Learn With Me

I am currently employed as an Early Learning Teacher Consultant in a B.C. school district one day a week and also work for the B.C. Ministry of Education in the Provincial Outreach Program for the Early Years (POPEY). My availability for workshops and webinars is extremely limited. School districts & Independent Schools interested in working with me outside of my professional employment as a teacher consultant can contact me here to inquire about my independent consulting services. Topics I am available to consult on independently include risky play in schools, outdoor play and learning in schools, and pedagogies of place and play in the school context.

Speaking/ Workshop/ Facilitation/ Teaching Schedule 2021

January, 2021

Garden Classroom Series #5- Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver

ISABC Outdoor Learning Series Session One: Preparing Spaces for Imaginative & Creative Cross-curricular Play With Loose Parts Outdoors (K-7)

Mondays with Megan, Burnaby School District Session #3

UBC Faculty of Education LLED 351 108 Guest Lecturer: Literacies of Place

UBC Faculty of Education, Education for Sustainability Cohort: Community as Classroom Panel Discussion

Horace Allen School, Alberta: Cross-Curricular Opportunities for Learning in the Outdoor Classroom

Ever Active Schools Shaping the Future Conference- Risky Learning: the significance of Practical Wisdom in Outdoor Learning

February, 2021

Garden Classroom Series #6- Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver

ISABC Outdoor Learning Series Session Two: Holding Space for Unstructured and Risky Play (K-12)

CBEEN Workshops for Educators; Outdoor Prep Position: A Framework for your school

UBC Faculty of Education Outdoor Learning Cohort: Outdoor Learning and Risky Play in Schools

Burnaby School District Professional Development Day: Opportunities for Cross Curricular Learning Outdoors

Surrey School District: Two Strong Start Keynote Addresses “Outdoor Play Matters”

Queen Mary Elementary School, SD #39: The Classroom Gardener Session #1

March, 2021

Garden Classroom Series #7- Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver

ISABC Outdoor Learning Series Session Three: Emergent Learning: what it is and how to make learning visible outdoors (K-7)

Vancouver School District #39 Outdoor Learning Series #1: Holding Space for an Emergent Curriculum with Playful Inquiry Outdoors

Education Grad Student Conference, Faculty of Education, UBC, paper presentation: The perceived challenges of early childhood educators in promoting outdoor play

Kingswood Elementary School, SD#38: The Classroom Gardener

April, 2021

Garden Classroom Series #8- Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver

Van Dusen Tour Guides: Engaging kids in gardens

West Vancouver District School Garden Classroom Series #1

Mondays with Megan, Burnaby School District Session #5

Vancouver School District #39 Outdoor Learning Series #2: Building Communication & Literacy Skills Outdoors

Okanagan-Skaha SD#67: Playful Learning Outdoors

Queen Mary Elementary School, SD #39: The Classroom Gardener Session #2

Dr. AR Lord & Renfrew Elementary Schools SD #39

May, 2021

Garden Classroom Series #9- Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver

Mondays with Megan, Burnaby School District Session #6

ISABC Outdoor Learning Series Session Four: Teaching Across the Curriculum in School Gardens (K-12 )

West Vancouver District School Garden Series #2

Ecole Glenbrook, SD #40: Outdoor Learning in the Middle Years

Bothwell & Northridge Schools, SD #36

Vancouver School District #39 Outdoor Learning Series #3: Thinking about Math and Science Outdoors

Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) University of British Columbia: Promoting outdoor play in schools and communities: Moving from risk and barriers to opportunities and facilitators.
Dr. Eva Oberle, Dr. Mariana Brussoni, and Megan Zeni REGISTRATION LINK HERE

June, 2021

Garden Classroom Series #10- Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver

West Vancouver District School Garden Series #3

ISABC Outdoor Learning Series Session Five: Next steps and future planning

July, 2021

WKTEP platform interview supporting pedagogies of place

August, 2021

CCRR Webinar: Take them outside! Why outdoor play matters in ECE.

Mentoring Nature Connections Podcast: School Gardens- Listen to podcast here.

September, 2021

Bothwell Elementary; Teaching across the curriculum outdoors

CBEEN Virtual Learning Series: Outdoor Learning Tips, Tricks, Tools & Resources- Recording available here.

