How I Teach Kids About helping Our Planet (With Hope!)
I recently started my class rainforest topic and used a fantastic video with the wonderful Sir David Attenborourgh (How To Save Our Forests and Rewild Our Planet). It’s brilliant because it tackles real environmental issues while offering a hopeful message and solutions! Please watch Video link Incorporating conservation, sustainability, and environmental awareness into the curriculum […]
Why Teaching Outdoors Is So Important To Me
As a teacher, I often reflect on my time as a student, trying to remember what it was like for me at the age I now teach. Recently, when presenting a session on outdoor learning for the Institute for Outdoor Learning Global Conference. I decided to start with a story. This story explains my ‘Why’—why […]
The Power of Being Authentic In Education
A lovely colleague recently said to me: “You are authentic.” I initially didn’t think much of it, but then I realised what a genuine compliment it was. It made me wonder: Has this always been the case? Finding My Strengths When I first started teaching, I often followed every new trend. I’d try to copy […]
Why We Need Our ADHD Teachers!
It’s been three years since I was diagnosed with ADHD, and it has been a game changer. My greater understanding of ADHD allowed me to identify my biggest challenges in teaching and seek help (ongoing process). What I have been working on 🌱I’ve been working on building my organisational skills and learning new ways to […]
A Leap of Faith: My New Life in the Netherlands
Six and a half years ago, I took a leap of faith and moved to the Netherlands by myself. Why? Before this, I had lost my direction after moving back to Scotland from Malaysia. After living abroad with my partner at the time, I just couldn’t quite fit back into life there. 👉My move to […]
A Message from the Doers: Consider context when offering advice
For the past two years, I’ve been sharing my experiences teaching children outdoors. I now feel confident in sharing this because of my 11 years of teaching experience, my MSc Outdoor Education that I completed alongside my practical experience. Even with this background, I still try to avoid using prescriptive language when sharing: like “should” […]
The Unspoken Classroom: Let’s really understand what neurodiverse children are saying!
After being diagnosed with ADHD three years ago, I embarked on a journey to better understand how my brain works. This path included coaching, therapy, a neurodiversity coaching certification course, and a lot of reading—something I had to work hard to do. As a teacher, this personal journey has inspired me to work harder to […]
Ditch the Assumptions: Creating engaging outdoor learning lessons for your students
When working as an outdoor learning specialist across four international schools (Early Years to Year 6, for three years!), I led countless forest excursions for curriculum-linked tasks. My initial thought? Every child would be thrilled! But the reality wasn’t always that simple. I remember my confusion when some kids didn’t seem as into the trips […]
Learning Outdoors: A Digital-Natural Blend
I often get asked about my approach to learning outdoors. While I’m advocate for hands-on discovery with natural materials, I’ve also enjoyed combining edtech—specifically, the iPad. I find it a useful tool for bridging the gap between the outdoors and the classroom, creating an engaging experience for learners. Here’s how I use iPads to enhance […]
15 Years Going Strong: A Community Built and Bonded in the Great Outdoors!
Our Edinburgh University Outdoor Education MSc cohort recently celebrated our 15-year anniversary, a testament to the powerful community we built and the enduring love for nature that brought us together. Looking back on my time at the University of Edinburgh, one of the best years of my life was spent canoeing down the River Spey, […]