Outdoor schools / education Books

Book SynopsisForest School Handbook is lively collection of activities, crafts, bushcraft skills and nature-based play which will inspire kids to thrive outside. Whether just popping out for a walk, going camping or exploring in the woods, this handy-sized book will be your essential guide for connecting with the natural world. Packed with ideas and activities for children of all ages, there are bushcraft basics, survival skills, nature crafts and ideas for both energising and peaceful outdoor play. Encouraging controlled risk taking, boosting social skills, wellbeing and a healthy resilience, this is the ultimate way to avoid battles over screen time and classroom-induced fatigue. Build a shelter from what you find around you, design a natural collage, tie useful knots, get to know a tree, light a fire, filter dirty water, make charcoal, go on a night walk, make a bug hotel, create a mini village, whittle a stick and much more. Aimed at parents, outdoor teachers or anyone passionate about getting back to basics Grab-and-go size makes it easy to pack in your outdoor kit bag Written by award-winning outdoor specialists, with detailed knowledge of Forest School practices and who are experienced leading school groups either as a thrilling woodland class outing or online Includes traditional Forest School activities and beyond. Catering for older children who are ready to explore more involved primitive skills and bushcraft Playing and learning outside in nature has been shown to benefit children in many ways, such as improved moods, concentration, confidence and self-esteem Forest School Adventure has sold c.35,000 copies and been translated into French, German, Czech and Italian Trade Review5 STAR REVIEW Forest School Handbook is a fantastic forest school guide written by two absolute experts in bringing practical learning, fun activities and survival skills to children in the great outdoors. The book is packed with information, ideas and explanations that cover a huge range of bush craft skills. Outdoor play and experiences are at the forefront of ensuring the wellbeing and positive mental health of our children and this book is an excellent resource to use. It helps adults and children safely and confidently immerse themselves in nature themed learning and fun. It is a glossy, useful and delightful book - with obvious expertise and enthusiasm behind it. -- Jennifer Caddick, teacher * Reading Zone *This handy-sized book, easy to fit in your jacket pocket or rucksack, is perfect for taking on adventures outdoors with the kids! It includes over 75 activities for children ages 5 to 11 on how to build simple but effective shelters and dens, how to tie an array of useful knots, how to collect and filter water, how to forage safely and a multitude of other outdoor crafts that will give them confidence and a life-long love and appreciation for nature and enjoying it responsibly. * Right Start Online *Altogether a smashing little book that deserves to be in every family and class collection. -- Jill Bennett * Red Reading Hub *This little book is super handy to take outdoors and to get inspired in the nature classroom… It’s packed with exciting collection of activities, crafts, bushcraft skills and nature based play to inspire children to thrive outside. * @the_treasure_outdoors *From beginner to expert, there's ideas here for everyone: nature awareness activities using the senses, crafts, den building and knots as well as skill building and survival ideas, such as fire lighting, water filters, first aid, foraging, cooking and primitive skills (perfect for a Stone Age topic). I can't wait to start using this brilliant book at home and school. I'd recommend a bit of planning before trying some of these activities, but it's the perfect size to pop in the rucksack so you're always prepared for an outdoor adventure! * @mrsbrownsbookbox *This is a wonderful book, I love the size of it too, fits nicely into my bag to take out and about! It’s full of lots of interesting activities to do with nature in particular forest school! * @the_little_adventurer_ *If you’re wondering what Forest School looks like, for activity inspiration or basic knots, this Forest School Handbook may be useful to you! It’s full of fantastic outdoor and nature activity ideas and inspiration, wild food knowledge, fire safety and tips, camp craft, primitive skills and more. From two highly knowledgeable practitioners, who specialise in bush craft and Stone Age skills, it’s rather valuable! * @homeplayexplore *BRILLIANT and full of activities, crafts, bushcraft skills and nature based play which will inspire kids to thrive outdoors! * @growingthroughplay *Do you enjoy being outdoors? Or are you looking for a book to inspire your kiddos to step away from screens and embrace nature? If so, The Forest School Handbook is the perfect summer read. It is packed with activities, crafts, and nature-based play. * @picturebookrecommendations *A remarkable compendium of fun, safe, and educational DIY outdoor activities, the "Forest School Handbook" will be an enduringly valued and appreciated resource for parents and teachers wanting to offer children attractive alternatives to their computer, phone, and television screens. "Forest School Handbook" is a critically important and valued addition to family, preschool, elementary school, middle school, and community library Nature Crafting & Activities collections. * Mid-West Book Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction Playing in nature Nature Awareness Mini beast hunting Night vision Muddy tracks Sit spot Stalking walks Flour trail tracker Observation stations Get to know a tree Camouflage hands Outdoor games Outdoor crafts Bird feeder Bug hotel Playing with clay Leaf and flower plaques Natural collage and sculptures Goblin villages and mini dens Nest building Storytelling stones Leaf printing Nature weaving Shadow painting Leaf watercolour Nature journal Leaf bunting Stick boats Things to do with conkers Useful knots Knot terminology Clove hitch Double half hitch Sheet bend Siberian hitch Timber hitch Prusik Square lashing Slippery guy line Canadian jam knot Sledge knot Hanking cord Shelters and dens Lean-to shelter A-frame shelter Baker’s tarp Tarp bender Fire Safety Sources of tinder Firewood Lighting a fire with a fire steel Fire lays Making charcoal Making char cloth Carrying fire Group bow drill Water Collecting water Birch tapping Bottle filter Camp craft Cordage Giant grass rope Knife safety Sharpening a knife Carving a butter knife Leather tinder pouch Wilderness survival Making stretchers Signal fire Plants for first aid Primitive skills Slate arrow Pine pitch glue Atl atl and spear Fat lamps Nut lamps Grass mat Natural clay Cave art and natural paints

