About
Megan Zeni
Megan Zeni is a teacher in nature and a tireless outdoor play advocate. She is a whole systems thinker who offers pedagogical mentorship and curricular leadership in relationship to outdoor play and learning in the elementary school context. Megan also offers professional learning for educators who locate their curriculum in school gardens and outdoor classrooms.
Play Advocate, Play Researcher, Play Practitioner
I’m a vocal advocate for unstructured nature play in our schools and an experienced practitioner of loose parts play outdoors. With over 25 years of professional experience teaching in urban public elementary schools, I see the benefits of increasing equitable access to outdoor play and learning during the school day as essential work for educators going forward. I am known for how we piloted a re-think of prep time in our schools (read the story here). I currently have two professional portfolios. I am employed with a public school district in British Columbia as an Early Learning Teacher Consultant and with the Ministry of Education and Child Care in a provincial outreach program as a teacher consultant.
I am also a qualified master gardener with hundreds of stories to share that exemplify how elementary curricular content can be taught in a school garden.
I am concurrently working towards a PhD at UBC in the faculty of education in curriculum and pedagogy. My dissertation research resulted in publication of the teacher tool at outsideplay.org
Follow along on my journey by signing up for my newsletter or following me on social media at @roomtoplay.
Megan's work
Room to Play Consulting
Megan offers workshops, teacher professional development, and district consulting on school gardens, outdoor classrooms and pedagogies of play in the elementary school context. She is an experienced keynote speaker and research collaborator.
The Classroom Gardener
Megan is the teacher consultant supporting practical and theoretical applications of The Classroom Gardener program. If your organization, district, or school would like help starting or expanding learning gardens, contact Megan for program participation details.