EDCP 320 guest lecturer: Risky play in schools

Garden Classroom Series Online Session One: School garden start up & the wisdom of weeds

Cook elementary (SD #39): The Classroom Gardener start up and school garden basics

Okanagan-Skaha (SD#67): Outdoor play and learning

October, 2021

NAAEE Virtual Conference: What do we mean by ‘education’ in Environmental Education?

Niagara District School Board Virtual Learning Series #1: Transition to teaching outdoors

Garden Classroom Series Online Session #2: Winter prep for school gardens, soil science, & timely tasks.

BC Science Educators PSA Day- Catalyst Conference: ‘It can all be taught outside! Teaching the K-7 science big ideas, core and curricular competencies in your outdoor and garden classrooms’

EEPSA/ C2C Provincial Conference: Overcoming Barriers to Outdoor Play and Learning in Schools

November, 2021

Garden Classroom Series Online Session #3: Rain & mud play in school gardens, Remembrance Day, & timely tasks.

YMCA/ CCRR Webinar: Understanding risky outdoor play in childhood

Sooke School District #62 Series #1: Outdoor Play & Learning

Grauer elementary (SD#38): Planning for your garden classroom

Spul’u’kwuks elementary (SD#38): Walking curriculum

Niagara District School Board Virtual Learning Series #2: Playful cross-curricular learning outdoors

December, 2021:

Garden Classroom Online Series Session #4: Environmentally friendly crafts and gifts from the school garden.

My Own Learning in 2021- Lectures & conferences attended

January, 2021

On the Practice of Seeing Children: Photographs in Early Childhood-  UBC EDCP Lecture with Tran Nguyen Templeton

Master Gardeners of Vancouver webinar series: Botany and plant ID, soil, herbaceous and woody plants

Winter Outdoor Learning Webinar with Get Outside & Play

Nature based Learning in Early Childhood Webinar with David Sobel

UBC Alumni Event: A Conversation with Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer

February, 2021

Master Gardeners of Vancouver webinar series: Berries and small fruit, Vegetables, Garden design, Propagation

Outdoor Play in the Early Years with Get Outside and Play

Outdoor Play Canada: State of the Sector Collaboration

March, 2021

Outdoor Play Canada: State of the Sector Collaboration

UBC Alumni Event: A Conversation with Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer

April, 2021

Sky Above Webinar with David Sobel

Leveraging Behaviour Mapping to Capture Children’s Play

May, 2021

Teaching Here & Now Conference, online

Play in the era of Covid-19 webinar with Thomas Rendon

Natural Start Online Forum: Removing Barriers to Outdoor Gear

EDCP 508: Unscripting Childhood- Critical Pedagogies

Vancouver Shade Gardens Society webinar

June, 2021

Webinar with Alice Waters, Edible school project

August, 2021

Confidence in the Classroom: Understanding the relationships between health and physical education and truth and reconciliation with Dr. Janice Forsyth

October, 2021

NAAEE- Cultivating just, sustainable, and culturally thriving futures now: Research beyond colonially and capitalism with Megan Bang

Best Day Ever: Forest Days in Vermont Kindergartens online screening and Q & A

An interview with Jane Goodall hosted by Take Me Outside 

November, 2021

Backcountry First Responder Certification

December, 2021

University of British Columbia- A Conversation with Suzanne Simard: Finding the Mother Tree 

Speaking/ Workshop/ Facilitation/ Teaching Schedule 2020

January, 2020

Opportunities for risky play in schools, invited speaker, Penticton BC

Science World BC, risky play training for nature exploration exhibit staff, specialist consultant, Vancouver

Playing and learning in school gardens, invited speaker, General Brock Elementary, VSB

EDCP 320 HOPE cohort guest lecture “What is Risky Play?” The University of British Columbia

March, 2020

Garden Classroom Series #3, Burnaby School District

Garden Classroom Series #4, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classroom series #3, Richmond School District

Garden Classroom Series #3, West Vancouver School District

Rec Connections Conference, invited speaker, Winnipeg MB “Unstructured and risky outdoor play”

Place & Space Conference Presentation, UBC “Making sense of phronesis: educators’ experiences and perceptions of outdoor risky play” CANCELLED