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Book SynopsisThis open access book reviews evidence and case studies on the effects of outdoor learning on teachers and learners. It shows how real-world learning outside the classroom contributes to unlocking the full potential of learners, demonstrating its benefits for academic learning, social competencies, personal and emotional development, psychological well-being, and physical activity and health. In addition, the book highlights how outdoor learning nurtures environmental awareness and helps learners to tackle current sustainability challenges. Its focus on high-quality learning makes it a unique contribution to the implementation of SDG 4. Aimed at lecturers at teacher training universities, teachers, professional educators, coaches, and multipliers who train staff of educational NGOs, as well as decision makers on all levels of education systems, this book is of interest to all those who seek a more in-depth understanding of the future of education.Table of Contents1. Preface Rolf Jucker & Jakob von Au (editors): contextualising Education Outside the Classroom (EotC) Cluster 1: Accumulating scientific evidence that EotC is high quality learning / supporting the learning potential of kids 2. Cathy Jordan and Louise Chawla: A Coordinated Research Agenda for Nature-Based Learning 3. Kuo Ming, Barnes Michael, Jordan Catherine: Do Experiences With Nature Promote Learning?Converging Evidence of a Cause-and-Effect Relationship 4. Kuo Ming, Browning Matthew H. E. M., Penner Milbert L.: Do Lessons in Nature Boost Subsequent Classroom Engagement? Refueling Students in Flight 5. Louise Chawla: Childhood nature connection and constructive hope: A review of research on connecting with nature and coping with environmental loss 6. Rolf Jucker: Summary of: Caroline Fiennes et al.: The Existing Evidence-Base about the Effectiveness of Outdoor Learning 7. Sue Waite (Plymouth): International views on school-based outdoor learning. Cluster 2: Results of the TEACHOUT research project 8. Erik Mygind: Udeskole - pupils’ physical activity and gender perspectives 9. Erik Mygind & Mads Bølling: Pupils’ well-being, mental and social health 10. Karen Barfod and Erik Mygind: Udeskole – Regular teaching outside the classroom Cluster 3: Accumulating scientific evidence that EotC is supporting the health of pupils & teachers 11. Richard Hobday: Outdoor Learning and Children’s Eyesight 12. Sue Waite and Jennie Aronsson, Plymouth University: Some impacts on health and wellbeing from school-based outdoor learning Cluster4: Necessary teacher’s competences for teaching EotC / necessary changes in teacher training curriculums and CPD 13. Christina Wolf: A review on outdoor-based teaching in higher education 14. Jeff Mann, Son Truong, Tonia Gray: Rediscovering the potential of outdoor learning for developing 21st century skills 15. Nadia Lausselet / Ismaël Zosso: How to achieve quality teacher outdoor education: a competence centre shows possible paths 16. Svantje Schumann: Investigating the Experience of Nature: Challenges and case-analytical approaches Cluster 5: Case studies and context 17. Nicholas Robin: a reflection on outdoor learning in the history of science education 18. Rowena Passy and Ian Blackwell, Plymouth University: Natural Connections: learning about outdoor based learning 19. Christian Armbrüster / Matthias D. Witte (Mainz): Outdoor-based teaching and learning in Germany Theoretical considerations and empirical findings 20. Ulrich Dettweiler, Gabriele Lauterbach, Ruth Kermish-Allen: Fostering 21st Century Skills by Teaching Science Outside the Classroom: Students’ Perceived Relevance of Contents and Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction 21. Carol Rowntree Jones, Sue Anderson, Caroline Scothern: Creating a Forest for Learning in the National Forest, England 22. Rolf Jucker: outdoor-based teaching and learning in Switzerland: bilingual approaches to systemic integration

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Book SynopsisFollowing the acclaim of 2012’s Learning Outside the Classroom, this latest book more deeply explains how well-constructed outdoor learning experiences can benefit children and young people’s academic development and health and well-being.Trade ReviewTeaching outdoors is both a necessity and a challenge. In Outdoor learning across the curriculum the necessity is underlined by research-based evidence, thus equipping stakeholders arguing for an inclusive pedagogy in the outdoors. The book addresses both overarching issues concerning an inclusive pedagogy with both curriculum based-, adventure- and sustainability-perspectives on the educational process, as well as a modern and critical standpoint on the educational practice today. Moreover, the book can be used as a practical tool in the implementation of outdoor learning, as it includes experience-based and thorough practical advises, e.g. for the use of digital technologies in the outdoors, classroom management and safety issues. We certainly need to continuously develop the aims of the education, but also the pedagogy, and Outdoor learning across the curriculum adds a