There has been an exciting push by formal and informal educators alike to incorporate the natural world into their curriculum and use the outdoors as a classroom. This only intensified during the pandemic when the outdoors served as one of the few places where students could comfortably distance and take mask breaks. Moving the lesson plan or classroom outside comes with some risks that may feel daunting at first. How do you plan for the weather, ticks, slippery rocks or other environmental factors? How can we decipher between the risks that help build students' confidence and self-esteem and those that are just plain dangerous? 

Join the Vermont Education and Environment Network for a virtual panel discussion on risk management and assessment in environmental and outdoor education. We'll cover perceived risk versus actual risk, program safety protocols, how to give students the tools to build their own assessment of risk, managing youth around fire, and more! 

Our panel: 

Ross Doree (he/him), Youth Programs Director at Crow's Path

Emily Kaplita (she/her), Teacher-Naturalist at Audubon Vermont

Amy Butler (she/her), Director of Education at North Branch Nature Center

Arianna Dayharsh (she/her), Director of Forest Preschool at North Branch Nature Center

Registration required.

Cost: Free 

Register here:  

https://audubon.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJctfumspzojHdxtnEzr7IQuChWHdSiucPxG

Please submit any questions you want answered by our panelists! We will also have a short Q&A towards the end of the panel for any last minute questions.

Hosted by the Vermont Education and Environment Network.