Becoming a Nature Elder

The first time I heard the term “nature elder” was at a training hosted by The Outdoor Classroom Project at the arboretum on campus of University California Santa Cruz.  Since then, I have heard it used often in literature and practice. In theory it means being a mentor to developing young children and teaching them what I know about the environment, but on a larger scale it’s about being part of an inter-generational community committed to transferring sustainable values.  It means that the younger generations seek out elders to acquire knowledge-which is a great responsibility. ~ Carolyn

MEET THE TEACHER

I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do work that I am passionate about!!! Nothing makes me happier than to spend time in nature with children and their families. When I am not with children in nature you will still find me outdoors all year round. 

I spent a decade working with parents and children in a co-op preschool school setting, and I love the community and relationship building aspect of what I did there. The school that made the most impact on me as an educator and person was LGSONS, also known as “Mountain School.”https://lgsons.org. I worked there for seven years which really influenced my way of living and teaching and I saw the impact it made on families, so I hope to re-create some of what we did there. I also spent two summers at Santa Cruz Forest School in Felton, CA. https://www.thesantacruzforestschool.org where I learned much about outdoor ethics.

I earned my MA in Early Childhood Education from San Francisco State University.  My thesis was on transforming perspectives in outdoor education. I received my BA in psychology form San Jose State University with a capstone in positive psychology and mindfulness. I have a child development teacher permit and program director certificate from the CA commission on teacher credentialing.

I currently reside in Brisbane, CA after decades of living in the Santa Cruz mountains area. I’m also love animals, enjoy cooking and making herbal remedies. I’m interested in eco-therapy and I love yoga and enjoy introducing it to children in a fun way. 

I hope you and your children will come play with me in the great outdoors!