April, 2020

Garden Classroom Series #4, Burnaby School District ONLINE

Garden Classroom Series #5, Van Dusen Gardens ONLINE

Garden Classroom series #4, Richmond School District ONLINE

Garden Classroom Series #4, West Vancouver School District ONLINE

Outdoor Play and Learning Series #4, Penticton, BC CANCELLED

CBEEN/ EEPSA leadership conference, Nipika BC CANCELLED

General Brock Elementary PAC education invited speaker, VSB CANCELLED

Outdoor Play and Learning, invited speaker, School District #20, Kootenay- Columbia ONLINE

Loose Parts & Risky Play in School Gardens, Elon University EDU 372 invited speaker series, North Carolina ONLINE

Richmond Garden Club “how to” video series, Master Gardener speaker, Paulik Park, Richmon

May, 2020

Garden Classroom Series #5, Burnaby School District POSTPONED TO FALL

Garden Classroom Series #6, Van Dusen Gardens ONLINE

Garden Classroom series #5, Richmond School District ONLINE

Garden Classroom Series #5, West Vancouver School District POSTPONED

Opportunities for risky play in schools, invited speaker, Trail BC POSTPONED

School gardens & outdoor classrooms, invited speaker, Williams Lake, BC ONLINE

Van Dusen Guides Invited Guest Speaker, Vancouver, BC CANCELLED

Wild About Vancouver Festival, Second Beach, Vancouver, BC CANCELLED

City of Richmond Virtual Learning series, invited speaker, WEBINAR

June, 2020

Garden Classroom Series #6, Burnaby School District POSTPONED

Garden Classroom series #6, Richmond School District ONLINE

Garden Classroom Series #6, West Vancouver School District ONLINE

Science World Vancouver, Classrooms as Communities STEAm online learning series

September, 2020

Playful Learning Across the Curriculum in Garden Classrooms, Comox Valley School District #71, Vancouver Island

Learning Series with Newton Elementary School District #36, Surrey: Cross-Curricular Learning Outside the Classroom

Growing, Playing, and Learning Outside our Classrooms, Burnaby School District #41 Webinar

Garden Classroom Series #1- SD #38, Richmond

Garden Classroom Series #1- Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver

Learning Series with Newton Elementary School District #36, Surrey: How unstructured and risky play supports social and emotional learning

Education Outside the Classroom with Bridgeview Elementary School; Surrey School District #36

October, 2020

Garden Classroom Series #2- Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver

Garden Classroom Series #2- SD #38, Richmond

Burnaby Mondays with Megan- Session #1

Transitioning to Teaching Outdoors- SD#44, North Vancouver

Opportunities for Playful Learning Outdoors- SD#44, North Vancouver

Toward Everyday Environmental Education: Wild Pedagogies for Teacher Training- NAAEE Research Symposium {Tuscan, Arizona} Online co-presenter

Risky Learning and Practical Wisdom- C2C/ EEPSA Conference {Vancouver} Online co-presenter

Risky Play in the School Context- C2C/ EEPSA Conference {Vancouver} Online presenter

November, 2020

Garden Classroom Series #3- Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver

Burnaby Mondays with Megan- Session #2

Transitioning to Teaching Outdoors- Catholic Independent Schools of Vancouver Archdiocese, North Vancouver

Teaching Outside the Classroom- SD #37, Ladner

December, 2020

Garden Classroom Series #4- Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver

2020 Conferences, Classes, Speakers & Workshops I’m attending and learning from:

UBC Coursework:

EDCP 542- theorizing pedagogy

EPSE 604- Imaginative playing and playful imagining throughout life

March

Vancouver Master Gardeners lecture: “urban forestry in a changing climate”

US Play Coalition, Play for All. Clemson, SC, USA CANCELLED

April

EEPSA Leadership conference ONLINE

Vancouver Master Gardeners lecture: “ecologically modelled planting design” ONLINE

May

Wild About Vancouver Festival CANCELLED

November

BCTF Covid-19 & Food security in BC think tank participant

Graduate Teaching Assistant for the following courses at UBC 2019/ 2020

EDCP 530 Curriculum innovations in physical education (HOPE)

EDCP 585 Experiential education in health, outdoor, and physical education (HOPE)

EDCP 531 Health and wellness promotion in outdoor settings (HOPE)

EDCP 467 Special topics in curriculum and pedagogy: junior science grades 8-10

EDCP 322 Physical education secondary: curriculum and pedagogy

EDCP 320 Physical education elementary: curriculum and pedagogy

EDCP 349 Elementary school science methods

2020 District Specific Series:

Playing and Learning in the Outdoor Classroom Series

October 3, 2019/ November 28, 2019/ January 9, 2020/ April 23, 2020 POSTPONED

School District #67 & #53  Penticton & Oliver BC:  District teachers, email Melia Dirk for registration details

The Garden Classroom 6-part series~ Van Dusen Botanical Gardens 2019/ 2020

This professional learning community fills up quickly! Registration details here.