valuable contribution to this.Karen Seierøe BarfodDocent, VIA University College, DenmarkWhen introduced to the idea of outdoor learning, most teachers understand intuitively that, given the state of the world, it makes good sense. But they also want to know how to do it and to see that it can be done. Most importantly, they need practice integrating outdoor learning into the classroom and school in a comprehensive way, and articulating to themselves and others the significance of this work. This book is simply the best field guide to the theory and practice of outdoor learning that I've ever seen. The authors have carefully built a curriculum for learning that is responsive to the current historical moment and that is based on decades of experience with the craft. This will be my go to book on the theme for the foreseeable future. David GreenwoodProfessor of Environmental and Holistic Education, Lakehead University, CanadaThe Covid pandemic has provided ample motivation for teachers and students to spend as much time out of doors as possible, and the timing of this book could not be better! The justification for learning outdoors, and learning for the long game of sustainability, is articulated in a clear and inclusive way in this book. But then it takes it to the next level by providing a roadmap with the logistics of how to get your students out of doors. This takes outdoor learning from the philosophical to the logistical- something that school-based practitioners who work directly with students rarely see in educational literature. If you want to get your students away from the screen and into an interdisciplinary classroom without walls, where curiosity and wonder drive learning, this book is for you!Tom DrakePrincipal, Crossett Brook Middle School, Vermont, USAClear, insightful and inspiring – this book offers a refreshing and progressive take on outdoor learning and its critical role in the holistic education of future generations of learners. It is a comprehensive handbook which offers useful ideas. Each chapter contains objectives, a case study, and suggested guidelines for practice which educators would appreciate. It is poignantly persuasive in nudging each of us to educate for a socially and environmentally just planet. For me, it is the kind of book that has the potential to inspire and transform lives.Susanna HoLead Outdoor Education Specialist, Ministry of Education, SingaporeThis book is a must-read for anyone seeking to broaden their horizons and gain a deeper understanding of teaching modalities to incorporate outdoor learning experiences into their lessons. Collectively, the authors’ writing style is engaging and thought-provoking, and makes complex topics enjoyable to read and digest. The pearls of wisdom shared in this book will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.Tonia GrayProfessor, School of Education, Western Sydney University, AustraliaUNESCO, OECD, and other shapers of education systems are calling for a huge undertaking by nations: the transformation of their education systems; to address future sustainability challenges; to include experiential learning with exposure to realities; to build deeper, knowledgeable connections with issues; and create empathic connection to those affected by global realities resulting in informed action. In answering this call, I strongly suggest you read Outdoor learning across the curriculum to begin the journey and keep it by your side as you rise to the challenge of the undertaking that is so desperately needed.Charles HopkinsProfessor and UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability, York University, CanadaEspecially in times when children, through their education, are continuously seduced to go back to their screens for entertainment and quick answers, the risk of becoming disconnected from the natural world in both urban and rural environments is greater than ever. How to restore biophilia and a sense of place in the Anthropocene? This timely book provides some answers by taking the outdoors as both a starting point and a context for relational forms of learning that can reconnect young people with their local environment and, ultimately, will help heal the Earth.Arjen Wals Professor of Transformative Learning for Socio-Ecological Sustainability and UNESCO Chair, Wageningen University, The Netherlands / Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NorwayTable of ContentsChapter 1: Education to address the planet’s big challengesChapter 2: Encouraging students and teachers to explore worldviews, ethics and their own responsibilitiesChapter 3: Learning across the curriculumChapter 4: Outdoor learning and sustainabilityChapter 5: Learning through placesChapter 6: Harnessing student curiosity and the role of wonderChapter 7: Community-based learningChapter 8: Integrating mobile digital technologyChapter 9: Day excursions and residential outdoor education centersChapter 10: Risk managementChapter 11: Supervising people outdoorsChapter 12: Evidencing learning and developing a whole school approach

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Book SynopsisIn The Nature-Study Idea, Liberty Hyde Bailey articulated the essence of a social movement, led by ordinary public-school teachers, that lifted education out of the classroom and placed it into firsthand contact with the natural world. The aim was simple but revolutionary: sympathy with nature to increase the joy of living and foster stewardship of the earth.With this definitive edition, John Linstrom reintroduces The Nature-Study Idea as an environmental classic for our time. It provides historical context through a wealth of related writings, and introductory essays relate Bailey''s vision to current work in education and the intersection of climate change and culture. In this period of planetary turmoil, Bailey''s ambition to cultivate wonder (in adults as well as children) and lead readers back into the natural world is more important than ever.

