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FOREST SCHOOL HOSTS PRACTITIONERS COURSE

SPOTS ARE AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEXT IN-PERSON OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE IN APRIL

TAYLOR CLARK tclark@metroland.com

Child-focused professionals from all over the country strapped on their winter gear and braced for the Georgian Bay winds as they participated in a five-day forest and nature school practitioners course in Parry Sound.

Serving as a training hub, the Parry Sound Forest School hosted 18 participants from March 6 to 10 as they learned the ins and outs of operating a forest and nature school program through the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada.

Since 2012, the alliance has been offering the year-long certification course, adapting, and improving on it each year. As part of the course, participants partake in a five-day long in-person learning experience outdoors, followed

by months of online independent study and assignment completion.

Director of the Parry Sound Forest School Diana Clements said she specifically chose to host a course in the winter to allow the

attendees to experience more difficult circumstances than they may be accustomed to.

"I think it's great for people to do it in a challenging time because then it makes it easier when it's an easy time," said Clements.

The director said she has been seeing more and more teachers and early childhood educators incorporating nature-based programming in their regular school environment.

Ashton Roth works for a child care company in the Newmarket area and said he was excited to incorporate what he has learned in the past five days in his programming. Known as the outdoors person of the company, Roth said the course was seen as an opportunity for him to expand his knowledge and explore new avenues.

The group was joined by Knowledge Keeper Dave Rice from Wasauksing First Nation, who shared stories of growing up in the area, parts of the Creation Story, and some Anishinaabemowin, the language of the Anishinabek Nation.

Along with growing more comfortable in the elements during the winter season, Roth said he's gained a fuller understanding of Indigenous cultures and having respect for the land on which we reside.

"And that's what I notice a lot of children are missing, is that respect aspect where they like to play on the playgrounds, but they don't really know what came before and what was," said Roth.

"It's sort of the ignorance of, I don't know, so I don't look to know."

Now having participated in the course, Roth said he realized all the resources have been there all along and it's up to individuals to source this knowledge and pass it on.

"Building with this group and sharing with the past five days; you don't realize how much you connected," said Roth.

"Sharing that is really special."

Another practitioners course will be offered at the Parry Sound Forest School over two weekends in April and Clements said there are spots still available.

For more information about the course and the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada, visit their website at childnature.ca.

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2023-03-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281492165562976

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