Creative Solutions in Our Time of Crisis

Description:

The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has been a unifying force — few industries, organizations, or individuals have been unaffected. The tumult has also galvanized people to seek innovative means of achieving their goals. In this special webinar, a panel of environmental educators spanning several contexts — elementary, secondary, college, and non-traditional (parks, nature centers, etc.) — share their stories and adaptive solutions before taking your questions as we work together to persevere through this unprecedented period of interruption.

Presenters:

Dave Bauer is the founder of the Creative Nature Play initiative through which he has written and published the children’s story What’s Under That Rock, Papa?. Throughout his career, Dave has taught environmental science, change leadership, and creative thinking. He engages with the outdoors through various forms of recreation and exploration.

Jared Goodykoontz loves connecting with all life around him: feathered, furred, scaled, little, big, green, human, etc. He is blessed to be able to help hundreds of families in central Ohio connect with their local nature every week through his Little Adventures Big Connections nature program. He loves exploring the senses, tracking, bird language, and gardening with his school’s 2–6-year-olds. His main passion is fostering relationships: between him and his students, his students and their parents, and everyone with the plant and animal life around them. In addition to his weekly program, he has also written and illustrated three children’s books using bits of nature from around his own wooded property. He lives with his wife and daughter (and a daughter on the way!) in central Ohio.

Shakira Provasoli is a K–5 environmental science teacher at PS 333 in New York City. Ms. Provasoli began teaching 21 years ago as an early childhood teacher before following her passion for the natural world to become an educator of the environment. Ms. Provasoli teaches a course on Sustainability for teachers, and she has written curriculum for New York Sun Works’ Greenhouse Project. Ms. Provasoli received a B.A. and an M.S.Ed. from Sarah Lawrence College and STEM certification from Teachers College. She was also honored at the White House, receiving the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Education. Ms. Provasoli is currently a Math for America fellow and a member of the New York City Elementary Science Leadership Team.

Laura Verhegge teaches IB Marine Science, a course which she developed, and supports students in two co-curricular activities: ‘Coastal Biodiversity’ and ‘Precious Plastic Pearson College’ at Lester B. Pearson UWC of the Pacific. In this inspiring and beautiful community in Metchosin, BC, she shares her passion for marine ecosystems and organisms (especially invertebrates!) with students from over 90 countries.