enthusiast.
Elsa Medina is a Curriculum Enhancement Teacher with the VSB based at Xpey’ elementary, the VSB Indigenous Focus school. Elsa is the co-president of the Vancouver chapter of EEPSA and former member the local BCTF (VEAES) Executive Committee. Her interests are in mental health, community building, and experiential learning. Elsa is a regular presenter at Vancouver district professional days, Indigenous Focus Day and as part of the Classrooms 2 Communities conferences on PSA day.
Deanna Scott is the Teacher Librarian at Douglas Elementary in Vancouver. She is an active member of UNITE, the Vancouver chapter of EEPSA. Deanna has coordinated the Plant Communities Film Festival for the last two years and spear-headed a district inquiry group to make it happen. Deanna is passionate about student-leadership, land-based learning and the inquiry process. She is currently the Professional Development Chair and a Teacher Librarian Mentor.
Outdoor Learning and Literacy (Frances McCoubrey)
Join Frances to learn classroom proven strategies for weaving the outdoors into your literacy lessons. She will share exercises to support skill development with descriptive writing, figurative language and poetry. The exercises shared are modified exercises and lessons from author Lynda Barry (Drawn and Quarterly, author of What It Is?), Adrienne Gear (BC teacher and literacy expert), and various BC poets. Each exercise has the added benefit of building grounding skills, core routines and introducing participants to place based writing. If you’re looking for a workshop that will send you home with lessons to do with groups or students next week, you will appreciate this workshop. If you’re looking to experience the exercises yourself and build nature writing skills, you will also appreciate this workshop. Routines can be adjusted for most age groups.
Speaker bio: Frances McCoubrey grew up in central BC, just outside Williams Lake. Her days were spent exploring the natural environment outside her door and learning from the local land stewards of her community. After a degree in Environmental Science at the University of Guelph, she worked for the Scout Island Nature Centre, Parks Canada and Metro Vancouver Parks developing a love of outdoor education that led her to the classroom.
After getting her B.Ed she did an M.Ed in Counselling focused on how risky play builds resilience. She returned to Williams Lake where she has taught outdoor education at the Kindergarten, elementary and middle school levels, since 2013. Currently teaching Grade 7, her students experience integrated, place-based learning and regular outdoor adventures.
What is Environmental Learning? (Nick Townley)
In this interactive session, we will share research outcomes from our PICS-funded project, Infusing Climate Education into the BC Curriculum, including revisions to the 2007 Environmental Learning & Experience Curriculum Guide. We’ll then engage in experiential activities that model inquiry and stimulate discussion about two-eyed seeing, experiential learning and guided inquiry. Join the session to:
– explore barriers to climate education among teachers
– discuss best practices for place and land-based approaches to climate education
– increase awareness of Indigenous knowledges and worldviews related to environmental learning practices
A copy of the new BC Framework will be provided.
Speaker bio: Nick Townley lives, works, and adventures on the shores of the Salish Sea. He teaches with the Vancouver School Board’s TREK Outdoor Education Program. He is the president of EEPSA (Environmental Educators’ Provincial Specialist Association of BC), a director of Classrooms to Communities, a director of Take Me Outside, and the past BC Director of the Outdoor Council of Canada. He has a Master of Arts in Environmental Education and Communication, from Royal Roads University.
For seven summers, Nick worked on the coordinator team with the Pearson Seminar on Youth Leadership. For thirteen spring and fall seasons, he taught in the outdoor classroom of Átl’ḵa7tsem (Howe Sound) with Sea to Sky Outdoor School, where he was a Program Director and well known for his bioregional comedy routines. He has spent a total of nine months as the Ecoguardian on Race Rocks Ecological Reserve.
Embracing risky play at school (Megan Zeni)
Outdoor play and learning (OPAL) in elementary schools exists along a continuum that is highly supportive for academic growth, student health & well-being. When OPAL is supported in the elementary school context, the conditions for risky play can emerge. This session will 1) review the research on risky play & the health & wellbeing implications for children, especially in the school context; 2) offer a framework for understanding how risky play supports academic learning and student wellness at school; and 3) recommend tools and resources for addressing and overcoming risky play challenges in K-8 schools. This session can be facilitated indoors or out and is recommended as a half or full day session.
Speaker bio: Dr. Megan Zeni has 3 decades of K-7 teaching and consulting experience in classrooms, outdoor classrooms, and school gardens. Megan supports schools, school districts, and teacher education programs interested in building capacity for effective and sustainable implementation of risky play, school gardens, and outdoor learning in elementary schools. Learn more about online webinars, in-person professional development for teachers, research collaboration opportunities, and specialized consultation services at meganzeni.com