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Book Synopsis Research evidence consistently shows that an outdoor learning environment can improve behaviour, engagement and encourage more active participation in learning. So why keep learning in a classroom? In reality, we know the challenges teachers face. We know the barriers that get in the way of taking learning outside. Learning through Landscapes has three decades of experience supporting teachers with the everyday challenges of teaching outdoors. Through this real life understanding of teaching and step by step guidance, this book shows you that every curriculum subject in primary schools can be taught outdoors. Through the pages of this book, Learning through Landscapes shows you that learning outdoors not only improves the health, wellbeing and attainment of the children in your class - it also brings joy to your teaching.Table of ContentsIntroduction Principles of learning and play in your school grounds Practicalities Activities Resources to help develop your outdoor teaching practice

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Book Synopsis[Wild Nights Out] is a wonderful invitation to rediscover the dark and all the thing that cry, creep or glow there. Chris Packham from the Foreword [Wild Nights Out] is about reframing our relationship with darkness...because without that affinity humans will remain tourists in their own landscape. the Guardian This book gently holds your hand and guides you into the mysterious folds of the darkness, helping you get the most out of the night. Nocturnal empowerment for the curious. Nick Baker, naturalist, TV presenter and author The go-to guide for exploring nature at night, whether on summer holidays, weekends away or even back garden adventures! Learn how to call for owls, walk like a fox and expand your sensory perceptions. Wild Nights Out is a wonderful new hands-on guide for those who wish to take kids (of all ages) outdoors for fun, thrilling nighttime nature adventures. Parents, grandparents, teachers and nature educators alike will discover a wealth of unique activities to explore the natural world from dusk till dawn. Alongside games, walks and exercises to expand our senses, storyteller and outdoor educator Chris Salisbury will bring this unexplored nocturnal dimension to life with lore about badgers, bats and minibeasts as well as tales of the constellations and planets to share around the campfire. In Wild Nights Out you can expect to find: 25 fun and informative games and activities Practical information on how to conduct night walks safely Animal facts and stargazing stories Beautiful black-and-white illustrations throughout Nature has so much to offer at night, so let Wild Nights Out be your guide to the dark. It will boost the resilience and self-confidence of children and adults, and instill a lifelong love of having fun in the outdoors when the sun goes down.Trade Review‘So inspiring! Reading Wild Nights Out is like being given an invitation to a whole new dimension of life. Exploring and nature spotting don’t need to stop when the sun goes down. For grown-ups, children, and anyone in between, this book offers guidance, ideas, challenges to try and games to play in the dusk and dark. But, more than anything else, it encourages us to cross a threshold into a new world and go on a nocturnal ramble to look and listen for where the wild things are.’—Simon Reeve, author and broadcaster‘If you are a creature intrigued about the dimpsy hours and its goings-on, this is the perfect companion for your adventures. As the planet spins us away from the sun, a world less explored is to be found – a time of new creatures, celestial bodies, new sights, sounds and smells. This book gently holds your hand and guides you into the mysterious folds of the darkness, helping you get the most out of the night. Nocturnal empowerment for the curious.’—Nick Baker, naturalist, TV presenter and author‘If you once wished the days to never end, with Chris’s glorious and concise re-enchantment of the night, you too will soon become a nocturnal convert, willing your children to stay up and out as late as possible. Wild Nights Out isn’t so much about conquering the fear of the dark but redeeming this realm through ancient and intrepid means of befriending it, inspiring wonderful ways to play beyond the reach of electricity’s falsifying security.’—Sam Lee, folk singer, Radio 4 presenter, and Mercury Prize–nominated artist‘Chris Salisbury knows of what he speaks. This storyteller has been thoroughly drubbed in nature’s mood swings and come up the wiser for it. Wild Nights Out is an inventive mapping of that accumulated knowledge. Long before it was even vaguely fashionable, Chris was walking the roads of wildness and story, and this book is a lovely testament to his devotion. Both pragmatic and poetic, Wild Nights Out will be a worthy companion for anyone who yearns for a fresh and unexpected relationship to the living world. There are big, powerful energies out there in the dark, and a few have slipped into this book, chewing on its edges.’—Dr Martin Shaw, author of Smoke Hole and Courting the Wild Twin‘A fantastic mix of usefulness and imagination, of practical experience and love for the living world.’—Jay Griffiths, author of Kith and Wild: An Elemental Journey‘Wild Nights Out is the night’s song, seducing us like a siren on a rock, beckoning us to dive deep into an enchanted world. Chris Salisbury has collated a hundred reasons to step over this threshold and explore, perhaps for the first time, the wonder of the wild night. Stars, stories, songs and games come out of his wizard’s hat to reacquaint us with the mysteries of nocturnal nature. As an educator and parent, I’m so glad this book has been offered to a world hungry for meaning and connection.’