Earthy Chats Podcast
Join us for wide-ranging chats with environmental educators about best practices, changing trends, and new insights about the enviro. ed. field. Long-time educators Ian Shanahan from Green Teacher and Jade Harvey-Berrill from the Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network (CBEEN) and Stoked on Science facilitate the cross-pollination of ideas. Join the discussion!
Episodes
In what ways are the land and water shaped by children's questions? How can educators light a fire of inspiration in their learners? Why do many Indigenous teachings lend themselves so well to inquiry-based learning? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*adopting a framework that challenges people to think without being prescriptive
*the flow of knowledge in Anishinaabe learning
*Natural Curiosity's four...
What does effective climate change education (CCed) look like? What role does outdoor learning play in it? How has the field changed over the past thirty years? What is the "new kid on the block" in CCed? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*the shift in environmental education from teaching issues to teaching core concepts
*how the collective understanding of climate change has evolved since the early ...
What is it like running across Canada in nine months? How can outdoor learning become an inherent part of K–12 education? What roles does digital technology play in outdoor learning? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*insights from Colin's 7600-km run across Canada to promote outdoor learning
*how Take Me Outside came to be
*when digital technology enhances and hinders learning
*developing resiliency from...
Why do we have to jump through hoops just to take classes outside? What are the systemic barriers to outdoor learning? How can an outdoor "classroom" function as a leveler? These are three of the core questions we discussed with Juliet Robertson of Creative STAR Learning. Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*Juliet's unlikely path to outdoor learning
*the sagas behind her two books, Messy Maths an...
What would water tell us if it could talk? How can each of us strengthen our relationship with the waterways and water bodies near our homes? Our special guests from Ocean Wise and Water Rangers joined us to discuss these questions and more, as we covered as much territory as Canada has coastline (well, maybe not that much...). Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:
*need-to-know facts about salt water and freshw...
Friend of the show Gillian Judson was joined by artist Adelle Caunce for this lively discussion. Adelle's newest creation, the book Playing in the Muck and Other Art Activities, was designed to accompany Gillian's book, A Walking Curriculum. Here's a taste of what we covered in this Earthy Chat:
*appreciating the underappreciated creatures (of the muck, soil, and ocean depths)
*experiencing nature through an artist&...
The new children's book Sila and the Land was co-authoured by Ariana Roundpoint, Shelby Angalik, and Lindsay Dupré — each from a different Indigenous community. Ariana joined Ian and Jade for this Earthy Chat. Here's a preview of what they discussed:
*finding common ground among Indigenous Nations
*moving away from a "take-everything" mindset
*reconnecting with the land and water
*re-learning how to listen to ...
The Heart of a River is back in print, and author Eileen Delehanty Pearkes joined Ian and Jade to mark the occasion. Here's a sampling of what they discussed:
*being "tapped" to write The Heart of a River and letting the river speak
*the complexity of reconciling with a colonial past
*finding truth in the land (and water)
*encouraging developments for the Columbia River and rivers elsewhere
*Eileen's many relat...
Do you have to be an artist to make field sketches? Do you have to be a poet to make field notes? How is record-keeping like poetry? In what way does it engage us in creative problem-solving? Ian and Jade discuss these questions, while sharing stories of their own outdoor note-taking experiences, as well as those of their students. Jade also talks about the time David Attenborough was in the next room during a field trip... serious...
Grab a dip net and go! You might soon find yourself inadvertently getting a fish massage. Maybe you'll give rockpooling a go. If you're not sure what rockpooling is, you'll find out after hearing a story of crustacean drama in a shrinking tidal pool on Vancouver Island. Ian and Jade also share their tips for expanding your pond/stream study toolkit, using dichotomous keys to identify macroinvertebrates, and appreciating...
How can something as simple and inexpensive as a magnifying glass be such a powerful outdoor learning tool? In what ways can we use magnifiers to engage some students with diverse learning needs? Is getting an up-close-and-personal look at "bugs" a means of helping students overcome their fear of "creepy crawlies"? Ian and Jade covered all of this, while also recounting a story of getting maybe a little too up close...
What's "bad weather"? For that matter, what's "good weather"? What learning opportunities open up when the clouds burst? How can we optimize watershed-based education? Jade and Ian unpacked these questions, while sharing stories of flooded jungles (on two different continents) and capping off rainy field work with a visit to a cozy Scottish pub. They also touched on "Beaver Fever," Giant Squid, monso...
Our Fables from the Field summer sub-series continues with Ian and Jade discussing times when binoculars factored prominently in outdoor experiences, from observing a perched Bald Eagle with 12 remarkably patient children to receiving the stink eye from a group of birders (or is it "birdwatchers"?). They also dig into the differences between "twitchers" (AKA "listers") and people who simply enjoy birds.
In this first episode of our Fables from the Field summer sub-series, Ian and Jade discuss the value of sit spots, slowing down while out in nature, and the usefulness of sit pads. They also share stories from past adventures in Iceland (when a sit pad would have come in quite handy). Also, do you remember how to pronounce the name of the volcano that erupted in southern Iceland in 2010? Jade does. Ian — not so much...
Ft. outdoor and garden educator Kaci Rae Christopher
In the fourth episode of Earthy Chats, co-hosts Jade Harvey-Berrill and Ian Shanahan chatted with outdoor and garden educator Kaci Rae Christopher, author of The School Garden Curriculum! Here's a sneak-peek at what was discussed:
*growing a science mindset through gardening
*finding connections to systems thinking
*how storytelling fits into "garden culture"
*st...
Ft. Aboriginal Education Coordinator Faye O'Neil
In the third episode of Earthy Chats, co-hosts Jade Harvey-Berrill and Ian Shanahan chatted with educator Faye O'Neil of the ?aqam Community in the Ktunaxa Nation! Here's a sneak-peek at what was discussed:
*a childhood in nature
*gaining knowledge from the land
*gaps in the education system and how to fill them
*making partnerships and maintaining open dialogue
*h...
Ft. Envirosongsters Peter Lenton (aka Peter Puffin) and Remy Rodden
In the second episode of Earthy Chats, co-hosts Jade Harvey-Berrill and Ian Shanahan chatted with the Envirosongsters, Peter Lenton (aka Peter Puffin) and Remy Rodden! Here's a sneak-peek at what was discussed:
*the birth of the Envirosongsters collaboration
*Peter and Remy's process for creating EE songs for kids
*the role of storytelling in crafting a...
Ft. Dr. Gillian Judson of imaginED and the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University
The premier episode of Earthy Chats has arrived! Co-hosts Jade Harvey-Berrill and Ian Shanahan chatted with Dr. Gillian Judson of imaginED and the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. Here's a sneak-peek at what we discussed:
*the role of imagination in meaningful learning for learners of all ages (adults, too!)
*how stor...
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