Session dates: September 18, 2019/ October 9, 2019/ November 6, 2019/ March 4, 2020/  April 22, 2020 ONLINE/ May 20, 2020 ONLINE

Van Dusen Registration here     **SOLD OUT**

The Garden Classroom 6-part series~ Hosted by the Richmond School District 2019/ 2020

Registration available to Richmond teachers and staff. Registration on the SD#38 portal.

Session dates: September 26, 2019/ October 24, 2019/ March 5, 2020/ April 23, 2020 ONLINE/ May 14, 2020 ONLINE/ June 11, 2020 ONLINE

** THIS SERIES IS FULL**

The Garden Classroom 6-part series~ Hosted by the Burnaby School District 2019/ 2020

Registration available to Burnaby district teachers and staff. Email Kristina Carley

Session dates: October 2, 2019/ November 7, 2019/ March 2, 2020/ April 9, 2020 ONLINE/ May 21, 2020 POSTPONED/ June 8, 2020 POSTPONED

The Garden Classroom 6-part series~ Hosted by the West Vancouver School District 2019/ 2020

Registration available to West Vancouver district teachers and staff. Email Shannon Gray

Session dates: October 10, 2019/ November 14, 2019/ March 9, 2020/ April 20, 2020/ May 28, 2020/ June 18, 2020

Speaking/ Workshop/ Facilitation Schedule 2019

January, 2019

Heart Of The Matter Conference, invited speaker, Surrey

February, 2019

Master Gardener Clinic Volunteer BC Home & Garden Show, BC Place Stadium

New Westminster Teachers’ Conference, invited speaker, New Westminster

Garden City Elementary School, professional learning with staff, Richmond

McNeely Elementary School, professional learning with staff, Richmond

March, 2019

Circles Of Caring ECE Conference, invited speaker, Richmond

Garden Classroom Series #3, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classroom Series #3, Richmond

Spul’u’kwuks Elementary School, professional learning with staff, Richmond

Cedardale Elementary, professional learning with staff, West Vancouver

April, 2019

Spring Fling, Northern Teachers Conference, Invited Speaker, Prince George, British Columbia

Master Gardener Speaker: Farm To School Grandview Learning Circle, Vancouver

Vancouver Master Gardeners General Meeting, keynote speaker

Joint professional learning day, Homma, Cook & Anderson Elementary Schools, Richmond

Garden Classroom Series #4, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classroom Series #4, Richmond

Wild About Vancouver Festival, Science World, Vancouver

May, 2019

Investigating Our Practices (IOP), Conference Presentation, University of BC

Spark early learning Conference, Invited speaker, UBC

Recharge 2019 Alberta Council for Environmental Education (ACEE) Conference: Conference Presentation, Canmore, Alberta

Garden Classroom Series #5, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classroom Series #5, Richmond

Richmond Education Committee Presentation Report: June Chiba Sabbatical

June, 2019

Garden Classroom Series #6, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classroom Series #6, Richmond

July, 2019

Canadian Association of School System Administrators Conference (CASSA), Invited speaker, Richmond

Graduate Teaching Assistant EDCP 585 (Experiential Education in Health, Outdoor, and Physical Education) HOPE cohort, UBC

Graduate Teaching Assistant EDCP 530 (Curriculum Innovations in Physical Education) HOPE cohort, UBC

Graduate Teaching Assistant EDCP 531 (Health Promotion, Wellness, and Lifeskills in Outdoor Settings), HOPE Cohort, UBC

September 2019

Garden Classroom Series #1, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classroom Series #1, Richmond School District

Richmond Garden Club, Keynote Speaker

école des Navigateurs, professional learning with staff, Richmond

October 2019

Garden Classroom Series #2, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classroom Series #2, Richmond School District

Garden Classroom Series #1, Burnaby School District

Garden Classroom Series #1, West Vancouver School District

Cross-curricular learning in the Outdoor Classroom, professional learning with staff, Penticton BC

Outdoor Nature Play and Environmental Learning With Loose Parts, Conference Presentation, NAAEE, Lexington, Kentucky.