—Charlotte Church, singer and broadcaster; founder, Awen Project‘Wild Nights Out is a masterful guide for night walks. Chock-full of engaging games and fascinating information, this book makes leading night-time excursions a joy. Chris Salisbury has created a magnificent and comprehensive resource for anyone who loves the night.’—Joseph Bharat Cornell, author of Sharing Nature, Deep Nature Play, and Flow Learning‘Chris Salisbury is a consummate guide to the night and its chrysalis-like capacity to convert us from sailors of safe harbors to celebrants of uncharted seas – wanderers amidst nocturnal creatures (like owls, bats, and badgers) or the existential conundrums that the night sky elicits (like Why are we here?). Chris doesn’t resolve the frights and riddles of the dark, but deftly draws us in, supporting us to make our own dazzling discoveries and to be shape-shifted by our night-walk odysseys. Wild Nights Out: don’t go into the dark without it.’—Bill Plotkin, PhD, author of Soulcraft and The Journey of Soul Initiation‘This book has been a long time coming in the nature education field, and finally Chris Salisbury has put down in words something that should be in every nature/environmental educator’s pocket and on their shelf of well-thumbed pages. Wild Nights Out is neatly book ended with the question why is it dark? and takes the practitioner on a journey exploring this and many other questions about the shady side of the planet. It is not just Chris’s inimitable poetry that make this such a great read, it is the enticing experiences and journeys into the night that Chris takes us on that we can easily replicate, adapt and conduct with our groups of learners which will help relate to and answer those questions of the night. This book is packed full of activities for immersing learners in the world of dusk to dawn that can be adapted for any age and gives the all-important health and safety tips to help people feel comfortable and yet still feel the nervous anticipation, excitement and beauty of the darkened hours. There are poems and stories, ways to use stories around the campfire, lots of natural history and ‘tuning in’ activities and titbits, journeys into different habitats – from the river to the seashore, and of course ways of magically interacting with the night sky. We miss out on this most important aspect of nature learning in a big way in our industrially lit world. This book will help the educator – and the learners they guide – fill in the gaps of our experiences, revelling in what is a magical kingdom, helping us see the night as a constant companion and explore those deeper questions about what it means to live on this beautiful planet and its ‘dark side’. It is a must for all nature educators around the planet.’—Jon Cree, founding chair, Forest School Association; coauthor of The Essential Guide to Forest School and Nature Pedagogy; veteran educator and nature connection trainer‘In his wonderful book, Wild Nights Out, Chris Salisbury reminds us of so many things forgotten. The night is truly fully half of our lives. Yet today we live as if we only experience the day. Through his wonderful stories, lore, science and accessible activities, Chris helps us remember that we are, as humans, at least half darkness. Through the journey of Wild Nights Out, we are remembering the part of us that has been hidden in recent times, and it’s like meeting a long-lost relative that we truly love.’—Jon Young, author of Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature and What the Robin Knows‘Chris Salisbury is without doubt one of the world’s foremost outdoor ecological educators, as I have seen myself over and over again at Schumacher College. In this marvellously well-written book, Chris shares his decades of wisdom and experience about how to bring children into the presence of the night as a living being, with her sounds, sights, smells, depths and imaginings. Even if you don’t use this book with children specifically in mind, like me, you’ll be enchanted from start to finish by its capacity to introduce you and people of all ages to the wonders of the night. You’ll feel a powerful urge to go out into the night yourself with Chris and his book as guides to wake up your forgotten child’s vivid perceptions of nature. Obey that urge and discover Gaia. Chris’s book is a masterpiece – an important landmark in the growing literature on ecological education.’—Dr Stephan Harding, Deep Ecology Research Fellow, senior lecturer in Holistic Science, Schumacher College, Dartington, UK‘Chris Salisbury piques curiosity in such a way that brings people beyond knowledge and information, and into meaningful and real connection and relationship. As a storyteller and educator, his ability to weave together natural history, science, story, poetry, and myth in a graceful and compelling way is evident among these pages. I see it as critical to provide educators, and people in general, not just with good information, natural history, and science, but also with brilliant strategies for bringing people along for the ride in a way that is fun, creative, and artistic. Advocates for the human right to deeply connect to place could well use a guide that helps us find narratives that weave together in a soulful approach to the lifelong journey of falling in love with the earth. Wild Nights Out helps us do that.’—Marcus Reynerson, adult immersion program manager and lead instructor, Wilderness Awareness School‘I cannot think of a better all-round book to enchant your family’s evening walk or an enthralling night-time adventure with groups of children or adults. It offers a wealth of nature-connecting ideas, stories and games. All convey Chris Salisbury’s deep involvement with the creation of fabulous darkness experiences in the outdoors. The book belongs in every family home and library. Buy it.’