I didn’t set out to become an ‘educator’. All I wanted initially was a group of people to nature journal with – people to share discoveries and knowledge, and company in the context of this new activity that sat at the intersection of so many of the things that I enjoy.
And yet, when I started receiving requests to share my interest with others, I realized that I was looking for more guidance. So, I bought a copy of Jack’s “How to Teach Nature Journaling” book, and signed up for the Wild Wonder Educator Program.
We covered everything from pedagogy to tech stacks, discussed stewardship, inclusion, and the idea of providing feedforward, rather than feedback. I’ve already gone back to reference some of the sketchnotes that I took during the certification process and expect to do so more in the future. It is a good reminder that being an educator is a lot like being a nature journaler. When you get past the how-to’s and logistics, the most important pieces are to pay attention, be curious, and make connections. I notice. I wonder. It reminds me of.
Here’s my pretty certification from the process.