Risk, Playful Inquiry, and Loose Parts Outdoors, Conference Presentation, C2C Conference UBC Vancouver

Plenary & Invited Conference Storyteller, C2C Conference UBC Vancouver

Sustainable Pedagogies of Place: Growing and Learning in School Gardens Coordinator, C2C Field Experience UBC Vancouver

November, 2019

Ecole Herbert Spencer, professional learning with staff, New Westminster

Growing and Learning in School Gardens, professional learning day, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classroom Series #2, Burnaby School District

Garden Classroom Series #3, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classrooms, invited speaker, Oliver BC

Vivo For Healthier Generations, specialist consultant, Calgary, Alberta

December, 2019

Garden Classroom Series #2, West Vancouver School District

2019 Conferences, Classes, Speakers & Workshops I’m attending and learning from:

UBC Coursework

EDCP 602- Doctoral Seminar

EDCP 508- Alternative education: methods & approaches

EDCP 585E- Action Research

EDCP 556- Theory and Research in the social context of school science

January

Richmond Garden Club: Speaker Border Free Bees

February

Richmond Garden Club: Topic: Pruning Fruit Trees

March

Coalition for Healthy School Food Roundtable

Richmond Garden Club: Topic:  Healthy Soils

April

Wild About Vancouver Festival (Steering Committee Member)

Vancouver School Food Network quarterly meeting

Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network (CBEEN) Leadership Circle

Symbiosis Science World STEAM Network Leadership & Learning Ecosystem

Richmond Garden Club: Margaret Nakahara- dried flowers, herbs and veggies

May

UBC Investigating Our Practices (IOP)

UBC Spark Early Years Conference

Bee Identification with Border Free Bees- Cameron Cartiere

Planting Habitats for Pollinators with Lori Weidenhammer author of Victory Gardens For Bees

June 

Health, Outdoor & Physical Education (HOPE) Symposium at CSSE (Graduate Student Coordinator)

Canadian Society for Studies in Education 2019 Congress 2019, UBC

September

Outdoor Play Summit- Breath of Fresh Air, Ottawa, Ontario

October

North American Association for Environmental Education, Lexington Kentucky

Classrooms to Communities/ EEPSA Conference, UBC

Richmond Garden Club Lecture: Fall and Winter Gardens

Past Speaking/ Workshop/ Facilitation Schedule 2018 

January, 2018

Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary, VSB

February, 2018

Blessed Sacrament Elementary, Vancouver

Chilliwack District Teachers’ Conference, Chilliwack

March, 2018

Keynote Speaker: School Garden Summit, Saskatoon SK

Garden Classroom Series #3, Richmond

April 2018

Garden Classroom Series #4, Richmond

Wowk Elementary, Richmond

Southlands Elementary, VSB

Diefenbaker Elementary, Richmond

May, 2018

London Farm Plant Sale, Master Gardener Clinic, Richmond

Garden Classroom Series #5, Richmond

Children & Nature Network Leadership Summit, Oakland CA

June, 2018

Garden Classroom Series #5, Richmond

Anderson Elementary, Richmond

Host Teacher: 3 week Community Field Experience (CFE) Student Teachers, Faculty of Education, UBC

McKinney Elementary, Richmond

July, 2018

Think & Eat Green at School (TEGS) Conference, Plenary Panel, UBC

Guest Lecturer ECED 565, Orchard Garden, UBC

August, 2018

école des Navigateurs, Richmond

September, 2018

école Cedardale, West Vancouver

Simon Fraser Elementary School, VSB

Spul’u’kwuks Elementary School, Richmond

Simon Fraser Elementary School, VSB

Blair & Woodward Elementary Schools, joint pro-d day, Richmond

Garden Classroom Series #1, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classroom Series #1, Richmond

October, 2018

UBC Farm School Garden Series, UBC

BC Primary Teachers Conference, Richmond

Garden Classroom series #2, Van Dusen Gardens

Garden Classroom Series #2, Richmond

November, 2018

Orchard Garden Workshop Series, UBC

December, 2018

UBC Teacher Candidate Conference, Faculty of Education, UBC

Manoah Steves Elementary, Richmond

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