—Dr Alida Gersie, author of Earthtales and Storytelling for a Greener World‘Like the storyteller he is, Chris leads us by enchantment into the beauty and depth of the dark. He entices us into its warm embrace – to remember, to listen, to feel part of something unseen once again. His book is rich in poetry and fact, as practical as it is, a conjuring of our interest in something so hidden, we may have forgotten it ever existed. He takes us by the hand and leaves traces for us to follow – each in our own way, an adventure that calls every time we close our eyes. And he does us a great service, reminding us that just a little way down the path, there is so much more to life inside us and all around us to meet if only our fear will allow.’—Ya’Acov Darling Khan, author of Jaguar in the Body, Butterfly in the Heart and Shaman: Invoking Power, Presence and Purpose at the Core of Who You Are‘This book is an invitation to step out of the everyday world and into the darkness, and to find the night wonderful: wild and rich and beautiful. Chris takes us on a journey through landscapes and starscapes and species, experiencing the nocturnal world through all our senses. He offers ways to absorb, understand and use those experiences to leave us inspired, finding new strength and joy to change how we live in this world for the better.’—Gordon MacLellan, author and environmental trainer‘A delightful, mysterious, compelling work born of Chris Salisbury’s lifetime love of nature. This wonderful book is like the night itself, daring us to step outside and, wrapped in shadows, become alive to that we can only ever fleetingly behold.’—Mac Macartney, author, speaker, change-maker‘Wild Nights Out is an intoxicating cocktail of outdoor activities and inspirations, and one that every environmental educator has been longing for, even if he or she hadn’t realised that before reading it. Here is the realm of night, unwrapped for us by Salisbury like rich jewels on black velvet. Informative, resourceful, packed with wisdom and wit, this is a book for all ages and all times – a book that connects us with the wild natural world that awaits, as raw and relevant today as it was to our ancestors generations ago.’—Prof Clayton MacKenzie, provost and interim president, Hong Kong Baptist University‘This book is so timely as we continue to rediscover the well-being benefits of reconnecting with the natural world. It will be a great source of inspiration and practical direction for anyone interested in helping to bring to life the nocturnal nature that is close at hand for people of all ages. I strongly recommend this book written by an expert facilitator in an engaging and accessible way – it will no doubt inspire you, like it did me, to venture out after dark and appreciate afresh the wonderful world in which we live.’—Paul Warwick, associate professor, Sustainable Education and Civic Futures, University of Plymouth, UK

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Book Synopsis** Business Book Awards 2023 Finalist **Coaching Outdoors offers a journey of professional development, personal development and enriched wellbeing.Coaching Outdoors supports practitioners to step outside and make the most of what nature can offer the coach, client, organisation and planet. It contains essential practical advice and activities, together with engaging case studies and research – all laid out in an accessible and logical format.Discover how to: Articulate the benefits of coaching outdoors from a place of experience Contract for psychological safety outdoors Find resources in nature Collaborate with nature as a coaching co-facilitator Engage with nature when working remotely with clients Coaching Outdoors is the first handbook specifically on the value of coaching with nature. It is an invitation to leave the fast-paced, technology-focused world and reconnect with what really matters, in an environment where we were born to thrive.LESLEY ROBERTS BEd, MSc is an executive coach and adventurer who has been coaching outdoors since 1999. Her academic research focused on how nature can support coach and client. After 16 years with Mars Inc she founded Brave Conversations, working with global teams and individuals to unlock their potential. In 2019 she founded Coaching Outdoors to bring the benefits of partnering with nature to as many people as possible.Trade ReviewAn interesting approach to coaching...Nicely done. * Netgalley *Does exactly what is says on the tin. The ultimate guide to this subject. Essential for any coach. * Amazon *This book is essential reading for anyone interested in getting the best out of themselves and others, insightful and inspiring.Table of ContentsTable of ContentsPRELIMS Foreword by Neil Reynolds, Mars Inc What you will find in this book MAIN CONTENTPART 1 – Setting the Scene About the author and introduction A brief orientation to coaching in general What is coaching outdoors? & Coaching outdoors in the context of other types of coachingWhy has Coaching Outdoors become Topical? Why has being outdoors become so talked about now – a comment on society today Today’s business world Covid-19 Peter Hawkins challenge Benefits from Being Outdoors The evolutionary human connection with nature Benefits of being outside Positive effects of nature Research into walking outside and coaching and walking PART 2 – Getting StartedChoosing the Right LocationThe differences between extreme adventures, hill walking and a walk in the park City, rural, office grounds Where to go, what is appropriate and what isn’t? What practicalities need to be considered? Green space/blue space research ACTIVITY - Self-coaching walk Contracting What’s different to indoors? What do I need to include? ACTIVITY - Practice with a client Weather Where’s your comfort zone? Where’s your clients comfort zone? ACTIVITY – Self-exploration walk Kit What to wear What to take ACTIVITY – Self-exploration walk/Reflection exercise Psychological Safety Considerations How locations can support a variety of issues ACTIVITY – Plan for a client session & re-tweak contract if necessary Give it a GoACTIVITY – Prompt to give it a go in a client session & reflectPART 3 – The Circle of BenefitsBenefits for the Coachee Space Perspective Creativity Presence Side by side Benefits for the Coach Nature as Co-facilitator/The Evoked Companion Speed of connection Depth of conversation Presence Bravery Benefits for the Organization Making the business case Overcoming resistance Wellbeing/Resilience A new way of working for faster results Longevity of impact It’s all about how you introduce it Benefits for the Planet It all starts with our relationship with nature Personal responsibility Personal choice PART 4 – Who am I to Coach Outdoors?Your purpose ACTIVITY – Self-Coaching & JournalingYour personal outdoor practiceModel for time outdoorsYour outdoor coaching practiceACTIVITY – Elevator pitchPART 5 – Nature as Co-FacilitatorOpportunities for The Coach – Making the most of the outside environmentMore than just taking the worksheet outsideNature as a mirror Stories and examples ACTIVITY Metaphor Stories and examples ACTIVITY Constellations Stories and examples ACTIVITY Seasons Stories and examples ACTIVITY Give it a Go Trust your intuition ACTIVITY – Prompt to give it a go in a client session & reflect PART 6 – Teams & Remote WorkWorking Outdoors with Teams What is the difference to working with an individual? What to be aware of Opportunities for teams/team coaches Stories and examples Working Remotely with Nature Over the phone Over computer (including examples, ideas and top tips) PART 7 – Final ThoughtsThe Future of Coaching OutdoorsConclusionCoaching Outdoors is accessible and multi-beneficial for most and appropriate for many, brining benefits to both coach, client and organization.END MATTERAppendices Sample map of an outdoor space for coaching Check-list of things to inform client about Check-list of things to bring; coach and client List of ideas for working with nature indoors Risk Assessment form AcknowledgementsReferences

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Book SynopsisThis innovative approach to managing Forest School, with a focus on children with additional or complex needs, helps children to explore, increase their confidence, take measured risks, improve their self-esteem and become more resilient.Offering a behavioural toolbox and techniques you can put in place immediately within your own practice, this hands-on guide supports positive behaviour with a full range of learners. The book provides you with the tips, suggestions and philosophy to utilise outdoor skills and activities that children can benefit from, regardless of many additional needs they may have.Trade ReviewWarm and engaging in tone, this book is encouraging, thorough and practical, it inspires curiosity and brims with easily applied advice and activities that will add to a Forest School Leader's tool-box, inform the content and conduct of their everyday practice and help no end when dealing with students whose behavior is challenging. -- Chris Holland, author of I Love My World - the playful, hands-on Nature connection guide book and the Storytelling for Outdoor Learning year courseIn this terrific guidebook, David Rylance offers excellent advice to support learning, behavior, and well-being, combined with the power of nature to create an environment where all kids can thrive. -- Richard Louv, author of Our Wild Calling and Last Child in the WoodsTable of Contents1: Introduction to this Book; 2: A Brief Introduction to Forest School; 3: How Forest School can Support all Children Displaying Challenging Behaviour; 4: Managing Your Own Behaviour; 5: Developing Your Behaviour Toolbox for Forest School; 6: Techniques you can use tomorrow in your forest school!; 7: Supporting SEND Behaviour in Your Forest School; 8: Opportunities and Activities to Support Behaviour Change; 9: Team Building Games; add-ons to your Forest School; 10: Conclusion

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Book SynopsisPatrick John Dowling's 'Hedge Schools In Ireland' is a comprehensive chronicle of the underground education movement that emerged in 17th century Ireland, in the shadow of the oppressive 'penal laws.' These laws were directed against Irish Catholics and Ulster Presbyterians, as part of a long-standing British effort to impose their laws and customs, dating back to the failed Norman invasions of the 12th century. This book traces the resilience of the Gaelic Irish and Old English descendants who resisted Protestant conversion during the 16th-century Tudor reign and maintained their unique culture outside Dublin's Pale region. Dowling examines the political and religious tensions of the era, from Catholic loyalties being viewed as suspect due to European Catholic kingdoms supporting Irish rebellions, to the Cromwellian reconquest leading to land seizure from native Irish and Old English Catholics, effectively placing power in the hands of a Protestant minority. These tensions culminated in William III of Orange's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, solidifying Protestant control. The book delves into the impact of the penal laws that curtailed the rights of Catholics and Dissenters, relegating Catholic priests to fugitive status and banning Catholic schools between 1723 and 1782. Consequently, the vast majority of the Irish population was denied formal education, cementing the link between Catholicism and Irish identity. In response, 'hedge' schools emerged clandestinely to educate those who could not afford schooling abroad. Contrary to the term's implications, most of these makeshift schools operated in private houses and barns. The book recounts how these schools evolved from hidden institutions into an acknowledged part of Irish society, with records even appearing in British censuses. Dowling highlights the influence of 18th-century Enlightenment values, liberal Protestant planters identifying as Irish, and calls for reforms sparked by the 1798 rebellion and Daniel O'Connell's peaceful 19th-century Catholic Emancipation movement. By 1831, the National School system was established, marking the decline of hedge schools, with Catholic Church-run national schools dominating by the late 19th century. Dowling's work concludes by noting the continuing existence of hedge school forms into the late 19th century, underscoring the tenacity of Irish commitment to education.Table of ContentsThe Disappearance of the Old Order Education and the Penal Code English Schools in Ireland on Public and Private Foundation before 1782 The Education Societies The Rise of The Hedge Schools The Hedge School at Work The Standard of Knowledge Attained School Books The Making of the Schoolmaster The Income of the Schoolmaster The Social Prestige of the Schoolmaster The Poet Schoolmasters The Teacher of the City "Academy" The Last of the Philomaths

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Book SynopsisThis open access book reviews evidence and case studies on the effects of outdoor learning on teachers and learners. It shows how real-world learning outside the classroom contributes to unlocking the full potential of learners, demonstrating its benefits for academic learning, social competencies, personal and emotional development, psychological well-being, and physical activity and health. In addition, the book highlights how outdoor learning nurtures environmental awareness and helps learners to tackle current sustainability challenges. Its focus on high-quality learning makes it a unique contribution to the implementation of SDG 4. Aimed at lecturers at teacher training universities, teachers, professional educators, coaches, and multipliers who train staff of educational NGOs, as well as decision makers on all levels of education systems, this book is of interest to all those who seek a more in-depth understanding of the future of education.Table of Contents1. Preface Rolf Jucker & Jakob von Au (editors): contextualising Education Outside the Classroom (EotC) Cluster 1: Accumulating scientific evidence that EotC is high quality learning / supporting the learning potential of kids 2. Cathy Jordan and Louise Chawla: A Coordinated Research Agenda for Nature-Based Learning 3. Kuo Ming, Barnes Michael, Jordan Catherine: Do Experiences With Nature Promote Learning?Converging Evidence of a Cause-and-Effect Relationship 4. Kuo Ming, Browning Matthew H. E. M., Penner Milbert L.: Do Lessons in Nature Boost Subsequent Classroom Engagement? Refueling Students in Flight 5. Louise Chawla: Childhood nature connection and constructive hope: A review of research on connecting with nature and coping with environmental loss 6. Rolf Jucker: Summary of: Caroline Fiennes et al.: The Existing Evidence-Base about the Effectiveness of Outdoor Learning 7. Sue Waite (Plymouth): International views on school-based outdoor learning. Cluster 2: Results of the TEACHOUT research project 8. Erik Mygind: Udeskole - pupils’ physical activity and gender perspectives 9. Erik Mygind & Mads Bølling: Pupils’ well-being, mental and social health 10. Karen Barfod and Erik Mygind: Udeskole – Regular teaching outside the classroom Cluster 3: Accumulating scientific evidence that EotC is supporting the health of pupils & teachers 11. Richard Hobday: Outdoor Learning and Children’s Eyesight 12. Sue Waite and Jennie Aronsson, Plymouth University: Some impacts on health and wellbeing from school-based outdoor learning Cluster4: Necessary teacher’s competences for teaching EotC / necessary changes in teacher training curriculums and CPD 13. Christina Wolf: A review on outdoor-based teaching in higher education 14. Jeff Mann, Son Truong, Tonia Gray: Rediscovering the potential of outdoor learning for developing 21st century skills 15. Nadia Lausselet / Ismaël Zosso: How to achieve quality teacher outdoor education: a competence centre shows possible paths 16. Svantje Schumann: Investigating the Experience of Nature: Challenges and case-analytical approaches Cluster 5: Case studies and context 17. Nicholas Robin: a reflection on outdoor learning in the history of science education 18. Rowena Passy and Ian Blackwell, Plymouth University: Natural Connections: learning about outdoor based learning 19. Christian Armbrüster / Matthias D. Witte (Mainz): Outdoor-based teaching and learning in Germany Theoretical considerations and empirical findings 20. Ulrich Dettweiler, Gabriele Lauterbach, Ruth Kermish-Allen: Fostering 21st Century Skills by Teaching Science Outside the Classroom: Students’ Perceived Relevance of Contents and Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction 21. Carol Rowntree Jones, Sue Anderson, Caroline Scothern: Creating a Forest for Learning in the National Forest, England 22. Rolf Jucker: outdoor-based teaching and learning in Switzerland: bilingual approaches to systemic integration

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Book Synopsis

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